Unfortunately, obesity is an epidemic among our youth. Sugary drinks play a substantial role. Soda, juice, and energy drinks are among the top offenders. Despite the deceiving labels, the “100 percent juice” and “no sugar” juices contribute to the generational weight gain.
One source for this unforeseen problem is how juice is made. Juice from concentrate is often heated at high temperatures. In doing so, natural vitamins and minerals are destroyed. Distributing companies will then go back and add the vitamins and minerals themselves.
Another issue is fiber. The amount of fiber found in juice is insignificant when compared to that found in the raw fruit. For example, having a glass of apple juice from concentrate does your body no more good than flavored sugar water. The added sugar climbs in calorie count. And more calories means more unwanted weight. Sometimes serving your kids juice instead of soda is just as bad.
Though this may raise worries, there are solutions. One of which is making your own juice. Because you’re liquefying the fruit, it’s easy to consume more fruit than you normally would. Therefore you should still be cautious of calories because there will always be the natural sugar found in fruit. When making juice you still need to be aware of the calorie count from the naturally occurring sugars.
The combination of fruit and veggies can result in healthy drinks that are surprisingly tasty. You can use homemade juice in your smoothies to add flavor and nutrition.
Here is a juice recipe and a smoothie recipe for you to try out! I’d love your feedback, especially to know how your family enjoys them! Please come back to the website to share your comments and experiences!
Apple Carrot Juice
Ingredients
- 1/2 apple
- 3 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 cup spinach
Instructions
- Push everything through the juicer in the order above rolling the spinach into tight balls before putting into the juicer. Wash everything before juicing. You can keep the peels on if using organic fruits and veggies.
Pumpkin Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 ripe banana
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon raw local Honey
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
- 1 cup crushed ice
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. You can use frozen freshly juiced orange juice in place of the plain ice for a fresh taste and a punch of vitamin C. If you are not opposed to eating organic raw egg, throw in an egg for added protein.