Juicer
Blender
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Knife
Chopping board
Water filter (optional)
Colander
Cocktail shaker (optional)
Vegetable peeler (optional)
A few tips before you get started:
1. Wash everything first.
2. If you’re using organic fruits and veggies, you can keep the skin of some fruits and veggies on. The obvious skins to avoid are kiwi, mango, grapefruit, etc. Use common sense here. If you’re not using organic ingredients, peel all the fruits and veggies that have a skin.
3. Cut your ingredients in chunks that will fit into your juicer. For smoothies, cut them in smaller chunks.
4. When making smoothies, use the blender at low speed so the heat it creates doesn’t destroy some of the important enzymes in your fruits and veggies.
5. When a recipe calls for nut milks, pomegranate juice, coconut water, and the like, make your best effort to get them fresh. Commercial versions have been pasteurized at high temperatures and are devoid of many of the amazing nutrients that abound in the fresh product.
6. Drink your juices and smoothies as soon as you make them whenever possible, to get the best nutrition out of them. If absolutely necessary, keep in the fridge for up to a day in an airtight glass container filled all the way to the top (mason jars work well). If your time is very constrained, you can make several juices at once, and freeze them immediately. Thaw in the fridge individually, when you’re ready to drink them.
7. You can keep the skin on when juicing organic lemons, limes, and oranges if you want. However, be mindful of the taste and how you feel. They may turn some juices too bitter for you, and the orange peel’s natural oils may cause upset stomach in some people.
8. Keep your veggies in separate plastic bags in the fridge, and don’t wash them until you use them. This way they will last longer without going limp. As a general rule, fruits and veggies are easier to juice when they are fresh and “crunchy,” leafy greens and herbs in particular.
9. Herbs can be stored in the fridge with the stalks inside a glass with water (just like you would do with flowers), and the leaves covered with a plastic bag.
10. These recipes are not set in stone. Add the flavors you enjoy, and leave out those that don’t work for you. The portions will also vary depending on the size and quality of the fruits and veggies you buy, and the juicer you have. So feel free to adjust the amounts the recipes call for to get a portion of juice that feels right for you.
11. The less sweet your juice is, the better it is for you. It’s okay if you have to start with the sweeter juices, but try to slowly work your way to a ratio of 3 to 1 (three vegetable portions for every fruit portion).
12. There are several types of juicers, and any of them work well to get you started in juicing. However, there are a few types that perform better than others: starting with a twin-gear juicer, followed by a masticating juicer, and lastly, a centrifugal juicer. They also tend to be priced according to quality, so keep that in mind if money is an issue.
Makes 2½–3 cups
In the past few years, dairy has been demonized by the health food industry, and milk alternatives have been on the rise. However, most of the substitutes that well-intentioned people have adopted as part of their new and “improved” diets have scary-named chemicals listed in their ingredients, and are definitely not what we would call fresh. So why not make them from scratch instead and get all their wonderful benefits? It’s easy peasy and your body will notice the difference.
1 cup nuts, raw unsalted (you can pick any of these: almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts)
2 cups water
Put the nuts in a bowl, cover with water, and soak overnight.
In the morning, drain the water and rinse the nuts.
If they can be peeled (like almonds), it’s better if you do it, as the skin is hard to digest. The peel should come off easily.
Process the nuts in a blender with 2 cups water, until they have completely liquefied.
Pass through a sieve, pressing the solids that stay at the bottom with the back of a spoon, until no more liquid drips out of it.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and stir well before using, because the tiny nut particles tend to accumulate at the bottom.
Don’t throw out the fiber you get when you drain the milk! See the tip box on page 53 for ideas on what to do with it.
When you include nut milk in your juices and smoothies, its protein helps stabilize your blood sugar levels even if you add sweet fruits to the preparation. Due to its high fat content, it takes longer to digest and keeps you full for many hours. This is why we love adding this wonderful milk to our morning drinks.
Makes 1 glass
It is common knowledge that drinking warm water with lemon upon rising helps purify the body. This is a great practice to adopt and turn into a daily ritual, and with practice, it will become automatic, just like brushing your teeth or having breakfast. If you want to take this one step further, add an extra lemon each day, for a whole week, and then start taking out a lemon a day, for another week.
1 glass water (warm or at room temperature)
1 lemon
Squeeze the lemon into the water and drink immediately.
Bonus: While you drink it, thank the water for purifying, healing, and energizing every cell of your body.
It may sound like a contradiction, but lemon, the fruit that makes your face twitch with its acidity, has an alkalizing effect on the body. When this is drunk first thing in the morning, it flushes out toxins and helps restore the slightly alkaline pH of your blood.
