Start your morning with a “one a day” juice concoction sure to get your cells a-humming. Filled with uber-nutritious greens, both of these juices offer a yummy way to feel clean and think clear all day.

The power in both of these juices is the no-holds barred essence of nutrition in the ingredients, like organic spinach, celery, carrots, cucumbers, and parsley.

Spinach offers an exceptionally well-rounded approach to vitamins and minerals to get your daily values. Click here to learn more about the nutritional benefits of spinach.

Celery is the King of Vitamin K with over 44% of your daily value. Vitamin K is a powerful bone-builder, supports the cardiovascular system, and smooths the way for a healthy nervous system. Celery, unassuming as it is, does more than you think. Click here to find out more.

Carrots, of course, are a staple in any juicer’s pantry. Carrots offer the power of orange, a.k.a beta-carotene. Click here to read what else the carrot offers.

Cucumbers add support to the health and luminosity of your skin. Adding celery to your juices soothes skin irritation and reduces swelling. Click here to learn more about cucumbers.

The inclusion of parsley in both of these recipes adds a gentle detoxifying effect. In addition to supporting the liver, this vibrant herb does a whole bunch of other good things to your body. Read more about parsley here!

Vibrant Veggies

This juice gives a wake-up call to your digestive system, getting it “on-line” for the day, gently. Because of its dense nutrients, dilute the juice concentrate with water. A 50/50 split of juice and filtered water does the trick. Choose organic veggies for the best taste and absorption.

• 1 medium cucumber
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2-3 handfuls of spinach
• 8 green or red leafy lettuce leaves
• 1 handful of flat-leaf or curly parsley
• ½ – 1 lemon
• Options: add arugula, kale, alfalfa sprouts, or micro-greens.

Juice all the greens together and add lemon to your taste.  Lemon will enhance the alkalinity of the juice. Remember to mix the juice with filtered water at a 1 to 1 ratio.

Detox Your Day

This juice is sweeter and not as green-tasting, but is still chock full of nutrition. This is a light and delightfully gentle daily detox.

• 3-5 carrots
• 1-2 handfuls of spinach
• 1 handful of flat-leaf or curly parsley
• 3 stalks of celery

Juice the ingredients in order. Dilute with water as desired or drink straight up.

Cherry Ginger Punch

• 4 cups organic or fresh cherry juice, chilled
• 1 Liter of ginger ale, chilled (try organic with real ginger for a snappy treat!)
• Ice ring (instructions follow)

Juice cherries or use an organic variety and mix with the ginger ale just before your guests arrive. Add the ice ring and enjoy. Yields about 16 servings.

Make a decorative ice ring by placing a ring mold in the freezer and chill it thoroughly. Rinse and return to the freezer until a thin coat of ice forms. Cover the bottom of the mold with fresh (pitted) cherries. Add cherry juice to cover the fruit and then freeze until firm. Add additional cherry juice and then freeze overnight.

The Power of the Cherry with Antioxidant Assistance

Cherries are a festive fruit with fantastic super powers as an antioxidant provider. Free radicals are molecular thieves – they steal electrons from healthy cells. This heralds the beginning of cell degeneration (a.k.a “oxidative stress”), which eventually mutates or kills the cell. This oxidative stress is what causes disease and premature aging.

Antioxidants circumvent free radical damage to the cells, because they provide what the free radicals need before they attack cells.

Cherries contain 17 antioxidants.  These include anthocyanins (protector against heart disease and cancer) and melatonin, (heart rhythm and sleep cycle regulator). These two are some of the most powerful and efficient antioxidants that you can consume!

Research from the Michigan State University finds that cherry juice has the highest antioxidant rating out of all fruits and vegetables.

This score, called an ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), is a measurement of the antioxidant capacity of food. It measures not only how many antioxidants exist in a particular food, but how powerful they are individually and collectively.

Tart cherry juice tops the list in antioxidant bounty by taking the top two slots in a measurement of 12 fruits. (list courtesy of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and Brunswick Laboratory.) Here are the ORAC values that were found among the following fruits:

Other Nutritional Benefits of Cherries

1 cup of cherries or juice contain only 74 calories, 25 grams of carbohydrates, and 20 grams of sugar. When eaten raw, cherries provide 13% of the daily amount of fiber.

