Should you add green juice to your daily routine to improve your health? Maybe you’re curious what green juice really does for your body, what benefits it offers, and whether you actually need it.
Health experts at Click Pharmacy recommend green juice as a healthy choice. It can offer many benefits, but be sure to choose the right type and focus on ingredients that match your needs before you start drinking it regularly.
What is green juice?
Green juice is made from fresh green vegetables or powdered greens. Sometimes fruits, herbs, or spices are added. There’s no strict rule about how much fruit to include, but keeping fruit low will reduce the sugar. If you’re just starting, use more fruit to ease into the taste—try 40% fruit and 60% vegetables, then adjust as you go. Green juice delivers vitamins, minerals, and other helpful compounds that support overall health.
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Common greens used in green juice
– Spinach
– Swiss chard
– Kale
– Romaine lettuce
– Wheatgrass
– Barley grass
– Parsley
– Celery
– Cucumber
– Broccoli
Types of green juice
Fresh green juice – Made at home with a good juicer. It has the most nutrients since it hasn’t been heated or stored. The downside: you’ll need to buy a juicer and clean it. Look for one that’s easy to clean.
Powdered green juice – A convenient alternative if you don’t have time to make fresh juice. Powders usually mix with water, but you can also add them to smoothies or juices. Options include:
– Supergreens blends with many powdered vegetables
– Single-ingredient powders like wheatgrass, barley grass, or spirulina
Many ready-made powders include enzymes or probiotics to aid digestion and sometimes sweeteners or powdered fruit to improve taste.
Bottled green juice – Often found at supermarkets, bottled juices are pasteurized to extend shelf life, but pasteurization can reduce some nutrients. Shop-bought juices can also be high in sugar if they contain a lot of fruit juice. If you buy bottled juice, choose ones with more vegetables than fruit. Still, powdered greens you mix at home often give better value and preserve more nutrients.
Green juice cleanse
Some companies sell freshly made green juices for home delivery as part of a juice cleanse. These are juiced like homemade versions but made on a larger scale. For best results, they should be delivered quickly after pressing, or frozen for transport.
People use cleanses to reset their system, boost energy, and lose weight. Cleanses can last one day, three days, seven days, or longer. They have benefits but also downsides, so research before trying one. Choose a provider that uses organic produce and doesn’t heat the final product. Fast delivery and frozen options are helpful. If you’re only trying a one-day cleanse, making juices at home is usually cheaper.
Green juice benefits
Regularly drinking green juice gives your body vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes that might be missing from a typical diet. It’s a natural way to add extra nutrients, often better absorbed than some synthetic supplements. These nutrients support organ function, and can improve the look of your skin and hair.
Green juice and digestion
Green juice can aid digestion thanks to enzymes in vegetables. A healthy digestive system supports much of your immune system, so keeping digestion working well matters.
Add these ingredients for digestion:
– Ginger — helps move food from the stomach to the small intestine and can reduce gas.
– Celery — has anti-inflammatory properties that may help gut issues.
– Mint — soothes upset stomach and aids digestion; blend it into smoothies for best effect.
If your green powder contains probiotics, that can help balance gut bacteria and improve digestion.
Green juice and liver health
Green juice can support liver function and help the body eliminate toxins.
Good ingredients for liver health:
– Dandelion — traditionally used to support the liver.
– Celery — may help regulate elevated liver enzymes and balance cholesterol when combined with other foods like chicory and barley.
– Ginger — reduces inflammation and can improve liver enzyme profiles.
– Leafy greens like spinach and kale — generally promote liver health.
Green juice and heart health
Green juices can help lower risk factors for heart disease by reducing inflammation. They’re rich in nutrients like chlorophyll, which supports the immune system and may improve red blood cell production and oxygen delivery.
Try adding ingredients high in vitamins C and E and beta-carotene for heart benefits. Also consider:
– Beets — beetroot juice can lower blood pressure and may help people with heart disease.
– Berries — full of antioxidants that protect the heart.
– Red grapes — contain resveratrol, which may reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure.
– Celery — may lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
To boost heart health further, add chia seeds, hemp seeds, or walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids.
Green juice and aging
Green juices are rich in antioxidants that help fight free radicals—unstable molecules that cause cell damage and speed up aging. While lifestyle choices (like quitting smoking and cutting back on fried foods and alcohol) are important, increasing antioxidant intake from greens helps counter outside pollutants and toxins you can’t avoid.
Green juice for hair and skin
Regular green juice can improve hair and skin by supplying extra nutrients. To support skin and hair health, try adding:
– Aloe vera — supports collagen production and can help reduce skin irritation.
– Kale — packed with vitamins and minerals for skin repair.
– Ginger — reduces inflammation that can affect skin.
– Carrots — rich in antioxidants that protect skin and reduce sun damage.
– Watercress — full of anti-aging antioxidants.
– Celery — contains silica, important for skin, hair, and nails.
Green juice and brain function
What’s good for the heart is good for the brain: both need healthy blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients. Long-term green juice use supports heart and brain health through increased vegetable intake and antioxidants. Short-term, the right nutrients can improve focus, concentration, and memory.
Add these for mental sharpness:
– Blueberries
– Avocado
– Leafy greens like spinach and kale
Keep sugar low in your green juice. If you use naturally sweet fruits, you likely won’t need extra sweeteners. A low-sugar green juice, especially on an empty stomach, delivers nutrients efficiently.
FAQs
Can you make green juice without a juicer?
Yes. Use a blender with filtered water to blend ingredients until smooth, then strain through a nut milk bag or thin cloth to remove solids.
Which juicer is best?
If you’re serious about juicing, choose a cold-press or masticating (slow) juicer. These create less heat and usually preserve more nutrients and keep juice fresher longer.
Can green juice be frozen?
Yes. Make large batches and freeze what you won’t drink that day. Freeze immediately to limit nutrient loss, in a glass jar with some space left for expansion. Thaw in the fridge overnight or in warm water the morning you want it. Some nutrients will be lost, but it’s still a good option.
Can green juice cause diarrhea?
Some people, especially those not used to raw foods, may experience diarrhea from green juice. If this happens, reduce the amount you drink and start with small servings so your body can adjust. Avoid adding too much fruit at once (excess fructose can cause issues). If you have IBS, introduce new vegetables and fruits slowly and check your body’s reaction.
Final word
If you’ve been unsure whether green juice is worth it, the evidence supports its benefits—if you make it the right way and preserve key nutrients. Adding green juice to your routine is a simple way to boost your health. If you don’t have a juicer yet, now is a great time to shop for one. Start with vegetables you already like, then try new recipes over time.
Sources
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