Juicing is the ultimate gut indulgence! This juice recipe for gut health is one of the best ways to start your day.
This green juice recipe contains a rich concentration of vitamins and minerals that goes straight to your bloodstream, giving your digestive system a break. Dark leafy greens add a richness that brings out a nice earthy flavour. If you want it a little sweeter, add an apple or pear.
And remember! Always have your green juice on its own, and 20-30 mins away from other food.
Why Juice for Gut Health?
Consuming vegetable juices is a powerful way to absorb so much more nutrition than you can eat. We recommend incorporating juicing into your daily routine. Not only do vegetable juices provide an abundance of important antioxidants and phytonutrients, they also give your digestive system a break and act as a form of intermittent fasting – which can slow aging and prolong lifespan!
Our bodies struggle to eliminate things they were never meant to process. Overconsumption of saturated fats, sugars and refined flours takes a toll on our digestive systems. It can be challenging to consistently eat healthy when we are bombarded with addictive food substances. Starting your with day with vegetable juice (pulp removed) lets you directly feed your cells and let your body take a break. Over time, this will also gradually adjust your taste buds and make it easier to make better choices in the long-term.
What’s the Difference Between Green Juices and Smoothies?
Juices require no digestion, whilst smoothies are simple “predigested” meals that are easier for your gut to handle. Think of green juice as an elixir to start your day on a high, keep you alert and in a fasted state. Meanwhile, green smoothies (try our favorite one here!) are fiber-rich meals that are wonderful when you’re on the go and don’t feel like chewing a big salad.
In short, smoothies are excellent if you’re not used to eating a bunch of vegetables, and want to feel full. Green juices are the ultimate gut indulgence, priming your body and digestion for optimal performance.
What about Fruit Juice?
We don’t recommend fruit juice: with the fiber extracted, this is essentially sugar that is rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream. If you must, you can add a single piece of fruit to a green juice, such as a green apple or pear. Still, always try and keep the fruit to a minimum (the majority of your juice should be vegetables!) When you properly construct your juice, for instance using water-rich, neutral vegetables like cucumber and lettuce, you can properly balance it and maintain the natural sweetness of vegetables. Lime or lemon juice can also add acidic depth that cuts through the darker vegetables like kale. And remember! Keep the intense greens on the lower end when you start juicing – otherwise the flavours will likely be too intense.
What are the Best Foods to Juice?
- Cucumber
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Kale
- Swiss Chard
- Fennel
- Carrot
- Lemon
- Lime
- Green Apple
- Green Pear
- Herbs, such as parsley
Why is this the Best Green Juice Recipe for Gut Health?
We love this recipe because it contains ingredients that are generally cheap and easy to find. The cucumber gives a wonderful water-rich base, the cucumber adds salty depth, and the spinach and kale provide the powerful phytonutrient punch! Lemon juice helps to cut through any bitterness, giving it a refreshing taste. Try it for yourself and tell us what you think!
