Drinking your greens is an easy way to reach your recommended daily intake of vegetables. As a bonus, you’ll get a major hit of nutrients and energy boost. But there are few tips that every ‘juicer’ should be aware of to get the most out of every sip of green goodness.
- Drink it on an empty stomach.
To absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from your green juice, it is best to drink it first thing in the morning, or by waiting a couple of hours after a meal. If you’ve just had your juice and plan to eat, it is best to wait about 20 minutes.
- Drink your green juice immediately.
The enzymes contained in fruit and vegetables start to break down on exposure to air. By drinking your juice immediately you will get the biggest nutritional hit. If this is not possible, or you are making a batch, storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator is the next best thing.
- Cut the sugar.
By including more vegetables in your green juice and less sugary fruits, you will avoid the high (and subsequent crash) that can occur after consuming sugar. Not to mention cutting calories in the process! Try to stick to a maximum of one serve of fruit per juice.
- Vary your juice ingredients
Your body loves receiving a variety of nutrients every day, and will reap the benefits if you include a variety of greens in your juices. Kale, spinach, and watercress are just a few examples, and you can even include the leaves of vegetables you wouldn’t normally think to eat such as celery and beetroot.
- Ensure you include protein in your diet.
Try not to think of juice as a meal replacement, rather think of it as a meal ‘enhancement’. Juices do not contain the protein you require for a healthy diet, so ensure you include protein to keep you in tip-top shape.
