Skinny Juices

introduction

AS A REGISTERED DIETITIAN, I’ve seen firsthand the benefits of adding fresh juices to your life. I also know there is a lot of misinformation and debate surrounding juice and juicing. So before we get to the good stuff, let me start off by telling you what I know juicing is not.

Juicing is not a diet. It’s not the answer to all of your health problems. It is not going to cure you of any disease. Juicing alone is not going to undo the effects of years and years of unhealthy eating habits. So, if you’re reading this book in hopes of juicing doing any of those things, you can stop reading now.

Phew! Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get busy talking about what juicing is. Juicing is a lifestyle. Juicing is transformative. Juice is an infusion of nutrients and phytochemicals that will help heal and nourish your body. Juice is delicious! As part of a clean eating, detox-friendly lifestyle, juicing is all of those things. I know this to be true because I live it and I’ve witnessed it.

Over the last few years I’ve led hundreds of people through my Clean Eating Detox. In this twenty-one-day group program, eager participants agree to trade in a diet of highly processed, pro-inflammatory, and toxic foods for one filled with whole foods, very few animal products, and tons of delicious green smoothies and juice. My intention for creating the detox right from the get-go was to inspire people who wanted to make radical dietary and mind-set changes. People who were looking for a way to detox away from their old eating habits while trying out a new way of thinking about food.

My intention for Skinny Juices: 101 Juice Recipes for Detox and Weight Loss is the same. More than just a book of juicing recipes for weight loss and detox, I wanted to create a resource—a guidebook for harnessing the delicious power of green juice, clean eating, and living a detox lifestyle.

I want you to change the way you think about food and challenge what you’ve been told about healthy eating—and juicing. I want you to read this book, start juicing and changing your diet, and have an unforgettable experience. I want you to feel each day how food can affect your mood, energy level, ability to focus, and overall attitude. I also want to show you that living a detox lifestyle each and every day is possible, long after your program is over. And don’t worry, if you’ve experienced the power of juicing already, you’ll still find plenty of info here—plus some delicious new recipes to add to your repertoire. I’ve always believed that the journey to abundant health is so much more than simply removing certain foods from your diet. Of course, removing highly processed foods full of sugar, sodium, and artery-clogging fat is important, but you don’t achieve abundant health just by avoiding unhealthy foods. The foods that you add to your diet are just as important as the foods you take away. A healthy body is created from the inside out. It happens over time, and with consistent effort. I truly believe it’s your everyday eating decisions that will have the most influence on your body and mind in the long run.

In this book I will teach you the ins and outs of juicing. I will also help you design your own personal clean eating detox. You will learn how to change the landscape of your plate to include foods that support your body’s own detoxification pathways and help to create wellness from the inside out. Yes, juice plays a large role in this transition, but it doesn’t end there. Juicing alone is not the answer—you must also pay closer attention to where your food comes from, how much it’s processed, and how it’s prepared.

I’m also going to help keep you juicing and eating clean, whole foods long after your detox is over by teaching you the daily practices that encourage a detox lifestyle. You’re going to wonder how you can feel completely full and satisfied by eating less!

This book brings together the main philosophies of my Clean Eating Detox program and 101 juice recipes that support weight loss, detoxification, and digestive health.

But that’s only part of what you can expect from this book. You can also expect safe and effortless weight loss. Whether it’s your last five pounds or your first fifteen, once you start drinking my delicious juices and following the detox protocol, you will see a new “skinny” you come shining through. And the “skinny” you isn’t just losing weight on the scale. You’re also losing the baggage that comes with eating an unhealthy diet. All the guilt, shame, and regret that’s been weighing you down will become a part of the past as you let go of your old ideas about what you should eat and start feeling better than you ever have before!

