Juice and Smoothie Recipes That Heal

By Robert Hannum

Discover the healing power of fresh juices and smoothies with recipes proven to help prevent and even treat diseases based on the latest research. The former "juicing expert" for About.com presents over 200 delicious recipes with no added sugar plus off-beat topics to delight the beginner and expert alike, such as shocking truths about sugar, recipes for better sex, juicing with cannabis, recipes for your blood type, using succulents and cacti, finding greens in your own back yard, and growing wheatgrass at home! Boost your energy and improve your memory. Treat diabetes, depression, insomnia, arthritis, cancer, and cholesterol. Lose weight, delay aging, and improve your eyesight""all with recipes based on scientific research that the author cites after each chapter. Learn how to avoid dangers, the importance of juicing for your kids, the most effective cleansing recipes, how to juice on a budget, and the best juice and smoothie machines. Recommended by medical doctors, you'll learn twenty tips and tricks, ten disease-fighting herbs and spices, twelve unhealthy fruits and vegetables, nutrients you can't find in supplements, why a fresh juice or smoothie is more nutritious than raw food, and the dangers in store-bought juice. Easy, tasty, and tested recipes that target all your health concerns. The easiest way to get all your daily requirements of fruits and vegetables for optimal health and never pay for another nutritional supplement with these delicious research-based recipes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 29, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644928400

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Great Debate: Juice or Smoothie

Jumping Right In

Is one better than the other? I’ve been listening to this debate for years, so let’s settle it once and for all! Here’s a brief but thorough look at both sides of the juice-versus-smoothie debate.

Juicing is accomplished with a machine that separates the juice from the pulp though some pulp remains in the finished product. The result is an extremely nutrient-dense drink.

Smoothies, on the other hand, are made using a high-speed blender. All the pulp remains. Thus, a smoothie is more like a meal and less like a drink.

Which is better depends upon who you ask and what you use it for. Let’s look closer at this debate so you can make up your own mind.

The Fiber Debate

Many contend that smoothies are a much better choice for those who want more fiber. Smoothies definitely have more fiber since juices discard most of the pulp, which is primarily fiber. Not so fast, say juice enthusiasts! Juice has fiber.

This debate is better understood by taking a closer look at fiber. It comes in two forms—soluble and insoluble. Both are vital to a healthy diet. Smoothies have soluble and insoluble fiber. Juices have mostly soluble fiber. If you’re trying to lower your cholesterol, soluble fiber may be best. If you’re dealing with digestive problems, such as constipation, your physician may suggest more insoluble fiber. All in all, it’s estimated that we eat half the amount of fiber we need.

Juicing proponents point out that you can add pulp back into your juice for as much insoluble fiber as you want, but unless you put it all back, smoothies deliver more fiber.

The Weight-Loss Debate

Pulp is added calories, and there is more pulp in smoothies; thus, many consider juices more helpful for weight loss. Not so fast, say smoothie lovers! Added fiber in a smoothie creates a slower rate of absorption, and thus, you feel fuller longer, helping dieters to eat less. Which one is better? It’s a toss-up.

The Energy-Drink Debate

Because there is less pulp in juice, it digests faster and more nutrients are absorbed more quickly. Thus, juices are more effective energy and workout-recovery drinks.

Digestion Issue

Some nutritionists contend that smoothies do not digest as well as juices. Here’s the argument. Different digestive chemicals are triggered when food or drink enters your mouth. When you drink a smoothie, your digestion becomes confused because your enzymes see it as a liquid, but the content, particularly the fiber, is akin to solid food. Thus, for some, a smoothie results in gas and bloating.

Time Issue

Smoothies do seem to have an edge when it comes to prep and cleanup. After all, you’re eating the whole food rather than cleaning up and discarding all that pulp.

The Nutrient Debate

The nutritional differences between juices and smoothies are hard to pin down. In my mind it’s a non-issue, but here are the facts so you can decide. The machines that make smoothies are high powered. They have to be to turn whole vegetables and fruits—skin and all—into a liquid. They are so powerful that they add more oxygen to your drink, which destroys some nutrients—some say as much as 100 percent of the enzymes and 50 percent of the phytonutrients. The least expensive juice machines are centrifugal juicers, which probably cause the same nutrient loss. Not so with slow and press juicers—they add far less oxygen. But it’s important to keep a perspective. Any fresh smoothie or juice, no matter what kind of machine you make it with, is worlds more nutritious than anything sold in a bottle, can, carton, or powder—even the best organic brands.

Storage

It’s important to keep in mind that many nutrients quickly break down, so if you want to consume the most nutrients, drink your smoothie or juice as soon as you make it. But the smoothie has a tradition of being frozen for later, and freezing also destroys some nutrients.

Cost Factor

Those who prefer smoothies over juices point to the lower cost involved because more produce is needed to create the same volume of juice.

