Benefits of Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is found in abundance in leafy greens such as: lettuce, kale, collards, chard, alfalfa, cabbage, buckwheat greens, turnip greens, spinach, cabbage, sunflower greens, parsley, celery, cucumbers, scallions, watermelon rind, and green peppers. Fresh juices are a great way of getting chlorophyll into your diet, and these are just a few of the chlorophyll-packed green vegetables that can be added to different juice combinations.

In studies, chlorophyll appears to help the body resist the growth of tumors, especially in the lungs. It does this by stimulating the adrenal gland and cleaning the nodes, enriching the blood and unblocking clogged arteries. For example, the lowly parsley is one of the most nutritious foods we can eat. Parsley juice is packed with chlorophyll which serves to metabolize oxygen in our bloodstream thereby purifying it.

Wheatgrass is another excellent source of chlorophyll. The chlorophyll molecule is surprisingly similar to hemoglobin, which is the substance that carries oxygen in the blood. In her studies, Anne Wigmore of the Hippocrates Health Institute found that wheatgrass juice actually duplicates the molecular structure of hemoglobin. Wheatgrass juice helps our body build healthy blood cells, while it cleanses and rejuvenates our body.

As an internal cleanser and healer fresh chlorophyll juice should be high on your list. Green juices have been proven to be an antiseptic, cell rejuvenator and stimulator. So, do your body a multitude of good by starting your day with a glass of fresh nutritious chlorophyll juice. Twenty-five percent of the drink should be green juice and the other seventy-five percent can be carrot, cucumber, celery or apple (or any other non-green juice).  Green juices by themselves can be bitter and some people cannot tolerate the taste.  Although, wheatgrass, by itself,  is sweet and pleasant tasting.

Mix it up by looking for other nutritious chlorophyll rich vegetables and invest in a good juice extractor like the Omega 8006 juicer which can extract juice from a variety of vegetables including the difficult leafy greens and wheatgrass.

Alfalfa Sprout Juice Recipe

This is a delicious and refreshing juice which promotes weight loss. You can drink this juice twice a day on an empty stomach to help suppress your appetite. If possible, use organic produce for this recipe.

1 bunch of alfalfa sprouts

1 bunch of kale

1/2 cucumber

2 celery stalks

1 apple

The Omega VRT350HD is an example of an appropriate juicer for this recipe. Wash the ingredients and process through the juicer then enjoy.

Getting Your Enzymes From Juices

Enzymes are proteins which serve a vital function in every living thing, which includes food in its raw uncooked state.  It is the enzymatic reaction that cause fruits to ripen and display their bright vibrant colours. When we eat foods in their raw uncooked state, we use their enzymes to do the work of breaking the food down so that it can be absorbed by the body's intestines thereby taking the strain off our metabolism.  Because enzymes are extremely susceptible to heat, when foods are cooked all of the beneficial enzymes are destroyed.

When transitioning to a healthier lifestyle, consider making approximately 25 percent of your diet consist of  raw foods such as: organic fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, sprouts, leafy greens and fresh juices. During the warmer months, take advantage of the plentiful available fresh local produce and incorporate exercise into your daily routine to speed up your metabolism and improve your digestion. Following a vigorous exercise routine, replenish your cells with a glass of fresh fruit juice (orange is best).

Enzymes function as the bodies labour force as they constantly build and rebuild the body. For optimum health, consider making enzyme rich fresh juices and raw uncooked foods a part of your daily diet.

Juicing to Lose Weight

If your goal is to lose weight then incorporating fruit and vegetable juice into your daily lifestyle will help tremendously toward achieving your aim.  When you include fresh juice into your daily diet you will begin to notice that you have more energy, feel better, your skin will have a healthy glow and the pounds will begin to dissolve away.  To effectively lose the unwanted pounds, there has to be a complete lifestyle change that includes a healthy diet and exercise. You will need to start with a good multi-purpose juicer and fresh produce.

Before eating breakfast, drink a glass of vegetable juice (on an empty stomach) to alkalize your system. A half hour later, you can eat a healthy, wholesome breakfast which consists of fruits and whole grains.  By mid-morning you may feel like a snack, this will be a good time to have a glass of fruit juice as a pick me up.  Drink a glass of vegetable juice a half before or after lunch and dinner. By incorporating fresh fruit and vegetable juice in your diet you will nourish your cells and your craving for sweets will go away. To supply the bulk that your body needs for proper digestion, you will need to eat a fiber rich diet which consists of fresh vegetable salads, legumes, whole grains and a variety of fresh fruits. As your system becomes accustomed to these nourishing foods, you will naturally develop a preference for them.  You will have no desire for junk food and it will be easy for you to reach your desired weight.  Once you have reached your goal, continue juicing and your healthy eating pattern.  Remember, this is your new healthy lifestyle and a temporary diet.