And if that’s not enough, here’s what else you’re going to learn:

       •   The science behind juicing

       •   The difference between juicing and blending

       •   How to choose a juicer and prepare your kitchen to make juicing and living a detox lifestyle a breeze

       •   Which fruits and vegetables juice well and which ones do not

       •   How to juice on a budget and build your juicing menu around the freshest produce

       •   What to juice when targeting specific nutrients

       •   How to design your own clean eating detox—employing the same ideas, principles, and practices I use with my own clients

       •   Tips and strategies for living a detox lifestyle

I hope you use this book as a way to create abundant health and ultimate wellness in your life! I believe it’s the perfect place to begin your journey, a delicious place to stay and explore for a while, and a safe place to return to again and again.

PART

ONE

why juice?

If you’re totally new to juicing and want to lose excess weight and detox your body, you are in the right place! I can’t wait to teach you about the wonderful health benefits of juicing, the difference between juicing and blending, how to choose a juicer, plus a few easy ways to prep your kitchen to make juicing a cinch. Once you’ve taken these few preparation steps you will be well on your way to having more abundant energy and vitality than ever before.

1

Juicing Benefits and Philosophy

THE NUTRITION WE GET from plants is abundant and amazing. Plants are really the most nutritious foods you can eat. Fruits, vegetables, and greens are rich sources of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, and important minerals like iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. They’re also rich in fiber, which keeps your digestive tract healthy and helps to lower cholesterol.

But vitamins, minerals, and fiber are not all you get from plant-based foods. They also contain thousands of other disease-fighting compounds called phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are an important part of a plant’s self-defense system. They are compounds inside of plants that provide them with antioxidant protection from the same things we face—ultraviolet light, radiation, toxins, and pollution. They also protect plants against predators and pests.

Phytonutrients are classified by their chemical structure and then grouped into different families. For example, flavonoids and phenols are an important family of antioxidant compounds that have been studied extensively for their beneficial effects on human health. Research has revealed their antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. You are more familiar with these compounds than you think. Flavonoids are what give blueberries and grapes their blue and purple color. They are what make green tea so good for you and they give garlic its antioxidant punch.

Another group of phytonutrients is the organosulfur compounds, found in garlic and brassica vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. These powerful chemicals have been shown to support the body’s natural ability to detoxify pesticides and other environmental toxins. Curcuminoids are a group of polyphonic compounds that play a vital role in reducing inflammation in the body. Curcumin is the curcuminoid found in turmeric and gives it its yellow color. Curcumin has also been shown to increase glutathione levels in our cells. Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant and plays a major role in detoxification.

Your diet is a powerful player in the fight against many diseases. Consuming foods that are packed with phytonutrients gives your body the ammunition it needs in the fight to stay healthy. The good news is that juicing is one of the easiest ways to get more of these plant nutrients into your diet. Consuming juiced and blended whole fruits and vegetables is the backbone of my detox program and an integral part of living the detox lifestyle.

The Big Debate

Should I juice? Isn’t it better to eat your veggies whole? What about the fiber?

I’m asked these questions all the time. As a registered dietitian I’ve been trained to make dietary recommendations based on scientific evidence. And because of that, I take these questions to heart.

Let’s face it, the facts are pretty clear when it comes to fruits and vegetables—the more you can eat, the better! Research shows over and over that fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients that help reduce chronic disease, increase life span, boost energy and vitality, and promote overall wellness.

Research also tells us that as a nation, we’re falling very short when it comes to intake. In fact, a 2009 survey by the Center for Disease Control shows us that just over 30 percent of adults consume fruit two or more times per day, and just 26 percent eat vegetables three or more times per day. There’s actually not one US state in which more than 50 percent of its population meets the recommended 4½ cups of fruits and vegetables per day!

In my own nutrition practice I see this all the time. I have clients who can go weeks—that’s right, weeks—without eating even one fruit or vegetable. And that’s not to mention greens. I’m continually amazed at how little greens are consumed. At the very least, a daily juicing habit can help fill in these nutrition gaps by increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, thus making a profound difference in your health.

