7 Best Juicing Recipes for Health

What are the best juicing recipes for health?

You see, it might be a controversial subject, but nearly everyone enjoys juice.

The health benefit of juice is somewhat controversial. Many people think that it contains a lot of sugar. However, others think that it is loaded with many nutrients.

This article highlights the 7 best juicing recipes for health. It also discusses the health benefits of juices in general.

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Cranberry juice

Cranberry juice is tart and with a bright red color. It offers many health benefits.

A cup of cranberry juice (240 ml) offers the following (1):

• 116 calories
• 1g protein
• 31g carbs
• 0.25g fiber
• 31g sugar
• 4% DV of potassium (DV = daily value)
• 26% of DV of vitamin C
• 20% of DV of vitamin E
• 11% of DV of vitamin K

One of the health benefits of cranberry juice is the protection it offers against urinary tract infections. Mixed results have been gotten from this research, but a recent study has found that cranberry juice reduces one’s risk of a UTI by 32.5% (2).

Cranberry is also listed among the best juicing recipes for health because of its high antioxidant content, such as flavonols, anthocyanins, vitamins C and E, and procyanidins. These antioxidants can protect your cells from the damaging effect of free radicals (3, 4).

Tomato juice

Bloody Marys contains a lot of tomato juice. But the juice can also be enjoyed on its own as a healthy drink.

Many people classify tomato as a vegetable because of its culinary uses. However, it is a fruit. Juicing companies classify tomato juice as a vegetable juice due to its low sugar content and its flavor.

A cup of tomato juice provides the following nutrients (5):

• 41 calories
• 2g protein
• 9g carbs
• 1g fiber
• 6g sugar
• 12% of the DV of folate
• 11% of the DV of potassium
• 6% of the DV of vitamin A
• 189% of the DV of vitamin C
• 5% of the DV of vitamin E
• 5% of the DV of vitamin K

Tomato juice is rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that enhances the absorption of iron, boosts immune health, and promotes the health of your skin as well (6, 7, 8).

Vitamin C also contains a lot of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant as well as a carotenoid. It is responsible for the red color of tomatoes. It is important to know that 80% of dietary lycopene comes from tomato juice, pizza sauce, or spaghetti sauce (9).

Lycopene also reduces the risk of stroke and heart disease. A particular review found that a high intake of lycopene lowered the risk of heart disease by 13% (10).

Tomato juice also has a high salt content. Consuming salt in excess can increase blood pressure. Many people take salt in excess. As such, you should go for the low-sodium option when possible (11).

Beet juice

The popularity of beet juice is increasing by the day. This is attributed to its many health benefits.

Beet juice is prepared by blending beets and water.

You can get the following nutrients from a cup of beet juice (12):

• 70 calories
• 1g of protein
• 18g of carbs
• 1g of fiber
• 13g of sugar

The sugar content of the beet is on the low side. This is not surprising as most vegetables do have low sugar content (13).

Also, beets are rich in betalains. Betalains are pigments responsible for the deep-red color of vegetables. They are antioxidants and can lower your risk of inflammation, heart disease, and some types of cancer (14, 15).

Beet juice also contains a lot of inorganic nitrates. Studies have shown that inorganic nitrates can increase athletic performance while decreasing the risk of heart disease and blood pressure (16, 17, 18).

It is important to note that the amount of inorganic nitrate in beet juice depends on the vegetable, and also the processing method (17).

Because the nitrate content is not indicated on most labels, it may be difficult to know the exact nitrate benefits of beet juice (17).

Apple juice

Everyone has heard about apple juice (19). It is one of the best juicing recipes for health.

There are two types of apple juice – the cloudy type and the clear type. There is some pulp in cloudy apple juice. Conversely, clear apple juice doesn’t contain any pulp (20).

 A cup of apple juice provides the following nutrients (21):

• 114 calories
• <1g of protein
• 28g of carbs
• 0.5g of fiber
• 24g of sugar
• 5% of the DV of potassium
• 3% of the DV of vitamin C

Apple juice contains potassium but in moderate amounts. Potassium acts as an electrolyte. It is important for heart health and nerve signaling (22, 23, 24).

Naturally, apple juice doesn’t contain much vitamin C. However, commercial producers do enrich it with vitamin C, providing an average of 106% of the DV per 240ml (one cup) (25).

It also contains antioxidants like chlorogenic acid and flavonoids, which neutralize free radicals (26, 27, 28).

Cloudy apple juice contains more antioxidants than other types. A particular study found that the antioxidant content of cloudy apple juice was 2 – 5 times higher than that of the clear variety (20).

Prune juice

Prunes are nothing but dried plums. Many people enjoy them as a snack, but you can equally make them into juice.

Why does prune juice qualify as one of the best juicing recipes for health?