Makes 1 glass
This spicy water is an upgraded version of the powerfully cleansing water with lemon. All you need to do is add some warming and energizing ginger, a fiber megadose in the form of chia seeds, and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper to wake up your body’s circulatory system.
1-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Juice of 1 lime
A pinch of ground cayenne pepper
Put the ginger in a pan with 2 cups of water, and bring to a boil.
Let it cool for a few minutes, and once it’s lukewarm, remove the ginger, transfer to a glass, and add the chia seeds. Stir and soak for 5 minutes.
Add the lime juice, and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
Stir and serve.
Lemons and limes are an important component of most juices in this book for many reasons. For one, they stimulate your taste buds, making any drink more enjoyable. They also bring down the bitterness and strong taste of the most robust veggies, such as kale, watercress, and wheatgrass. Their vitamin C content is exceptional, and if this wasn’t enough, they slow down the oxidizing process in your juices (just like they do in your body), keeping them from turning an unappealing brown.
Super Seed Me (a.k.a. Seed Milk)
Makes 3 cups
Nowadays it’s easy to find alternative milks wherever you go. Rice, soy, almond . . . you name it. But I’m always thinking of ways to take my nutrition one step further and to have fun in the kitchen. That is how this super seed milk was created. Instead of munching on these seeds when you’re hungry, why not drink a refreshing glass of milk made from them?
⅓ cup sesame seeds
⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
⅓ cup sunflower seeds
2 cups water
Soak the seeds overnight in a bowl of water.
In the morning, drain the water, and then process the seeds in a blender with 2 cups water, until you have a smooth liquid.
Pass through a strainer, and press the remaining solids with a spoon to get all the water out of them.
Store this milk in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 3 days.
When you make seed or nut milk you may be left with quite a bit of fiber after blending and straining it. Why throw it away? You can use it in bread or muffin recipes, add it to all kinds of smoothies, sprinkle it over your breakfast or salads, or even mix it with honey and yogurt for a wonderful homemade face and body scrub.
Hawaiian Elixir (a.k.a. Pineapple Water)
Makes 4 cups
This flavorful water is a dieter’s dream: spicy, slightly sweet yet sugar free, and highly diuretic. Use it as the base for smoothies, or make it without the spices and grab a glass whenever you’re thirsty to replace regular water (those who claim they don’t drink water because it’s tasteless will be thankful for this recipe). This is a great way to use pineapple peels instead of throwing them away.
1 organic pineapple (skin only)
1 cinnamon stick
4 allspice berries
2 cloves
5 cups water
Clean the pineapple peel by scrubbing it with a brush under hot running water.
Combine the pineapple peel, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and 5 cups water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool.
Strain, discarding the solids. Transfer the pineapple water to a jar and keep refrigerated or at room temperature.
Forget sugary drinks or artificially flavored water. When cooking corn, save the water and drink it during the day for a diuretic effect. The cooking water of potatoes is traditionally used for kidney problems, particularly for stones or sediments. Mix and match these with fruits and spices to create your own trademark drinks.
Makes 1 glass
This juice is the epitome of coolness thanks to the light and refreshing effect of cucumbers and mint. Serve it over ice (or turn it into a slushy with crushed ice), and you have the secret weapon to survive any summer heat wave untouched.
½ cucumber
1 Granny Smith apple
1 kiwi, peeled
3 sprigs mint
1 cup parsley
½ lemon
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Mint’s menthol oils are a natural cure for indigestion, stomach ulcers, and food poisoning. They also help clear a congested head and chest in allergic people, or during colds and flu processes. You can grow this garden herb indoors, and cut it right before using so it’s fresh as the morning dew when you juice it. You can’t get more “local” than that!
Makes 1 glass
If I had to recommend just one juice from our repertoire, this simple green recipe would perhaps be the winner. This drink is like a canvas for all the other fruits, vegetables, and superfoods lying around in your kitchen. And yes, you can think of yourself as the juice artist! Enjoy it as it is, or add whatever your body yearns for, making it new and exciting every time you drink it.
½ cucumber
½ Granny Smith apple
2 celery ribs
½–1 heart of romaine
1–2 cups spinach, chard, or kale
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
Green apples have a lower glycemic index (GI) than most fruits, and that’s why they’re a great alternative to sweeten your juices. Including ingredients with a low GI in your juices will keep your blood sugar levels stable, which translates into fewer cravings, better mood, and higher levels of energy throughout the whole day.