By supplying your body with the necessary nutrients, you will feel more alive and full energy. You will not want to resume your unhealthy eating habits.

Buy Local Produce

When juicing, choose organically grown fruits and vegetables.  A good way to ensure that you are getting organically grown or pesticide free products is to shop for local or regional grown produce. Locally grown vegetables, fruits and greens are ripen to maturity in the ground.  This means that these produce contain the maximum amount of nutrients.  Furthermore, they do not have to travel far to get your local grocery store or market ensuring that they will till be at their peak nutritionally.  On the other hand, commercially grown produce are picked well before they are ripened, otherwise they would rot before they arrive at the local grocery store and market.  By the time these unripened, low nutrition produce reach their destination (our local grocery store or market) they are weeks old and still not naturally ripe.  To further compound the problem, these produce have been treated with fungicides, coolants, and chemicals which are meant to retard spoilage and enhance their appearance.

So, when shopping at your local market of grocery store look for organic, local or regional grown produce. If you are not sure, then ask a worker.  There is a good chance that if the produce is local, it will be organic and labeled as such.

The Best Time to Drink Fresh Juices

The best time to drink fresh juices is on an empty stomach so as not interfere with the digestive process. Drink fresh juices either one half hour before or after meals or as between meal snacks.  When you drink liquids such as juices during meals, you interfere with the digestive process. Liquids dilute our body's own digestive juices thereby diminishing its digestive process. Furthermore, the highly concentrated sugars and starches contained in fresh juices ferment in the digestive tract, while waiting for the food that we have consumed to be digested - resulting in a multitude of digestive problems.

Turnip Green Juice

Anemia Buster

1 bunch of organic turnip greens

1 organic apple

Wash the turnip greens and apple thoroughly then run the ingredients through the juicer. Drink the juice immediately. Turnip greens are an excellent source of iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamin A.

An example of a good juicer for this recipe is the Omega 8006 juicer.

Getting Started Juicing Part 3

To get the maximum benefit from your juicing program you must incorporate vegetables, leafy greens and fruit juices. The juice from vegetables and greens regenerate and build the body, while fruit juices purify and cleanse the system. By eating whole foods and incorporating fresh vegetable and fruit juices into your healthy lifestyle you will strengthen your body to defend against dangerous diseases. When you embark on your juicing program, within a few days, you will notice the vital signs of health. Your skin will glow, your hair will be shinier and your breath will smell fresher. These are all indications that you are on your way to vital health. Variety is the key, so make sure that you are getting a wide assortment of produce in your diet to protect yourself from nutritional deficiency.

Getting Started Juicing Part 2

To make fresh juices at home, you will need a juicer. However, in order to select the juicer that best suits your family's needs, it will  help to know a little about how the various category of juicers differ from one another. Juicers are expressly designed to extract fluid from the fiber of fruits and vegetables. It does this by separating the liquid from the pulp which is usually discarded.
The best or perfect juicer is the one that suits your needs and that you will enjoy using. It helps to know what type of produce, you will be juicing most often. To help you make your decision, the following list offers a brief definition of the different categories of juicers on the market.

High speed juicers:

• Centrifugal juicers: These juicers extracts the juice from fruits and vegetables by chopping the produce and spinning it a stainless steel basket at high speed (3600 rpms) to separate the juice from the pulp. The pulp has to be removed as the basket becomes full. A plastic bag of filter can be placed inside the basket to help with the cleanup. This is not a continuous juicing appliance as you must stop the machine to empty the basket when it is full. Works well for extracting juice from most fruits and vegetables, but it cannot extract juice from wheatgrass or leafy greens.
• Pulp ejection: These are also centrifugal juicers, but the difference is that this version automatically ejects the pulp through a side opening. The pulp ejection system makes this a continuous juicing appliance. It is not necessary to continually stop and empty the basket. You will be able to juice most fruits and vegetables, but these juicers cannot extract juice from wheatgrass or leafy greens.
• Citrus juicers: These are dedicated juicing machines that are specifically designed to extract juice from oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruits.

