Summer heat is upon us – which means that I’m not only looking to slim down for swimsuit season, but I’m also looking for a cold, refreshing drink. Fresh-squeezed juice is the perfect summer remedy!
The brilliant thing about juicing is that you can throw just about anything in your juicer and it will come out quite tasty. However, after a couple months of experimenting with all different types of juice combinations, I’ve recently settled on a simple favorite: zesty carrot-apple-celery. First, let’s break down the nutritional benefits of each ingredient – then, we’ll get to the recipe!
Carrots
When juiced, still retain a fair amount of vitamins and minerals. One cup of carrot juice provides well over 200% of the USDA recommended vitamin A intake; it also hosts a considerable amount of vitamin C and potassium. There’s even a bit of calcium in there!
Apples
Are a simple fruit with a good amount of vitamin C and manganese. In this juice, apples provide delicious sweetness!
Celery
Is a high-liquid, low-calorie veggie that adds a hint of herbiness to this drink while also giving it smooth volume. Celery juice has fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. In a half-cup serving of celery juice, there’s even a gram of protein!
Ginger
Adds even more potassium and vitamin C to your juice – it also adds a spicy, herby flavor to each sip.
Lemon
Adds a bit more vitamin C and could possibly aid in digestion and detoxification. Plus, it gives this drink a zesty kick!
Ready for the recipe?!
First
Wash and prep all of your ingredients. Depending on the type of juicer you have, you may need to core your apples (I didn’t) and/or remove the skin from your lemon and ginger.
Next
Throw everything in your juicer! If you don’t have a juicer, you might be able to still make “juice” by putting these ingredients into a powerful blender with a splash of milk (like almond milk), water, and/or juice.
When you’re done juicing, make sure to stir your juice up so that all the flavors mix well.
Drink within eight hours
If you wait any longer, the juice components will start to separate.
Enjoy this juice with eggs and toast for a balanced breakfast, or pair it with a sandwich over lunch (a great side dish substitute for potato chips or cookies!) Once you’ve got the hang of this basic blend, feel free to add in more ingredients as you like. Other great fruits and veggies to feed to your juicer: seedless grapes, kiwis, spinach, kale, mint, parsley, romaine lettuce, and oranges. Avoid trying to juice bananas, blueberries, or strawberries – these fruits’ low water count makes them difficult to juice.
Also, remember that while juice is incredibly tasty and healthy, eating fruits and vegetables raw is a perfectly fine way to eat them, too. By consuming their skins and pulp, you’ll be taking in even more fiber and nutrients!
Mary Lambkin is a Nashville-based writer, runner, and foodie. She's run seven marathons and ten half marathons, with lots of healthy (and occasionally unhealthy) food along the way. Follow her at her blog, minutes per mile.
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