The unsung carrot - a true superstar for juicing!
Carrots are sometimes overlooked when juicing either in favor of sweet fruits like apples and orange or “rock star” greens like kale and spinach. It’s too bad, because carrot juice is among the best juices for strengthening and revitalizing the body. Drinking carrot juice daily can help in treating many problems, or can help to prevent future problems.
„Carrot juice contributes to the normalization of all body functions. It is the best source of vitamin A that can be rapidly assimilated into the body. It also contains significant amounts of vitamins B, C, D and K,“ writes juicing pioneer Dr. Norman Walker in his book '"Fresh vegetable and Fruit Juices". Also found in carrot juice is potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sulfur, and silicon.
Looking for an easy way to start with vegetable juice? Carrots are the way!
Have you been trying to smuggle some vegetables into your fruit juice, but are a little reluctant to try something strong like beets or kale? Carrots are the perfect vegetable to start with. Even though carrots are sweet, they will actually reduce the hypoglycemic index of pure fruit juices. But really the best reason to start with carrots are their healing and cleansing properties.
How much carrot juice should you drink?
Like with any juice, you should start slowly and not overdo it. Remember that drinking a glasss of carrot juice is like eating a bowl of carrots, so it's best to build up to a maximum of 2-5 glasses per day. As with any juice, it is important to drink it on an empty stomach so it can be absorbed directly in the intestines and not be blocked by food in the stomach where it can ferment. This means it should be consumed 15 minutes before eating or at least two hours after eating.
Some great carrot juice recipes.
You can drink carrot juice by itself, or combine it with many other juices. Carrot juice has a mild sweet flavor that allows it to mix well with other juices. Carrots and apples are a great basic combination that kids will enjoy, and it also goes well with oranges, pineapple, or just a lemon.
Tropical carrot juice
3 carrots, 1/4 pineapple, 1 cm ginger
A great morning wake-up drink, this juice is also good to relieve cold sypmtoms. Simply wash the carrots and ginger (you don't need to peel them) and cut away the skin of the pineapple. The carrots can go whole into a horizontal juicer or cut into slim sticks in a vertical juicer. Juice the pineapple piece first, followed by the carrots and ginger.
Irresistable multivitamin juice
3 carrots, 1 banana, two oranges (peeled), a cup of strawberries
Bananas cannot be juiced, so this recipe takes a little more work, but the results are worth it. Kids love this juice and will beg for more. If you have a horizontal juicer, first use the homogenizing screen with the banana to make a soft banana puree. Then put in the juicing screen and juice the carrots, oranges, and strawberries. Mix it with the banana puree with a whisk or spoon. If you are using a vertical juicer, juice the carrots, oranges, and strawberries together. Put this juice along with the banana into a blender and mix well.
Walker's Holy Grail
300 g carrots + 200g spinach
Many people are afraid of juicing greens due to the dark look and concentrated favors. However, spinach is a great leafy green to start with as it juices well and has a very mild flavor. The combination of carrots and spinach create a powerful synergy that helps treat many health problems including cold and flu symptoms, headaches and migraines, respiratory tract problems, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, eczema, arteriosclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. It can even improve your mood and help you to sleep better.