The Benefits of Juicing for Healthy Diets...

The Benefits of Juicing Spinach

For juicers wanting to score a super food that’s high in nutrients and minerals, loaded with cancer-fighting umph yet is low in calories, look no further than your local farmer’s market or grocery store’s produce section. There you’ll find spinach. Spinach ranks high on the list of super foods and it’s easy to add to your juicing diet. If you’re juicing for health reasons, then spinach is a must. Vitamin-wise, the green leafy vegetable packs a healthy punch.

Just what nutrients are in Popeye’s favorite food? One cup of raw spinach contains more than the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A and vitamin K. Adding spinach to your juicing diet means you’ll practically fulfill your folate and manganese needs that your body requires. You can count on a one-cup serving of raw juiced spinach to give your body 40 percent of your magnesium needs. In addition, the juice packs approximately 20 percent more nutrients including fiber, protein and calcium. And, with only 40 calories to tally on your daily calorie count; you’ll have added room for more of your favorite foods.

 

Preparing and Storing Your Spinach

When buying fresh spinach, look for packages with jade green leaves. Spinach turns brown or yellow when rotting. Avoid packages containing off-colored leaves. Wash each leaf carefully. Spinach is susceptible to holding dirt and pesticides in its leaves. Once washed, gently pat dry with paper towels. Let air-dry if need be.  Or you can run the washed leaves through your salad spinner. When leaves are free from moister, place in a zip lock bag, pushing out any excess air before zipping closed then store in your refrigerator. TIP: Add a paper towel to your zip lock bag to capture any excess moisture.  This trick extends the self-life of your super food.

Now, your spinach is ready for juicing. Simply grab a handful and toss into your juicer when you are preparing your juicing recipes. To get the most of out of your nutrient-rich return, consume spinach within several days; while still eatable, after just a few days, the vitamins lose their potency. You can blanch and then freeze spinach, or hit your grocer’s freezer for the frozen boxes or bags.

 

Juicing Tips for Preparing your Juicing Recipes

• Chop or mince your spinach for a smoother juice.
• Adding liquids, such as water or fruit juices help pulverize your spinach.
• Adding other succulent fruits, (pears or apples) or vegetables (celery) high in water, helps to facilitate the juicing process.

 

Juicing Recipe Ideas

• Try the spinach, broccoli, celery, carrots, and apple combination. The celery minimizes the strong taste broccoli gives your juice while carrots and apples add a sweet flavor.
• If fresh apples aren’t around your kitchen, add applesauce instead. Or, for a little variety replace the apple with a pear.
• Pour yourself a glass of green juice, drink down to about one ounce, then scrap the fiber remains from your juicer, stir them into your juice to create fiber “porridge”. Be careful, sensitive stomachs may not handle the fiber boost.

 

More Health Benefits of Spinach

• Boosts cardiovascular health – a juicing diet including spinach means your body is receiving vitamins A and C which both aid in the reduction of free radical cell damage. Spinach juice helps your body keep cholesterol from adhering to your blood vessel walls thus decreasing your risk of experiencing strokes or heart attacks.
• Helps prevent cancers – Studies indicate that ovarian, prostate, breast, skin and stomach cancers have a difficult time growing because the carotene and chlorophyll present in spinach reduces the division of cancerous cells.
• Underscores bone health – The presence of vitamin K in spinach means the green juice will halt or significantly slow down the osteoclast – the process of bone break down. In addition, the calcium and magnesium give your green juice bone-building nutrients.
• Promotes healthy eyes – Because spinach is high in vitamin A and carotenoids, this super food, when mixed with carrot and endive juice successfully combats night blindness, macular degeneration and the growth of cataracts.

 

A Few Warnings about Spinach

Everything in moderation; don’t overdo it. Too much spinach in your diet can prove harmful. Your body has a difficult time absorbing calcium and iron due to the oxalic acid present in spinach. If you’re worried about your iron and calcium intake, and who isn’t? add a tomato to your spinach juice. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C, which allows your body to absorb the other nutrients. You can also drink a glass of orange juice to add the vitamin C.

We mentioned this already, but it bears repeating. According to the Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program, spinach ranks among the top 12 foods to hold pesticide residue. WASH your leaves thoroughly. Another alternative is to buy organically grown spinach.  Still another alternative, you can grow your own spinach.

Increase the benefits of juicing by adding spinach to your juicing diet and you’ll feel great!