Masticating Juicers:
This category of juicer masticates (chews and grinds) the fruits and vegetables into a paste and squeezes the juice through a screen. These juicers rotates at a low speed (approx. 80 rpms) with the exception of the Champion which rotates at approximately 1000 rpms. These juicers are great for juicing most fruits and vegetables, wheatgrass and leafy greens. However, the Champion requires an attachment for juicing wheatgrass and leafy greens.

The single auger juicers, uses an auger to crush the produce against the screen or wall of the juicer to extract the juice. These juicers rotate at a low rpm (approx. 80 rpms) minimizing oxidation of the juice. They are great for extracting juice from most fruits and vegetables, wheatgrass, leafy greens, barley grass, sprouts etc.

The dual-stage single auger juicers function much like the single auger juicers above, but after the initial crushing, the juice extraction is done in two stages through two fine hole screens. These juicers are also great for juicing most fruits and vegetables, wheatgrass, leafy greens, barley grass, sprouts etc. They come in both upright and horizontal versions. Because of the dual stage extracting process these juicers produce more juice than the single auger machines.

The twin gear press also known as triturating juicers utilize two augers (interlocking gears) to press out the juice from the produce. The twin gear press rotates at a low rpm (approx. 80 - 110 rpms) minimizing oxidation of the juice. You can extract juice from most fruits and vegetables, wheatgrass, leafy greens, barley grass, sprouts etc.

If you are only interested in juicing wheatgrass and leafy greens then you can purchase a dedicated wheatgrass juicer. These juicers are single auger juicers that are specifically designed to extract juice from the delicate wheatgrass leaves. They come in both electric and manuals versions. The manual wheatgrass juicer is great as a backup because it is portable and does not require power. You can take it with you when you travel.

Getting Started Juicing Part 1

A personalized juice program is simple to design and simple to follow. However, it's best to begin slowly, if you are not accustomed to drinking juices on a regular basis. To begin, you may choose to to embark on your juice program simply by increasing your daily intake of such juice favourites like apple, orange, tomato, or grape. Later, you may incorporate juices with specific health benefits such as wheatgrass, purslane, and kohlrabi. Although, not as tasty as the juices listed above, these are excellent tonics targeting specific ailments. You can add sweetness to these juices by adding a neutral fruit such as apple.

While fresh juices are high in nutrition, they are low in fiber. Therefore, a fiber-rich diet will complement your juice program by supplying the bulk that your body needs for proper digestion. To ensure that you are getting enough dietary fiber, you must eat at least two fiber-rich meals a day. Foods high in fiber include raw vegetables, whole grain cereals and breads, and whole fresh fruits.

By adding fiber-rich meals to a sound juice program, you will be taking the most positive step you can toward better health. To help you get started juicing, we will be adding simple juice recipes frequently. In order to make fresh juices at home, you will need a good juicer that is suitable for extracting juice from the produce that you may want to juice. Our comparison chart will help you to chose the juicer that best suit your needs.

Fruit Sugars Versus Refined Sugars

Fresh fruits contain, both complex carbohydrates and simple sugars. Because they are more slowly digested than simple sugars, complex carbohydrates are more healthful. Rather than the short bursts of energy from the simple sugars, the energy from complex carbohydrates is released more evenly over a longer period. Although they are not as desirable as complex carbohydrates, the simple sugars that are found in fresh fruits are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. In this way they differ from refined, white cane sugar. One of the main health concerns with refined, white cane sugar is that is used in high concentrations associated with many junk foods that are empty calorie foods. These foods are not beneficial to our health, because they supply no minerals, vitamins, complex carbohydrates, or fiber. Eating sugar filled junks foods cause obesity, tooth decay, over-acidic blood due to fermentation of the sugars in the stomach, and malnutrition. Malnutrition occurs when there is loss of desire for balanced, health-producing food after becoming addicted to a junk food diet. It is difficult, by comparison, to consume too much sugar by either eating fruits or from drinking too much fruit juice. Even the sweetest fruits are far more nutritionally balanced than sugar-packed junk foods.
In conclusion, it is unlikely that a person could become obese by consuming too much sugar on a natural foods diet containing plenty of fresh fruit juice.

Juice Recipe #2

This recipe is great for the digestive system.