Cherries contain 18% of the daily value of Vitamin C, the vitamin necessary to help the body absorb iron, and assist in the formation of blood, muscle, and bone (among a myriad of other qualities). Cherries also provide a supporting amount of Vitamin K (a bone builder), Vitamin B6 (an amino acid processor), and Vitamin A (eye health promoter). Cherries actually contain 19% more Vitamin A than either blueberries or strawberries.

Cherries contain 10% of the daily value of potassium. Potassium is a salt that helps keep our digestive and muscular systems strong. It also assists in the proper functioning of the kidneys.

Additional minerals in cherries include copper, iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, and zinc.

Cherries contain a high concentration of phytosterols (18.5 mg) which assist in lowering LDL cholesterol levels. The lowering of LDL reduces the risk of heart disease and angina.

Cherries are a well-known reliever of the gout. The key nutrient in the cherry that assists in reducing the inflammation and pain associated with gout is flavonoids. Flavonoids reduce uric acid levels in the bloodstream. Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid that crystallizes and then migrates to the joints and other body tissues.

Due to the cherries success in relieving gout, they are also a recommended fruit to relieve arthritis and for joint soreness and stiffness in athletes. It is also thought that cherries can reduce symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Enjoy the delectable cherry for the holidays with this tasty punch – it’s sure to please everyone and give them a health boost!

Sources:

• http://www.livestrong.com/article/18611-nutritional-value-cherries/#ixzz1eqCXmbWM
• http://www.cherryjuicepower.com/fruitresearchbenefits.htm

Need a pick-me-up? Try this power-packed wowzer of a juice full of greens and citrus. Wheatgrass offers a much needed dose of energy at just the right times. Click here for more posts all about wheatgrass, and then try this afternoon energy booster:

• 1 handful of freshly picked wheatgrass
• 1 handful of organic spinach
• 1 spear of pineapple

Juice it up and feel the jolt! Click here for our nutritional profile on pineapple.

The spinach in this recipe offers some of the essential nutrients our bodies need to keep running, and if you’ve been reading this blog with any regularity, you know that at 877MyJuicer our credo is the greener the better!

Nutritional benefits of spinach

Spinach, no bones about it, is one of the most nutrient dense foods around. Filled with vitamins and minerals from K to A, from manganese to magnesium and from iron to calcium—spinach is a vital addition to any diet.

Antioxidant Power: Spinach ‘brings it’ when it comes to antioxidants. The power nutrients of the antioxidant world are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, beta-carotene, and manganese. Spinach is an excellent source for all of these nutrients, from 29% daily value of Vitamin C to 84% the daily value of manganese.

Spinach also offers zinc and selenium at 9% daily value and 4% daily value, respectively. These two minerals are known power houses of antioxidant goodness.

Anti-Cancer and Anti-Inflammatory: A recent study on the relationship between prostate cancer and vegetable consumption concluded that “only spinach showed evidence of significant protection against the occurrence of aggressive prostate cancer” (aggressive being considered stage 3 or stage 4).

The study looked at spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, mustard greens, turnips greens, kale, collards, and brussels sprouts. Spinach is a must-have addition in the male diet. Other cancers such as stomach and breast cancer have also been shown to be positively affected by the consumption of spinach.

Strong Bones: A cup of raw spinach provides about 200% of the daily value of Vitamin K. Vitamin K is an essential nutrient for bone density and overall health. Spinach also contains calcium and magnesium which are also bona fide supports for our skeletal system.

Dieter’s Delight: Spinach has only 41 calories per raw cup. Those watching their weight can eat spinach all day and not worry about blowing their calorie count. But more importantly, the nutrient richness of spinach will ensure that as you diet, you are properly nourishing your body.

Fun spinach lore

Spinach is part of the chenopod family, which also include beets, chard, and the grain quinoa.

Persian (today’s Iran) in origin, spinach traveled to China and onto Europe via Spanish explorers. It was referred to as “the Spanish vegetable” by Britons.

The famous Catherine de Medici of 16^th century Florence, Italy, was known to adore spinach. So much so, she not only included it in every meal, but imported her own cooks to have it prepared to her preference. To this day, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are called “a la Florentine” in honor of this regal woman.