Makes 1 glass
This juice is a great way to stock up on robust leafy greens without even noticing it. It has a pleasant parsley flavor with a lightly salted celery touch, and the sweetness of the carrots and apple are also present in every drop. Kale, however, goes almost unnoticed.
1–2 carrots
2 kale leaves
4 lettuce leaves
½ cup parsley
½ Granny Smith apple
2 celery ribs
½ lemon
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Carrots are ideal for juicing because they have a high water content and add their characteristic sweetness to any recipe. They will also strengthen your eyes and give your skin a beautiful golden tan in the summer that will be the envy of many. So stock up on them!
Makes 1 glass
This is a much healthier pick-me-up than most commercial cereal bars or coffee. Notice that the recipe doesn’t include any sweet fruits or veggies, which makes it your blood sugar’s dream juice. A glass of it will alkalize your body, filling it with oxygen and giving your cells many of the essential nutrients they crave.
½ cucumber
3 celery ribs
2 cups spinach
½–1 lime or lemon
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
This juice is so low in calories and sugar that you can drink it throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. If you drink it often, it’s better if you rotate the leafy greens and don’t stick to the spinach every single time (chard, lettuce, and kale are other good alternatives). You can have too much of a good thing, and overdoing the same dark leafy greens all the time can have a toxic effect on some people.
Makes 1 glass
Surprisingly sweet, despite having only one sweet fruit listed among its ingredients, when you drink this you will be able to relax and enjoy the experience, while the juice does the rest.
2 cups green beans
½–1 zucchini
½ lemon
1 apple
1 cup parsley
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
Herbs can be difficult to juice in certain juicers. One solution is to stop the juicer and throw a few pieces of fruit or veggies in it. Add a handful of herbs, and top with more fruits or veggies. Only then, turn the juicer on and start pressing. When sandwiched this way, tiny leaves and sprouts are more likely to yield juice.
Makes 1 glass
Broccoli doesn’t have an unpleasant or strong flavor when added to juices. In fact, it has a slightly sweet effect. This sulfur-rich veggie helps the liver detoxification pathways work properly. Don’t be shy and use every part of it: florets, stems, and leaves.
1 cup broccoli
1 Granny Smith apple
1 cup pineapple
2 cups spinach
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
Put all the ingredients in a juicer, process, and serve.
A small amount of ginger in your juice can enhance many flavors and conceal others that you’re not crazy about. Ayurveda recommends chewing on a piece of ginger before every meal to turn on your digestive fire. Chinese medicine, on the other hand, uses dried ginger for very powerful purposes, such as awakening those who have fallen into a coma. Yes, that kind of powerful.
Makes 1 glass
Forget hangovers, and welcome younger-looking skin, a slimmer body, more energy, and all-around awesomeness. This low-calorie savory juice will make you feel like you’re always on vacation, sipping Bloody Marys in the middle of the day, but without any of the negative effects. Cheers to that!
½ bell pepper
½ cucumber
½ zucchini
1 tomato
1 cup lettuce
½–1 lime
Dash of cayenne pepper
Process the bell pepper, cucumber, zucchini, tomato, lettuce, and lime in a juicer.
Add a sprinkling of cayenne pepper, stir, and serve.
You can put a celery stick in the glass for a real virgin Bloody Mary effect.
Legend has it that bell peppers are fabulous for the skin, and adding just a little piece of them to juices will give you a smooth and glowing complexion. Worth giving it a shot, don´t you think?
Makes 1 glass
Some health experts believe that the best time to have a replenishing drink like this is first thing in the morning. When you wake up, after several hours of natural “fasting” while you’re sleeping, your body doesn’t have any half-digested food blocking the road. A powerful green juice like this will breeze right into your bloodstream and cells.
½ apple
½ orange
½ cucumber
1 cup kale
2 celery ribs
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Juice all the fruits and veggies.
Add the chia seeds, stir, and let them soak for 5 to 10 minutes.
If you don’t use organic limes, lemons, or oranges, just squeeze them over your juices instead of going through the hassle of peeling them to pass them through the juicer. And don’t forget the strainer! You don’t want those sneaky little seeds falling into your pure and sparkling glass of juice.
Makes 1 glass
Nature has a way of showing us the benefit behind everything it provides in very obvious ways. Walnuts have the shape of a brain, and are particularly good for it too. Beets are red like blood, and cleanse and enrich our own. Asparagus are thin and long, and I don’t know about you, but for me it’s not a coincidence that they’re also a natural weight-loss food.
1 apple
10 asparagus spears
½ zucchini
½ cucumber
½ lemon
1 teaspoon almond butter (optional)
Juice the apple, asparagus, zucchini, cucumber, and lemon.