As for the argument that whole vegetables are “better” for you than juiced, well that’s not always the case. Research has shown that juicing can be just as effective as eating the whole food when it comes to reaping the health benefits. The US Department of Agriculture recently analyzed twelve fruits and discovered that 90 percent of the antioxidant activity was actually in the juice rather than the fiber.

Let’s take a closer look at the most recent findings in support of juicing:

       •   Juicing increases overall vegetable intake¹ (according to a University of California–Davis study).

       •   Juicing contributes to weight loss² (according to a study by Baylor College of Medicine).

       •   Compounds specifically found in apple juice slow the progression of heart disease in the same way that red wine and tea do³ (according to researchers at UC Davis School of Medicine).

       •   Kale juice lowers cholesterol levels and improves heart disease risk factors⁴ (according to research in the Journal of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences).

       •   Carrot juice protects the cardiovascular system by increasing total antioxidant status⁵ (according to researchers at Texas A&M University).

       •   High-risk individuals were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease when drinking fruit and vegetable juices three or more times per week⁶ (according to research by Vanderbilt School of Medicine).

       •   Hesperidin, a compound found in orange juice, significantly reduces blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease risk factors⁷ (according to a 2010 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).

       •   A 2006 study found that the anticancer and cardiovascular benefits of fruits and vegetables may be more attributable to antioxidants than to fiber. Researchers concluded that, in relation to chronic disease reduction, pure fruit and vegetable juices are not nutritionally inferior to whole fruit and vegetables⁸ (research published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition).

So you can see, science is finally catching up to what juicing enthusiasts have known for years—there’s powerful nutrition in juice!

But juicing is not only beneficial for lowering disease risk; it’s also a great way to get more nutrients out of the fruit and vegetables you eat. If you’re taking the time and effort to buy and prepare vegetables, you want to get the most from them, right?

Although the majority of Americans eat their vegetables cooked, in some cases cooking veggies decreases the availability of nutrients, especially important antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Further, if you like your veggies overcooked, you run the risk of producing byproducts of oxidation, which makes some important nutrients in food difficult to digest and absorb.

When it comes to phytonutrients inside plants, heat can have a negative effect. One reason is that many important nutrients are water soluble, and when vegetables are boiled, these nutrients leach out into the cooking water. Another reason is heat itself. Cooking or reheating foods can diminish their nutrient content because many vitamins and phytonutrients are degraded at higher temperatures.

Heat is especially harmful when it comes to enzymes. For example, myrosinase and allinase are enzymes responsible for converting some of the nutrients inside plants into powerful cancer-fighting compounds. These enzymes are very active in cruciferous and allium vegetables, and are all but destroyed when the vegetables are cooked.

A notable exception to the heat rule is seen with carotenoids, which are powerful plant phytonutrients that help prevent certain forms of cancer and heart disease. Carotenoids are generally more available to the body in cooked vegetables as compared to raw. This occurs mainly because when the vegetable is heated, its cell walls are softened, making it easier to extract nutrients from the inside. Interestingly, this need for heat may be lessened when a vegetable is juiced. A study of women who drank vegetable juice versus eating cooked vegetables showed almost three times more alpha-carotenoids and 50 percent more lutein in their blood than those who ate the same amount of these carotenoids from cooked food. Why? Because during the juicing process you remove most of the plant’s cell walls. This liberates many of the phytonutrients, including carotenoids, making them highly absorbable by the body.

Let’s look at some other examples:

       •   Research shows that beet juice is a powerful nitrate-rich antioxidant. Your body converts the nitrates in beet juice into nitric oxide, a compound that enhances blood flow throughout the body and helps lower blood pressure. When beets are cooked, the nitrate content decreases dramatically. Beets also lose over 25 percent of their folate when cooked. By juicing beets you get more of the phytonutrients that help to keep your heart healthy.

       •   By juicing raw broccoli you help break down its cell walls and release a cancer-fighting enzyme called myrosinase. This potent enzyme helps your liver to detoxify potentially cancer-causing compounds in your body. Cooking broccoli inactivates this enzyme, so even though steaming broccoli is a healthy way to go, you reap only about a third of its natural cancer-preventing abilities.