Some would say spinach was popularized in the United States by Popeye. Though it was unfortunate that he ate it out of a can in our eyes, since canning the vegetables reduces its nutritional ‘oomph.’ Eating spinach raw or lightly cooked helps this green goddess of a veggie retain its super powers.

Selection and Storage

Spinach should look alive and vibrant with deep green leaves and stems. The leaves should look tender. Fresh looking spinach leaves have higher concentrations of vitamin C.

Avoid any spinach that is yellowed, bruised, or wilted. If the spinach looks a bit slimy, compost it as it has begun to decay.

Store unwashed spinach in a plastic bag that has as much air squeezed out of it as possible. Fresh spinach usually keeps for up to 5 days.  Don’t bother keeping cooked spinach; it doesn’t store well.

Wash spinach before juicing or cooking. Trim any roots and separate. Wash by placing into a bowl of lukewarm water and swish the veggie around. Repeat until the leaves are clean. You can pat dry the spinach with a towel or use a salad spinner to remove excess water.

Sweet Potatoes are indeed a sweet addition to your daily or weekly diet. With a vast array of fantastic nutritional benefits to offer, it’s time to consider adding a sweet potato to your juicing regime. Then sit back and count the ways a sweet potato is sweet on your body and your health!

Nutritional Benefits of Sweet Potato

Vitamin A
Sweet potatoes are kicking it when it comes to this antioxidant superpower.  A medium size sweet potato has over 262% of the daily value of Vitamin A.  And it weighs in at just under 100 calories.

Beta-carotene
Sweet potatoes are a great source for bioavailable beta-carotene. The beta-carotene readily usable from a sweet potato stands out over all green leafy vegetables.

In short, a sweet potato is a great way to supercharge your antioxidants and free-radical fighting power.

The sweet potato’s anti-inflammatory properties is a claim to its fame, along with other color-related veggies. Sweet potato consumption is linked to a reduction in inflammation in both brain and nerve tissue.

Blood Sugar Maintenance
Sweet potatoes are a diabetic’s and dieter’s dream food. These happy orange tubers actually improve blood sugar regulation. A sweet potato is a far better choice nutritionally than a regular white potato. With 3 grams of dietary fiber per medium potato and a reasonably glycemic index of 50, sweet potatoes keep your blood sugar on an even keel.

Sweet potatoes are part of a different family than the common white potato. As such, it offers exceptionally different nutritional benefits.  Be sure to add this power veggie to your weekly diet.  Don’t just save it for Thanksgiving Day.

Divine Delight

• 2 carrots
• 1 sweet potato
• 2 apples
• Thin slice of a sweet onion
• Pinch of dulse/kelp powder

Cut all the veggies into juice shoot size pieces and juice.  Add the dulse/kelp powder as desired.

About the Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are one of the oldest veggies known to humankind. A Central American native, sweet potato “relics” have been found in Peruvian Caves and date back 10,000 years.

In addition to America, Christopher Columbus also discovered the sweet potato back in 1492. He returned to Spain with the vegetable. The sweet potato expansion is a result of both Spanish and Portuguese explorers finding something cool on new land. This delicious tuber then traveled world-wide to the Philippines, Africa, Indonesia, India, and South Asia.

The sweet potato has become a staple in the southeast United States, where it has made its charming, permanent way into southern cuisine. Today, the sweet potato is most commonly called a yam, which distinguishes it from other less common types of sweet potatoes.

Selection and Storage of Sweet Potatoes

Choose sweet potatoes that are firm. They should be void of soft sports, bruises, or cracks. Pass up any sweet potatoes that are in cold storage at the supermarket.

These delectable treats should be stored in a cool and dark place. Do not store them in a plastic bag; however, they can be stored in a paper bag with air holes. Keep them away from a heat source, such as the stove.  Sweet potatoes, well-stored, will keep for up to 10 days.

Zucchini is one of the most popular varieties of squash. It’s also quite versatile.  From sautéing and steaming, to baking to juicing, zucchini adds a delicate flavor to any dish.

