Numerous studies have shown that certain natural foods such as vegetables, fruit, seaweed and medicinal plants, among others, contain a large quantity of substances that provide antioxidant activity. Green juice recipes incorporating these foods help to prevent and treat diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, all caused by excess oxidative stress which damages the cells and favours a pro-inflammatory state of the body.

This oxidative stress appears as a result of an imbalance in the levels of oxidising agents and the levels of antioxidant agents. The former are produced by external factors such as environmental pollution, by the processed products we eat, physical and emotional stress; while the latter enter our body in food such as vegetables, fruit, seaweeds, etc. As we have already seen in a previous entry ‘Mastery , the new generation of Cold Press machines by Zumex‘, a large part of the benefits obtained from these foods of vegetable origin is thanks to their content in phytochemicals, compounds which provide anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anti-carcinogenic and antimicrobial properties.

“Including green detox juice in our daily diet is, quite simply, a fabulous prevention technique in terms of health and wellbeing”.

There are a number of ways to incorporate more vegetables in our diet, and consuming green juices is an excellent option to consider, which is why they are a real must for your business’ juice menu.

What are green juices?

Green juices are made from vegetables – with green leafy vegetables taking centre stage – and some piece of fruit to add a sweet touch to the mix.

Green juice recipes stand out for their rich content in vegetables, while the fruit adds new nuances for palates not yet fully accustomed to the intense taste of these juices. Nevertheless, more and more consumers are deciding on green vegetable mixes without the addition of any fruit, in order to reduce the glycaemic load.

 “The fruit with most sugar are, in particular, bananas, grapes, lychees, persimmons, custard apples and mangoes”.

To sum up, vegetable juices are drinks with a high nutritional level, as they are a cocktail of vitamins, minerals, active enzymes and other essential nutrients for your body to combat the oxidative stress we talked about at the start.

What do green detox juices contain?

Green juices contain a large amount of micro- and macronutrients.  Below, we list the different components of these natural drinks.

Water is the main ingredient of green juices, since vegetables and fruit contain a high percentage of water. This helps to hydrate at the same time as containing biologically active agents; as well as being pure and uncontaminated.

These drinks also contain a large amount of vitamins, with vitamins A and C being the majority vitamins in almost all of them, and Vitamin K also very present in green leaves.

The properties of vitamin A include:

• Keeps specialised tissues such as the retinae in good health.
• Aids the proper development and health of the skin and mucous membranes.
• Helps in the proper development of the teeth and of soft and skeletal tissue.

Foods containing a higher concentration of this vitamin are seaweed, carrots, parsley and pumpkins.

Vitamin C is very well known for its antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, in addition to this capacity, it is a vitamin which:

• Takes part in collagen synthesis.
• Takes part in the synthesis of neurotransmitters essential for proper stress management.
• Improves the bioavailability of iron, promoting its absorption.

Among the foods richest in vitamin C, acerolas, peppers, cabbage, parsley, kiwis, citrus fruits, etc. stand out.

Vitamin K, also known as the anti-haemorrhagic vitamin, is notable for carrying out the following functions:

• Intervenes in the synthesis of various blood coagulation factors.
• Intervenes in calcium metabolism, regulating the deposits of this mineral in the bones and preventing it from being eliminated by the kidneys.

Parsley, cabbage, spinach and beetroot are foods rich in vitamin K.

Minerals are also present in green juices. Iron and calcium are the main ones and are found above all in green leafy vegetables and in seaweeds.

All these nutrients are essential for the optimum functioning of the body. Now you know so many of their benefits, can you afford to miss out?

You may be interested in: Do you want an extra dose of nutrients for your juices? Don’t miss our post on superfoods.

Detoxifying juice combinations for your natural drinks menus

• Celery, cucumber, fennel, ginger and mint: a juice which promotes the proper functioning of the urinary system, improving the elimination of waste substances.
• Parsley, cucumber, broccoli, apple and lime: a juice which will help to keep your teeth and bones strong. If, additionally, you expose yourself to the sun on a daily basis to increase vitamin D synthesis, you will improve the absorption of calcium present in this combination of vegetables.
• Spinach, fennel, cucumber, apple, spirulina alga and lime: The perfect juice for proper tissue hydration and regeneration after physical exercise.
• Cucumber, beetroot, lemon and ginger: a juice which promotes the formation of neurotransmitters related to mood, because your emotional health is just as important as your physical health!

Are you interested in Cold-Pressed green juice recipes?

See how the recipes are prepared with Zumex Mastery

Do you want to improve the juice offer in your business? Do you need industrial juicers to improve the production rhythms of your recipes? Contact Zumex Food Engineering.

Author

Carla Martínez

I am a Food Technician, Health Coach and Dietitian.

Apart from participating in the writing of articles for the Zumex Food Engineering Blog, my daily work is based on creating new juice and meal recipes which I offer both at the personal consultation level and to entrepreneurs who decide to open their Juice Bar, advising them on menu design for their new business.

As a lover of healthy living, a good Cold-Pressed juice made with Mastery is always a must for me after my morning training sessions. I make them with any green leafy vegetable, celery, cucumber, apple, lemon, ginger and spirulina to help me recover.

My philosophy: To attain integral balance in order to enjoy optimum health. Eat healthily, exercise, breathe consciously and be grateful for all that you have.

The healthy lifestyle has come to stay, and if you want to stay up to date with all the news, be sure not to miss our posts.

See you at the next one!

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