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1/28/2012

The Garden


The Garden
INGREDIENTS
  • 4 cups of spinach
  • 2 cups of broccoli
  • 3 stalks of celery
  • 4 large carrots
Makes (about) 40 oz 

Juice your ingredients...and voila! You've got Juice!

No juicer? No problem! Blend in your Vitamix. Then strain through a nut milk bag or a paint strainer bag...and pour in your storage container. For detailed instructions on making juice in the blender click here.

Before you let the ingredients scare you, just try it. This juice is surprisingly good. No there's no fruit in it to sweeten it, but the carrots do the job without the need of adding any other type of sweetener. Trust me, you'll enjoy this.

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Some Health Benefits 

Spinach: Spinach is store house for many phyto-nutrients that have health promotional and disease prevention propertiesIt contains good amount of soluble dietary fiber; no wonder greeny spinach is one of the vegetable source recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs! Fresh 100 g of spinach contains about 25% of daily intake of iron; one of the richest among green leafy vegetables. Iron is an important trace element required by the body for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for oxidation-reduction enzymes cytochrome-oxidases during the cellular metabolism. Fresh leaves are rich source of several vital anti-oxidant vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C; and flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin and beta-carotene. Together these compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a healing role in aging and various disease processes. Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions; thus helps protect from "age related macular disease" (ARMD), especially in the elderly. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for vision. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin A and flavonoids helps body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. 100 g of Spinach provides 402% of daily vitamin-K requirements. Vitamin K plays vital role in strengthening bone mass by promoting osteotrophic (bone building) activity in the bone. It also has established role in patients with Alzheimer's disease by limiting neuronal damage in the brain. This greeny leafy vegetable also contain good amounts of many B-complex vitamins like vitamin- B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), riboflavin, folates and niacin. Folates help prevent neural tube defects in the offspring. 100 g of farm fresh spinach has 47% of daily recommended levels of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals. The leaves also contain good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis. It is also rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. 

Broccoli: Is rich in dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and anti-oxidants that have proven health benefits. Fresh Broccoli is a storehouse of many phyto-nutrients such as thiocyanates, indoles, sulforaphae, isothiocyanates and flavonoids like beta-carotene cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin.  Studies have shown that these compounds by modifying positive signalling at molecular receptor levels help protect from prostate, colon, urinary bladder, pancreatic, and breast cancers. Fresh vegetable is exceptionally rich source of vitamin-C. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and immune modulator, helps fight against flu causing viruses. Further, it contains very good amounts of another anti-oxidant vitamin, vitamin-A. Together with other pro-vitamins like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and zeaxanthin, vitamin A helps maintain integrity of skin and mucus membranes. Vitamin A is essential for vision and helps prevent from macular degeneration of retina in the elderly population. It is also a good source of minerals like calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc and phosphorus. Fresh broccoli heads are an excellent source of folates. Studies have shown that consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits rich in folates during pre-conception and pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects in the offspring. Broccoli leaves (green tops) are an excellent source of carotenoids and vitamin A. This flower vegetable is also rich source of other vitamin-K and B-complex group of vitamins like Niacin (vit B-3), pantothenic acid (vit.B-5), pyridoxine (vit.B-6) and riboflavin. The flower heads also have some amount omega-3 fatty acids.

Celery: Is a non-soluble fiber which when combined with other weight loss regimens may help to reduce body weight and blood cholesterol levels. Celery is a functional food. Its leaves are rich source of flavonoid antioxidants such as zeaxanthin, lutein and beta- carotene, which have anti-oxidant, cancer protective, and immune-boosting functions. It is also good source of vitamin-A. Vitamin-A and beta-carotene are natural flavonoid antioxidants. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin, and for vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in flavonoids helps body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. The herb is also rich in many vital vitamins including folic acid (provides 9% of RDA), riboflavin, niacin and vitamin-C, which are essential for optimum metabolism. Fresh celery is an excellent source of vitamin-K, provides about 25% of DRI. Vitamin-K help increase bone mass by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bones. It also has established role in Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in the brain. The herb is very good source of minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Its leaves and seeds contain many essential volatile oils that include terpenes, mostly limonene (75 to 80%), and the sesquiterpenes like β-selinene (10%) and humulene; but its characteristic fragrance is due to chemical compounds known as phthalides (butylphthalid and its dihydro derivate sedanenolid) in them. Essential oil obtained from extraction of celery plant has been used in soothing remedies for nervousness, osteoarthritis, and gouty-arthritis conditions. In addition, its seeds, and root has diuretic (removes excess water from body through urine), galactogogue (help breast milk secretion), stimulant, and tonic properties. 

Carrots: Did you know the carrot is a root vegetable? It's sweet and succulent taste is  rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber. They are exceptionally rich source of carotenes and vitamin-A.  Studies have found that flavonoid compounds in carrots help protect from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers. Carotenes are converted in to vitamin A in the liver. Beta-carotene is the major carotene that is present in these roots. Beta carotene is one of the powerful natural anti-oxidant helps protect body from harmful fee radical injury.  In addition, it also has all the functions of vitamin A such as vision, reproduction (sperm production), maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development. Carrots are rich in poly-acetylene anti-oxidant falcarinol. Research study conducted by scientists at University of Newcastle on laboratory animals has found that falcarinol in carrots may help fight against cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells in the tumors. Fresh roots are also good in vitamin C; provide about 9% of RDA. Vitamin C is water soluble anti-oxidant. It helps body maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth and gum. Its anti-oxidant property helps body protect from diseases and cancers by scavenging harmful free radicals. This root vegetable is especially contain good amounts of many B-complex group of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc that acts as co-factors to enzymes during substrate metabolism in the body. It also has healthy levels of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.


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Super Beet Juice
The Ultimate Kale Juice
 
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