One of my favorite parts of late summer and early fall was my mom’s zucchini bread. Coming home after school, you would see me chowing down with a hunk of her zucchini bread fresh from the oven with melting butter. Yum!

I’ve altered her recipe a bit for more healthy eating (Mom didn’t know of spelt flour or alternative sweeteners), but the feeling is the same.

Enjoy!

Zucchiini Orange Loaf

• 4 eggs or egg substitute
• 1 ¾ cups honey or agave nectar
• ¾ cup applesauce* or canola oil
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 cups zucchini pulp
• 3 ¼ cups spelt, quinoa, or whole grain flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cloves
• 2 tsp grated orange peel**
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

*applesauce is a great way to lower the calories and fat of traditional bread and muffin recipes calling for oil. Choose an unsweetened or low sweetened apple sauce (or better yet, make your own!).

**use fresh orange peel from the oranges you’re using to juice! Use eith
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs.  Add honey, orange juice, applesauce (or oil), and the zucchini pulp, and continue to beat until well-blended. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Bake 45-55 minutes in a non-stick (slightly greased) loaf pan.er organic oranges or wash the rind well. Create orange peel by using a rinder, a veggie peeler, or a grater.

Nutritional Benefits

Get some Antioxidant Super Powers! Zucchini provides 20% of your daily value of manganese and 17% of your daily value of Vitamin C.  Manganese feeds your mitochondria, which are your cellular energy centers. And Vitamin C brings all around health goodness.

Zucchini also contains beta-carotene and zinc. Alongside are some less common antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxantin, both of which are known to support strong, healthy eyes and prevent macular degeneration.

Zucchini provides a vast array of B-vitamins including folate, B1, B2, B3, B6, and choline. This spectrum of B vitamins provides support to blood sugar metabolism. The aforementioned manganese and zinc also add a boost. Extra support arrives with magnesium (10% of the daily value), and omega 3s (8% of the daily value).

Zucchini is a good source of fiber and of pectin, which helps maintain sugar balances and prevent type 2 diabetes.

Squash seeds have anti-microbial properties. This feature is great for digestive tract health and wellness. Squash seeds have a long history of being used against intestinal tapeworms and parasites.

About Zucchini

Zucchini (and squash in general) has a long and distinguished history. Scientists have found squash seeds in Mexico caves that have been preserved for over 10,000 years. Cultivation of this summer/late summer veggie began in Mexico and Central America and spread rapidly throughout the Western hemisphere.

For many Native American tribes, squash was considered to be a staple.  Along with corn (maize) and beans, the trio was called the “Three Sisters.”

Christopher Columbus brought squash to Spain, while other explorers of Portuguese and Spanish descent introduced the vegetable around the world.

Today, zucchini is cultivated worldwide. Top squash-growing states are California, Georgia, New York, and Florida, though Mexico tops the bill of squash production and exportation as 95% of all U.S. imported squash is of Mexican origin.

Selection and Storage

Look for zucchini that feel heavy for their size. Choose ones with dark green skins that are not overly hard. Note that the skin may naturally be striped or speckled.  Choose skins that are unblemished as zucchini are tender. Medium-size zucchini have the best consistency and flavor.  If growing your own zucchini, you can eat the squash blossoms.

Store the zucchini in the refrigerator.  Keep it unwashed and in a container with a lid. The squash will last for up to 7 days.

Autumn’s chill brings with it the bounty of harvest.  As the season turns, warm treats from the kitchen fill the bill for heart healthy and nourishing fare. Root vegetables such as carrots and the luscious fullness of apples bring us back to Earth after the light and hot summer months. Combine fall’s goodness with the summer flavor of pineapple in this unique twist on autumn fare.

Festive Harvest Muffins

• 3 cups spelt, quinoa, or whole grain flour (of a combination thereof)
• 1 Tbs baking soda
• 3 ½ cups carrot pulp - Click here for more pulp ideas.
• 1 cup pineapple pulp
• 1 cup honey or agave nectar
• 2 Tbs cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 6 egg whites
• 1 Tbs vanilla
• 1 cup applesauce* or canola oil
• 1 ½ cups crushed walnuts

*A note on applesauce: Using applesauce as a substitute for oil is a heart healthy way to cut calories, increase nutrient density, and make baked treats better for the body.  Substitution is equal: 1 cup applesauce for 1 cup oil.  Consider making your own applesauce or choose low-sugar applesauce to keep the calories and sweetness in check.