Grape Ape

1 small bunch of grapes

1/2 papaya (peeled and pitted)

1/2 inch of ginger

Wash the grapes and ginger and peel and pit the papaya, then run the ingredients through your juicer. Remember to always use organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

The Omega Vert 330 HD and Omega Vert 350 HD works great for juicing these ingredients. Both are fantastic all around juicers.

Juicing Wheatgrass for Health

 Wheatgrass is a superior source of chlorophyll and it also has the widest range of of vitamins and mineral of any vegetable. It is the perhaps the most nutrtious and cleansing of all the juices. Anne Wigmore is responsible for the popularity of wheatgrass juice. An expert in the field of living foods nutrition, she pioneered the research to establish the value of wheatgrass. Through her research she found that wheatgrass contains many anti-aging properties. Among these are: superoxide dismutase (S.O.D.), vitamin A, B complex, C and E, chlorophyll, a full spectrum of minerals and trace elements including calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium, and a number of special enzymes and amino acids.

During her research, Anne Wigmore also found that wheatgrass juice duplicates the molecular structure of hemoglobin, which is a vital part of the blood. It contains a vast amount of chlorophyll, which is a cell stimulator, rejuvenator, and red blood builder. It also purifies the blood which helps to cleanse the kidneys, liver, and urinary tract. This contributes to regularity and a healthy bowel. It is also a safe and potent aid for weight loss. It works by suppressing the appetite, and by stimulating metabolism and circulation.

So, for all these reason, you must make wheatgrass juice an essential part of your diet. You can grow wheatgrass at home and enjoy the rejuvenating benefits. The best way is to purchase a wheatgrass growing kit which comes with everything that you will need to get started. The Sproutman Soil-Free Wheatgrass Grower, which is a dedicated wheatgrass grower, comes with everything that you will need to get started (including the seeds). You can also use the EasyGreen MikroFarm which comes with a large tray for growing wheatgrass and you can purchase additional trays for rotation so that you will always have wheatgrass on hand for daily supplementation. You must have three trays to ensure that you always have wheatgrass for juicing, so one tray is in the initial stage of cultivation and the other is in the end stage. The third tray is the cover, needed only for three days of each cycle.

Wheatgrass yields approximately six to eight ounces of juice per pound of wheatgrass. For best results, sip fresh-squeezed wheatgrass juice on an empty or near empty stomach, taking a couple of minutes to finish. You can mix it with other juices or take it alone in one to three ounce servings.

When juicing wheatgrass, you need juicers that are slow turning like the single auger or twin gear juicers, which rotate at low rpms. You can also use a manual or electric dedicated wheatgrass juicer. Centrifugal juicers are not recommended for juicing wheatgrass. The juice from a centrifugal juicer (if you can get any) will be of inferior quality and value because high-speed processing tends to oxidize green juices.

The Omega Vert 330 HD or the Hurom HU100 (the third generation Hurom) are great at juicing wheatgrass and they look attractive and take up very little counter space.

Apple Ginger Zinger

2 apples

1 pear

1 inch piece of ginger

Cut the apples and pears into wedges. Beginning and ending with apple, process half the apple and pear wedges in the juicer. Process the ginger, then process the remaining apple and pear wedges, beginning and ending with apple.

This juice will warm you up during those cold winter evenings. It's also great for settling an upset stomach. If you suffer from travel sickness, you can drink a glass before travelling.

Note: We recommend that you use organic ingredients for this recipe.

Juice Less and Save Time

Juicing is an important part of an healthy lifestyle and those of us who believe in the health benefits of juicing do it religiously. However, juicing can be time consuming and those of us who juice will probably prepare fresh juices once or twice a day. There is a better way. There are juicers that process the juice in such a way that you can store your juice in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours without losing any of the valuable nutrients. This way you can prepare your juices every three days or as you need it, freeing up your time to do other things.

Most of the masticating juicers such as the single auger and twin gear rotate at very low rpms, which lowers the oxidation, thereby preserving the enzymes and nutrients in the juice. Twin Gear juicers, such as the Samson Green Power KPE 1304 and the Green Star Elite use magnetic and bio-ceramic materials in the juice bowl and twin gears which results in juices that can be stored in the refrigertor for longer periods.

The Omega Vert 350 HD and the Vert 330 HD single auger juicers both produce high quality juices that can also be refrigerated for up to 72 hours (so do the Samson 9000 series of juicers and the Omega 8000 series nutrition centers).

So, don't be a slave to daily juicing!