5 best at-home juices to improve your health

5 best at-home juices

These delicious drinks are packed with nutritional benefits too, says the Angela Onsgard, an RDN at the spa. A whole foods, plant-based diet can heal and soothe inflammation within the body, she says and juicing can be a healthful way to fill in nutrient gaps and increase antioxidant levels. Juicing should not replace a healthy diet, though, so be mindful of the calorie and sugar content of juices, says Onsgard, and remember to include protein, fiber, and fat by eating whole foods along with these shots of yumminess.

Juice For: An Afternoon Recharge

Instead of caffeine for a mid-day pick-up, renew your energy with the Mira-Vitality, suggests Onsgard, a juice drink chock full of powerful antioxidant that protect your cells from damage caused by free-radicals. Free radicals are produced in the body as a result of normal essential metabolic processes or from external sources such as exposure to radiation, cigarette smoke, air pollutants, and industrial chemicals. Carrots are a rich source of the antioxidants Vitamin A as well as other carotenoids. Spinach is chock full of the antioxidant glutathione and is also high in Vitamins A, C, and E. Beet juice is high in naturally occurring nitrates, which have been shown to improve blood flow, decrease blood pressure, and increase stamina. Cucumber juice is rich in Vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting after an injury. Leave out the cucumber if you are taking an anti-coagulant medication. Ginger is known to be very soothing to the digestive tract while also containing 12 different antioxidants.

Recipe: Mira-Vitality

9 oz. fresh carrots, washed
2 c. packed baby spinach, washed and spun dry
6 oz. fresh raw beets, stemmed and peeled
5 oz. cucumbers, skin on
1 tsp. Ginger Juice

calories: 80; total fat: 0 g; carbohydrates:16 g; dietary fiber: 1 g; protein: 4 g

Juice For: Longevity

Immortal Greek Gods feasted on Ambrosia, the name given to food that increased longevity. While the ingredients in this juice won’t make you immortal, they may help extend your life, says Onsgard, in part due to Pineapple, which is rich in bromelain, a digestive enzyme that breaks down proteins and can help heal muscle injuries. Red grapes, rich in the antioxidant resveratrol, have been shown to activate enzymes in the liver and increase rates of detoxification of harmful chemicals. The lemon juice is a rich source of Vitamin C and aids in digestion by stimulating bile production. The freshly juiced orange provides a healthy dose of Vitamin C and improves diastolic blood pressure. Drink this elixir in the morning to get your digestive fire burning or after a workout to help with muscle repair. But don’t overdo! There are 290 calories in this juice, similar to a plated meal.

Recipe: Ambrosia

1 c. pineapple
½ c. red grapes
1 four-ounce lemon, with rind on and quartered
1 ten-ounce orange, skin removed

calories: 290; total fat: 1 g; carbohydrate: 76 g; dietary fiber: 10 g; protein: 4 g

Juice For: Glowing Skin

Beautiful, flawless skin starts with what you eat, says Onsgard. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will provide the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants needed for healthy glowing skin. Cucumber is a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium. Free radicals are damaging to collagen and elastin, the fibers that support skin structure, leading to wrinkles, sun damage, and aging. Vitamin C has been shown to be powerful in countering the effects of these free radicals. Granny Smith apples are a great choice because they are low in calories and high in potassium. They are also particularly high in the flavonoids cyanidin and epicatechin, another free-radical fighter. Celery juice is a powerful diuretic that helps to flush toxins from your body. Romaine lettuce is rich in Vitamin A, chlorophyll, and hydrating wich plumps the skin. Fresh pineapple is the only known source of an enzyme called bromelain, which has been shown in studies to shorten recovery time following surgery. Pineapple has also been shown to stimulate collagen production. Enjoy this smoothie after a facial to nourish and heal the skin.

Recipe: Clear, Ageless Skin Smoothie

2 c. cucumber, with skin on
1 c. Granny Smith apple, stemmed and seeded
1 c. celery hearts
1 heart of romaine lettuce, about 6 oz.
1/3 c. fresh pineapple

calories: 170; total fat: 0 g; carbohydrate: 44 g; dietary fiber: 7 g; protein: 2 g

Juice For: Exercise Stamina

Try this beet-based juice drink before exercise to increase your stamina. Beets are a nutritional powerhouse, says Onsgard, providing folate, potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. One of the major benefits of beet juice is that it contains a color pigment called betalain. This is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance. There is research that indicates that betalain may help prevent cancer. Studies have shown that drinking beet juice provides a healthy dose of naturally occurring nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide, and that drinking beet juice increases stamina during intense exercise, lowers blood pressure, and increases blood flow. Cooking beets decreases these naturally occurring nitrates, so enjoying raw beet juice is a great way to get the benefits. The oxalic acid in beet juice is also known to be a good solvent of inorganic calcium deposits in the body. The ginger is very soothing to the digestive tract, carrot provides a healthy dose of Vitamin A, and the orange packs an antioxidant punch of Vitamin C.

Recipe: And The Beet Goes On...

1 inch of unpeeled ginger
1 large orange
4 carrots
1 large beet

Nutrition Information for typical 8oz juice:
calories under 200, carbohydrates about 30g, protein 2g, fiber 4g or more

What recipes of healthy juices you know? Let us know in the comments.