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350^o F. Grease muffin pan.  Mix the pulp well with flour. Add egg whites, vanilla, honey, and applesauce or oil and blend into the pulp mixture. Mix in nuts. Fill muffin pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Carrots – The Nutritional Low Down

Carrots are a root vegetable filled with the uber-antioxidant beta-carotene. Carrots offer not only the power of beta-carotene, but a whole host of additional antioxidants, including those that boast cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits.

Antioxidants are the name of the game with carrot consumption. Carrots bring the fight against free radicals up close and personal, but with a power-packed arsenal.

Carrots do contain the more staid antioxidants like Vitamin A and Vitamin C, but they also bring phytonutrients like the aforementioned beta-carotene.  Additionally, their phytonutrient power includes alpha-carotene and lutein; hdroxycinnamic acids including caffeic, coumari, and ferulic; and anthocyanindins such as cyanidins and malvidins.

And the cool part is that Carrots come in the autumn colors of red, purple, orange, and yellow.  Celebrate your harvest by munching on any variety and know that their antioxidant power is yours.

Cardiovascular Health is the product of this high voltage anti-oxidant power of carrots. Carrots help our arteries stay healthy and whole so they can carry on with the movement of highly oxygenated blood.

Research shows that vegetables with a deep shade of orange/yellow are the most protective against cardiovascular disease. Within that color group, carrots were found to be the single most risk-reducing food.

Vision Health is another claim to fame of the carrot. Research shows that, especially for women, consuming carrots at least twice a week reduces the risk of glaucoma.

Fighting Colon Cancer is another added benefit of consuming carrots. While research in this area continues, the consumption of carrot juice has shown a decreased risk in colon cancer by participants consuming 1.5 cups of fresh carrot juice daily.

Selection and Storage

Choose carrot roots that are firm, smooth, bright and deep in color. They should also be fairly straight in shape.  If they’re forked, cracked, limp, or rubbery, you’ll want to give them a pass. If there are stems attached then look for ones that are bright green and feathery.

Carrots keep for a very long time if properly stored. Keep carrots in the coolest part of the refrigerator, preferably in a plastic bag or wrapped in a paper towel.  Consume carrots within two weeks.

With each new season, enjoying a colon cleanse is a great way to maintain good health.

Cleansing the colon is a fantastic way to purge toxins from the body.  The cleansing also provides us with increased energy, a boosted immune system, and keeps us going strong as the weather changes.

The big three of colon cleansing fruits and veggies are carrots, apples, and cucumbers.  Add a lemon for a liver tonic and you’re in cleansing and health business.

All Season Colon Cleanser

• 1 red apple
• 1 medium size carrot
• ½ medium size cucumber
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 8oz glass of cold purified water
• 1 tbs of honey or agave or 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• Juice from one lemon

Juice the apple, carrot, celery, cucumber and lemon in the juicer. Slurry them together with the cold water.  Add honey or agave to taste.  Drink immediately, and preferably, do it first thing in the morning.  Or alternatively, dice the veggies and fruits and mix this all up in your blender.

Veggie and Fruit Cleansing Benefits

Apple: The apple’s skin contains pectin which assists in the removal of toxin.  Pectin also prohibits the protein matter in your G.I. tract from putrefying.  Apples also help regulate blood sugar levels.

Carrot: Ease inflammation of the colon. Carrots contain beta-carotene, a great nutrient for the eyes.

Cucumber: Contains an enzyme called erepsin which digests protein. Cucumbers have a high water content which soothes and eases the digestive tract and colon.

Celery: Flushes the kidneys, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.

Lemon: A natural antiseptic, the acidity of lemon juice destroys harmful bacteria

Apple Cider Vinegar: Prevents the formation of kidney and gall bladder stones.

Honey: Anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Boosts the immune system and provides increased energy.