Well, a cup of this juice provides (29):

• 182 calories
• 1.5g of protein
• 45g of carbs
• 2.5g of fiber
• 42g of sugar
• 17% of the DV of iron
• 9% of the DV of magnesium
• 17% of the DV of manganese
• 15% of the DV of potassium
• 14% of the DV of vitamin B2
• 13% of the DV of vitamin B3
• 33% of the DV of vitamin B6
• 12% of the DV of vitamin C
• 8% of the DV of vitamin K

Prune juice is a storehouse of B vitamins. B vitamins are involved in DNA production, metabolism, production of red blood cells, eye health, and skin health (30, 31, 32).

Also, it helps to treat constipation in the elderly. The fiber in prune juice softens stool and also has mild laxative functions (33, 34).

Prune juice is rich in antioxidants, like phenolic compounds and vitamin C (34).

It is worth noting that prune juice contains a lot of sugar, so you are better off limiting your daily intake to a small glass, or you can dilute it with water.

Pomegranate juice

The popularity of pomegranate has increased over the years due to its many health benefits.

So, what makes it tick?

Well, a cup of pomegranate juice provides the following (35):

• 134 calories
• <1g of protein
• 0.25g of fiber
• 33g of carbs
• 32g of sugar
• 11% of the DV of potassium
• <1% of the DV of vitamin C
• 22% of the DV of vitamin K

There’s a lot of vitamin K in pomegranate juice. Vitamin K is good for heart health, blood clotting, and bone development (36).

It also contains anthocyanin, an antioxidant. Anthocyanin is responsible for the dark-red color of pomegranate (37).

Also, many varieties of pomegranate juice are enriched with vitamin C, which helps you get up to 27 percent of the daily value (38).

Acai berry

Acai berries are sourced from the acai palm tree. They are small, and with a circular shape.

The acai berry juice is delicious and has a deep purple color.

A cup (240ml) of acai berry juice will give you the following (39):

• 91 calories
• 1g of protein
• 13g of carbs
• 2g of fiber
• 9g of sugar

Very few studies have been done on acai berry juice, so its nutritional data is still limited. However, many studies have been carried out on its antioxidant properties.

Acai juice contains a lot of antioxidants, especially ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids. A diet that contains these compounds improves mental health and decreases the risk of heart disease (40, 41, 42).

Frankly, the antioxidant content of acai berries is more than that of blueberries (43).

Finally, research involving 14 osteoarthritic patients found that drinking acai juice for 12 weeks drastically reduced the pain perceived by the patients. but that notwithstanding, there is a need for further studies to better understand the relationship between the intake of acai berry juice and osteoarthritis (44).

Does fruit juice have any disadvantages?

Well, it is rich in nutrients, no doubt, but it does have some disadvantages.

Its fiber content is low

Fruit juice doesn’t have much fiber, compared to whole fruit. Juice makers usually extract the juices from the fruit, and then discard the remaining flesh.

Fiber plays a very important role in the management of blood sugar levels. It regulates the absorption of sugar into your blood. Without fiber, sugar gets into your blood with ease, leading to a spike in insulin and blood sugar (45, 46).

Fruit juices are high in sugar

There’s much sugar in both fruit juices and whole fruit. However, the type of sugar varies.

Whole fruit contains intrinsic sugar. Intrinsic sugar exists within the cells of a vegetable or fruit. The absorption of intrinsic sugar is slower compared to free sugars (47).

On the other hand, free sugars are simple sugars. They are added to foods. Some free sugars occur naturally in some beverages or foods, like honey and fruit juices. The body absorbs free sugars with relative ease because they are not bound within a cell (47).

A diet that contains many free sugars is associated with a high risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity (48, 49, 50).

The thing is, a greater percentage of free sugars in any diet comes from sweetened beverages, like energy drinks and soda. A 2017 study found that fruit juice contributes to only 2.9% of overall sugar intake (47).

Compared to other sugar-sweetened beverages, 100% fruit juice contains more antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Nutritionists, therefore, believe that it is a better alternative (51).

But that notwithstanding, you must get your daily nutrients from vegetables and whole fruits, which contains a lot of fibers. Limit your juice intake to 1 – 2 cups daily (51).

If you are a juice lover, ensure that you buy 100% fruit juice. Note that there is a difference between real juice and fruit cocktails. Fruit cocktails contain flavors, colorings, and added sugar.

In conclusion

We have reviewed the best juicing recipes for health. Juices are rich in nutrients, mostly antioxidants.

No doubt the sugar content of juice is a controversial subject. However, it is healthier compared to energy drinks, soda, or other sugar-sweetened beverages. Limit your juice consumption to no more than two cups (480 ml) daily. Take vegetables and whole fruits whenever possible.

Learn more: Getting Started with Apple Cider Vinegar: The Unconventional Guide to Apple Cider Vinegar Recipes