Added-Ingredients Issue

Because the smoothie is the whole food, it comes out thicker than a juice. And because it includes bitter skins and rinds, smoothies often taste better with some kind of added sweetener, such as coconut sugar or honey. Thus, smoothies often have added ingredients and juices do not.

So there are the facts! You decide! They’re both very good for you and one of the best ways to improve your health. What do I think? Some days I make a smoothie. Some days a juice!

Reference

https://www.thespruce.com/vegetable-juices-for-better-multivita

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Chapter 2

Top Tips for the Best Juice and Smoothie

Here are the latest quick-and-easy tips and tricks for getting the most out of your juice or smoothie. They will help you save time and money and avoid those few but important dangers.

1. Can I Use a Kitchen Blender?

Yes! But there’s a problem. A common kitchen blender does not finely grind hard produce such as carrots and beets, or skins such as apple and pear, or leafy greens, which are so full of nutrients that they should be part of every juice and smoothie recipe. You end up with a gritty soup that you must then strain through a coffee filter, and that takes time. Get a high-powered blender or extractor—there is no difference—such as the VitaMix or Health Master or even the inexpensive NutriBullet. In my opinion, a cheap smoothie machine is just as effective as an expensive one though it will not last as long.

2. Are There Any Dangers?

There are no major risks. But there are minor issues that you should be aware of. Here they are in a nutshell, and for further details, go to chapter 24.

Vitamin Deficiency: This is a concern only for those who limit themselves to juices or smoothies for all of their dietary needs forlong periods. Research has proven that you can get all the necessary nutrition from a strict diet of fruits and vegetables, and you need to be careful when doing long fasts and diets.

Food-Borne Illness: All raw food harbors some risk of bacteria. The best way to reduce your risk according to the FDA is to stay away from packaged precut vegetables and always rinse your produce.

Toxic Compounds: Trace amounts of toxic compounds are found in some seeds, rind, leaves, and sprouts. The amount is so small as to be a non-issue.

Raw Diets: if your diet is entirely raw food, you may be concerned about parasites.

Grapefruit: This juice is contraindicated if you take certain medications. Talk to your physician or pharmacist if you are on any medications.

Thyroid: Compounds in raw cruciferous vegetables interfere with the absorption of Synthroid. Note that thyroid and other health problems can be effectively improved with certain fruits and vegetables. See chapter 11 for research-based thyroid recipes.

Stomach Upset: Sometimes too much of a good thing isn’t! This is true if you drink too many leafy greens or beets. Others find this true whenever they mix fruits and vegetables in the same juice or smoothie recipe. I mix them daily with no ill effect, but too much beet or leafy green does upset my stomach, so I add just two or three leafy greens in my recipes. My green recipes are very mild as you’ll see in chapter 9.

I have a growing concern about our overconsumption of sugar, so all my recipes have no added sweeteners. For more about this issue, see chapter 28.

3. What Is Pulp?

Pulp is what a juice machine separates from the juice. It’s mostly insoluble fiber, which is added calories. This is why juice is preferred over smoothies by most people who want to lose weight. Most people discard or compost the pulp. Add a spoonful or more back into your drink to add more fiber to your diet. Add mayonnaise to leftover pulp for a wonderful mock tuna salad. You can add pulp to your cookie recipe, waffle mix, meat loaf, and hummus. Many feed pulp to their dogs—it’s good for them, too! A smoothie machine liquefies everything—pulp, pith, and skin/rind!

4. Can I Store or Refrigerate a Juice or Smoothie?

Yes! But the longer you wait to drink a fresh juice or smoothie, the more nutrients are lost. Some nutrients such as enzymes are gone in minutes! Some fresh juices and smoothies begin to spoil immediately, such as melon, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, so drink your juice right away. If you must store something, freeze your produce, not your juice.

However, bringing it to work in a travel mug or refrigerating it is still more nutritious than anything you can buy. The taste is another matter! Because there are no preservatives, taste will seriously degrade within an hour, and bacterial growth is possible. If you must store it, here are some tips:

Fill your travel mug to the brim, leaving very little air at the top—oxygen in the air promotes bacterial growth and degrades nutrition and taste.

Use a dark or opaque container to block out light, which also degrades nutrition.

5. How Long Will a Fresh Juice or Smoothie Last in the Refrigerator?

Taste and nutrition start degrading right away. Some nutrients last quite a while in the refrigerator.

6. What Are the Best Machines?

Slow juicers are easy to clean, durable, and give you more nutrients than the less-expensive centrifugal juice machines. They start at about $300. Hurom, Omega, and Breville make models that are, in my opinion, the best for the price. Less-expensive juicers are available at less than $100. They are definitely better than nothing, so don’t hesitate to purchase a cheap juicer if a slow juicer isn’t in your budget. Check out the chapter below for more details about what you need to know before you buy a juice or smoothie machine. The best smoothie machine is the VitaMix at about $400, but I use a NutriBullet that starts at about $80. I’ve seen great bargains for all these machines at CostCo, Bed Bath & Beyond, and online.