How Much to Drink

The beauty about this colon cleanse is how simple and direct it is.  This juice recipe can be taken daily if you want a deep cleanse or once a week to maintain good health.  Add this cocktail of health to your daily regime and feel the benefits:

• Clearer skin and a natural, healthy glow
• Bright eyes with stronger eyesight
• Easier and smoother digestion
• Regular and productive bowel movements
• Increased energy levels
• Eases frequency of headaches for headache sufferers
• Reduction in allergy attacks

Eating whole, natural foods is always our first and best resource for healing.  In particular arthritis, a.k.a. inflammation of the joints and joint tissue, can be alleviated by choosing the right foods. Foods with nutrients are known to reduce inflammation, ease pain, increase mobility and even slow the progression of the disease.

The key is to avoid inflammatory foods such as:

• red meat
• wheat
• foods high in saturated fats
• artificial coloring and preservatives
• nightshade vegetables:  eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, white potatoes
• caffeinated teas

While increasing the consumption of anti-inflammatory energy foods like:

• fruits such as cherries, kiwis, apples, and blackberries
• vegetables such as carrots, cucumber, kale

Juicing the right combination of fruits and veggies is a fantastic way to get the concentrated anti-inflammation nutrients into your diet.  Juicing allows you to extract high doses of the vitamins and mineral needed to soothe arthritic conditions.  Juicing also allows for easier assimilation and digestibility of said nutrients.

Anti-Oxidants = Anti-Inflammatory

It’s thought that free-radicals, a body damaging phenomena that attacks cells, abound from pollution, toxins, processed foods, and smoking.  These radicals also occur naturally from the energy release from food and exposure to sunlight.  Unchecked free radicals are a primary factor in aging and disease.

Antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E can assist in disarming free radicals.  They also happen to have great anti-inflammatory properties.  Studies on arthritis include both of these vitamins as relief-packs for pain and slowing the disease.

Selenium is the booster pack that works in conjunction with Vitamins C and E.  Once C and E disarm a free radical, they become inert.  They need selenium to come along and re-energize them.

Vitamin A and Zinc also bring antioxidant mojo to the battle.  These two nutrients in particular support the production and maintenance of our synovial membranes.  The synovial membrane lines our joints and creates the lubricating juice, synovial fluid, which lets our joints move about freely.

And though not an antioxidant, calcium is important for building and maintaining strong bones (along with Vitamin D) and has a direct correlation with the health of our joints.

Juice Recipes to Ease Arthritis

There are a few fruits and veggies that contain either all of these nutrients or contain them all in combination with each other.  Here are a few arthritis relieving juice recipes:

Blackberry Kiwi Sensation

• 3 kiwis (peeled)
• 3 cups of blackberries

Apple a Day

• 4 carrots
• 1 apple

The Alkalizer

• ½ – 1 cucumber
• 2 carrots
• 1 handful of kale
• 1 handful of parsley
• ½ apple

Cherry Cherry

2-3 cups of pitted cherries to yield 4 oz of juice
4 oz of filtered water

Juice the cherries and add an even amount of water.  Drink two 8 oz glasses daily until symptoms subside.

If you suffer from arthritic pain, consider adding these juices to your daily diet and enjoy easier, more pain-free movements.

Papayas are sweet with musky and peppery undertones.  They have a soft, butter-like consistency.  The seeds are black and are completely edible.

The papaya fruit and other parts of the tree contain an enzyme called papain.  Papain is especially concentrated in the unripe fruit. It can be extracted to make dietary supplements and sometimes used as an ingredient in chewing gum.

Papaya Nutrition

One cup of papaya has only 100 calories, yet it’s chock full of nutrition.  Papaya is an excellent source of Vitamin C and a great food choice to boost your immune system.  It also has nice amounts of folate and potassium to help balance the body’s water and salts.

In addition, a cup of papaya has 17% of the daily value of both Vitamin A and E and 9% of the daily value of Vitamin K.  Papayas are also a good source of fiber.

Papaya’s fall into the orange fruit category known to contain substantial amounts of carotenoids and bioflavonoids.  Both of these phytochemicals promote good health by assisting in the prevention of cataracts, pulmonary disease, and diverticulitis.