       •   Kale and Brussels sprouts are nutrition powerhouses, right? Well, when heated they lose over 50 percent of important carotenoids like lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin, as well as 15 percent of their alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lycopene content.

Research reveals the pros and cons of eating your veggies cooked. Indeed, there are advantages to eating vegetables both ways. My advice to you is to maximize your nutrient intake by juicing a variety of fruits and vegetables (including sprouts, which we get into later) and lightly steaming vegetables when cooking them. At my house, we tend to juice fruits and vegetables that don’t make it on our plate that often. For example, I’m not a huge fan of cooked carrots or cooked celery, but I don’t mind them at all in my juice. I love that I get to reap the cleansing benefits of these not-so-loved veggies without actually having to taste them. And because I can turn any combination of veggies into a juice, I think of my juice as a supplement, similar to taking a daily multivitamin. Even better is that I can tailor my juice to meet my specific needs, based on what I’m not getting in my diet. You can follow this plan, too—maybe you love carrots and celery but hate beets? Whatever your likes or dislikes, you’ll find plenty of juice recipes using a wide range of veggies here.

That being said, I think it’s important to reiterate that juicing is a lifestyle and not meant to replace eating whole fruits and vegetables in your diet. Juicing is best used as a supplement to a diet that already contains ample amounts of fiber from whole fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, and legumes.

2

Juicing vs. Blending

BLENDING AND JUICING are both deliciously healthy ways to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet. I both blend and juice often and I encourage you to do the same; that said, there is a difference between juicing and blending, and for the purposes of this book and a way to jump-start a healthier lifestyle, we’ll be focusing on juicing. Here’s the scoop:

Juicing

Juicing requires the use of a juicer; there are several different types of juicers you can buy that offer different results (we get into that in the next section). What a juicer basically does is extract the liquid part of the fruit or vegetable from the solid part, leaving much of the insoluble fiber (or pulp) behind. This is beneficial for a few reasons. First, the body doesn’t have a ton of fiber getting in the way of digestion. This means all the vitamins, minerals, live enzymes, and other plant nutrients in the juice hit your bloodstream almost instantly, giving you a jolt of energy and vitality. This is great for anyone, but especially the people who struggle to eat veggies because they find them hard to digest.

Second, by separating the nutrients from the fiber, you’re able to jam-pack an enormous amount of living, vitamin- and mineral-rich goodness into one glass. A typical morning juice for me might include half a cucumber, one apple, one head of romaine lettuce, one fennel bulb, a handful of kale leaves, two carrots, three stalks of celery, ginger, half a lemon, and whatever else I toss in for good measure. Could I eat all of that produce for breakfast? Probably not. But by juicing in the morning, I’m able to get in all of those nutrients before I even start my day, and I’m also rehydrating my body after hours of sleep.

You might be thinking that this lifestyle could become a strain on your grocery budget. I totally understand! What you’ll be surprised to learn is that it all evens out. For one thing, you’ll be replacing all that processed and packaged food with delicious, organic produce. You’ll also find that you’re satisfied with less food. This means you won’t be stocking up on all those other foods that leave you feeling empty and always looking for more. Plus there are tons of ways to juice on a budget, which I will tackle in Part 3.

You might also be thinking, What about the fiber? There’s no fiber in juice! Isn’t fiber good for me? It sure is! Fiber is important for a healthy digestive tract and plays a vital role in anyone’s diet.

Let’s take a closer look at fiber.

There are two types of fiber in the foods you eat: insoluble fiber (does not dissolve in water) and soluble fiber (dissolves in water). Both types are indigestible and found in fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.

Both soluble and insoluble fiber acts as a natural laxative; they soften and bulk your stool and keep it moving through your colon. Insoluble fiber absorbs water, promoting regular elimination and preventing constipation. It’s also important in helping to absorb and remove toxic substances that have accumulated in the colon over time.