7. Can I Mix Fruits and Vegetables?

I do, and I have never experienced any ill effects. However, if you have any digestion issues, you may benefit from standard nutritional rules, which state that generally, fruits and veggies should be eaten separately. But even these traditional guidelines recognize that certain fruits go well with certain vegetables. In fact, certain mixes are highly recommended for juice fasting and dieting. The most common ill effect of mixing fruits and veggies is gas because fruit digests faster and uses different digestive enzymes. Carrots and apples are generally considered exceptions—carrots go well with any fruit, and apples go well with any veggie.

8. Can I Wait Until the End of the Day to Wash My Machine?

Sure! But it takes longer when you allow the ingredients to dry. I just rinse the parts and, once in a while, run them through the dishwasher. Be sure to buy a machine with few parts to clean, no special tools, and dishwasher safe. This makes cleaning quick and easy. This is another reason why I prefer the slow juice machines; they are easy to clean.

All new machines are made to cut down on cleaning since this is the number one complaint about making your own juices and smoothies. The best practice is to clean your machine right away to avoid bacterial growth, which can begin within minutes.

9. Is It True That Certain Seeds Are Poisonous?

Yes! The seeds and pits of apples, peaches, apricots, cherries, and raspberries contain toxic compounds, but the amounts are so small as to be of no real concern. The compound is known as amygdalin, which produces cyanide. The amount is so small that your body easily neutralizes it. There are even claims that certain small amounts of amygdalin are healthy for you! For the viewpoint of the American Cancer Society about this claim, see my reference at the end of this chapter.

The bottom line about this issue is that one would have to eat handfuls of these seeds or pits and digest them to experience serious illness. They have a tough coating impervious to digestion by most mammals, so even if you ate a bunch of seeds, your digestive system doesn’t get through the outer coating. Symptoms of amygdalin toxicity are severe stomach cramps, headache, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and seizures. However, if too many seeds were eaten and digested, one would likely vomit a few times and not develop any other symptoms.

10. When Is the Best Time to Drink a Fresh Juice or Smoothie?

Actually, anytime is great, but research indicates that the body absorbs more nutrients in the morning.

11. What Does Organic Really Mean?

Organic is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as any meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Plant foods with the organic label are produced without using pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. Organic also means that the food is generally GMO free, but there is no longer a 100 percent guarantee that anything is GMO-free. The term organic is strictly controlled, but the term natural is not. A government-approved certifier inspects a farm to ensure organic standards. There are four kinds of organic labels:

100 Percent Organic means that the product is made of only organic ingredients.

Organic means 95 percent of its ingredients are organic.

Made with Organic Ingredients means at least 70 percent of the ingredients are organic.

There are some foods labeled transitional, which means the farmer produced it during a three-year period of transition from conventional to organic.

12. When Should I Use Organic Fruits and Vegetables?

Not all of your fruits and vegetables need to be organic. The rule of thumb is that if you discard the skin, such as with avocados, bananas, oranges, and pineapples, organic is not necessary. If you use the peel and skin as I do with apples, berries, celery, and carrots, then use organic. Refer to a very useful list known as the Dirty Dozen of the most contaminated fruits and vegetables. The Clean 15 are the least contaminated. These lists are updated yearly by the non-profit Environmental Working Group.

I try to go organic as much as possible because pesticides and other chemicals are found in trace amounts even when you remove the skin. And remember, washing produce is great for removing bacteria but does not remove chemicals.

13. But I Can’t Afford Organic Produce

The demand for organic foods across the United States and Europe is rapidly growing and causing prices to decrease. Did you know that most local supermarkets now have their own organic brands at affordable prices? I’ve even seen sales where organic was cheaper than the nonorganic variety! So check prices and take a look at my chapter below on ten tips for making fresh juices and smoothies on a budget.

14. Do I Need to Wash Prewashed Produce?

Yes! Washing or even just rinsing all your produce is a good idea because research show that even prewashed greens can have harmful bacteria. Washing or rinsing is very effective against bacteria but of no use against pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. This is why organic is important even if you wash produce thoroughly.

By the way, studies show that the produce most likely to sicken you are packaged precut salad greens.

15. Why Are Greens So Special?

Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, collard greens, lettuce, spinach, and beet greens, are so packed with nutrients that they are referred to as superfoods. But they are bitter tasting, so few people drink just leafy greens. I add a leaf or two to all my recipes—just enough to benefit from the nutrients without the bitter taste. Many consider the most nutritious green of all to be wheatgrass. See my chapter below for how to grow your own wheatgrass easily and cheaply.

Here’s a great tip from one of my readers, Lori: "Cut the