Special Health Properties of Papayas

Anti-Inflammatory: Papaya contains the enzymes papain and chymopapain which have been shown to reduce inflammation and promote the healing from burns. The papaya also contains Vitamin C and E, and beta-carotene, which also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Anti-Parasitic: The papaya seeds are anti-parasitic and can assist in expelling worms from the digestive tract.  Mix two teaspoons of seeds with a teaspoon of honey and eat three times a day after meals.

Digestive System Friendly: Papaya enzymes are a friend to your digestive system.  The ripe fruit can prevent constipation.  Eating papayas by themselves for two or three days has a tonic effect on the stomach and intestines.  The juice of the papaya can relieve infections of the colon and it breaks down pus and mucus.  Papaya prevents nausea, and it’s great for morning and motion sickness.

Papaya Passion Smoothie

• 1 papaya (skin and seeds removed)
• 1 kiwi (peeled and frozen)
• 6 strawberries (frozen)
• 1 spear of pineapple or ¼ cup of pineapple (frozen)
• Ice and water

Mix up in a blender and enjoy!

History of the Papaya

Papayas are native to Central America. Spanish and Portuguese explorers transported the papaya to India, the Philippines and different parts of Africa.  Christopher Columbus called the papaya “the fruit of angels.”

In the 20^th century, papayas were cultivated primarily in Hawaii.  Today, the largest commercial producers are the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

Selection and Storage of Papyas

A ripe papaya (ready to beaten within a day of purchase) will have a reddish-orange skin and will be slightly soft to the touch.  Papayas with patches of yellow will need a few days to ripen.  If you wish to hurry the ripening process, place the papaya in a paper bag with a banana.

Green papayas or those that are hard should only be used if you are cooking or adding them to a cold salad dish.  The green papaya will never develop the wonderful and distinctive sweet flavor of ripe papayas.

Papaya ‘season’ is summer and fall, though they are typically available year round.

A ripe papaya should be stored in the refrigerator.  Consume a ripe papaya within one or two days.

Do you have a papaya recipe you’d like to share? Tell us in a comment!

Wheatgrass juice has the most nutritionally dense form of chlorophyll.  At 70% living greens, wheatgrass qualifies as a super food. Click here for more on the nutritional benefits of Wheatgrass juice.

When you’re finished with this page, click here to read about the power of one shot of wheatgrass juice.

Wheatgrass has a distinctive taste. Some acquire it and some still cringe at the thought. The beauty of this versatile juice is how it can be added to juices and smoothies to make it more palatable. Wheatgrass juice will not destroy the taste of the blend or juice, but add to it.

Great Green Grass

• 3-5 stalks of celery
• 2 cucumbers
• A handful of spinach leaves
• A handful of parsley
• 1 shot of wheatgrass juice
• water for blend

Juice all of the vegetables and herbs. Add the wheatgrass juice and water to taste.  Drink it as an alternative to your usual green drink.

Apple-Lemon-Grass

• 3 organic apples (medium)
• 1 lemon, peeled
• 1 shot of wheatgrass juice
• water to taste

Juice the apples and lemon.  Add in the shot of wheatgrass juice.  Add water to adjust the taste as desired. A fantastic afternoon pick-me-up.

Carrot Grass

• 3-5 carrots
• 1 shot of wheatgrass juice
• Water to taste

Juice carrots.  Add a shot of wheatgrass juice.  Use water to adjust the taste as desired. Get your beta-carotene shot here.

Smoothie Citrus Grass

• 2 oranges, peeled
• 1 frozen banana, peeled
• 1 lime, peeled
• 1 shot of wheatgrass juice
• 6-10 ice cubes

Juice oranges and lime. Place all ingredients into blender and give it a whir. Add water to dilute as necessary or to adjust taste.  A great way to start your morning!

Cleansing Grass

• 3-5 carrots
• ½  beet
• 2 -4 celery sticks
• 1 lemon
• 1-2 shots of wheatgrass juice
• Handful of parsley and/or mint

First thing in the morning! Juice all ingredients and drink immediately.  The cleansing grass recipe is strong and serves two.  Adjust portions as necessary. A great way to begin your cleanse.

Add a shot of wheatgrass juice to any juice or smoothie to enhance the natural benefits of juicing and blending.  Filled with vitamins and minerals, wheatgrass juice is a power pack to your day.