Process this juice in a blender together with the almond butter.
Asparagus can be pricey if bought out of season, so if money is an issue, try to reserve this juice for the time of year when they’re more abundant and their price goes down a bit. The wonderful news is that they’re usually in full bloom during spring, which is the perfect time to do a cleanse. Asparagus juice protects the liver when drinking alcohol, and is a great hangover cure.
Makes 1 glass
Juicing is simple: if it’s green, you can be certain that it’s good for you. But don’t be misled into thinking that all green juices are the same and, hence, boring. There are all kinds of combinations you can come up with to bring some excitement into them every time. Broccolini is one of those unconventional options that will also help eliminate unwanted contaminants from your body.
1 cup broccolini (florets and stems)
½ cucumber
4 celery ribs
1 ripe pear
½–1 lemon
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
When you juice broccoli, broccolini, or broccoli rabe, make sure you use the stalks and leaves too. People are too fast at throwing away the less attractive parts of fruits and veggies, unbeknownst to the fact that these are also packed with nutrients, sometimes even more so than the beautiful pulp or florets. This family of veggies shouldn’t be juiced every single day, as they can become toxic if consumed too often.
Makes 1 glass
Kale is all the rage these days because its dark leaves are fantastic at maintaining the beauty of your skin and the strength of your bones, at detoxifying your blood, and at building muscle. If you think you’re not getting enough protein to support you after a workout, kale is all you need.
4 kale leaves
1–2 pears
½–1 lime
2 celery ribs
½ cucumber
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
At the beginning of your juicing career, before your palate gets used to greener flavors, we recommend adding pears or apples to your green juices. Once you’re ready, you can leave them out of these recipes if you want, or lower their dose.
Makes 1 glass
Sprouts have more enzymes than most other foods, and inviting them to your table is the smartest decision you can make on your road toward better health. Think of them as babies: brand new, spotless, and abundant in life force. The vibrant piquancy of broccoli sprouts brings all that and more to this juice.
½ cucumber
3 celery ribs
1 apple
1 cup broccoli sprouts
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
Broccoli sprouts have a peppery flavor that resembles watercress, radishes, or mustard greens. The apple’s gentle sweetness brings this assertiveness down a notch, but if you are looking for something milder try sunflower or alfalfa sprouts. Juice your sprouts sandwiched between the other ingredients to get more juice out of them.
Makes 1 glass
Why stop at juicing sweet ingredients when you can also enjoy the pungency that radishes bring to every juice? These cute little veggies will help your liver become your body’s worker of the month by providing many essential enzymes for its appropriate functioning. You can experiment with different kinds of radishes, such as daikon radish or black radish.
1 cup zucchini
1 Granny Smith apple
1 small radish
1 cup broccoli
Juice of ½ lemon
Juice the first four ingredients.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and serve.
If you go to the store or market and can’t find the exact ingredients a recipe calls for, don’t sweat it. It’s easy to vary the ingredients in most juices. Here, for example, you can use cucumber or summer squash instead of zucchini, pear instead of apple, and lime or orange instead of lemon.
Makes 1 glass
The idea behind V8 is good: getting a large array of vegetables in a can. But it doesn’t come close to drinking a glass of freshly pressed, living juice. This recipe shares some of the ingredients in V8, such as watercress, spinach, celery, and carrots, and has some new ones that we use to counteract the bitterness of watercress.
½ cup watercress
1 cup spinach
2 celery ribs
½ cucumber
1 carrot
1 ripe pear
½–1 Granny Smith apple
½–1 lemon
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
If you run away from bitter flavors, start with just a half cup of watercress, and build up your tolerance to one cup. There’s a reason why bitters are included in detox juices: they are the most beneficial foods for the liver. If the taste is still too much for you, add another lemon to the recipe.
Makes 1 glass
It was hard to resist the temptation of making a juice inspired by one of my favorite songs, Simon and Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair,” especially as my mom and I listened to it a million times while we were writing this book. Learning about the blood-cleansing properties of herbs was the perfect excuse to indulge my playful side and prepare this juice with a sound track. The green liquid that came out was sweet, harmonious, and soothing. Just like the song.
½ cucumber
½ heart of romaine
1 Granny Smith apple
1 cup parsley
2 sprigs sage
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
If you have a green thumb, growing your own herbs at home is a great time and space investment. These plants are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial, and they improve brain function and lower blood sugar levels in diabetics. Wow.
Makes 1 glass
This aromatic juice is one of my favorites, thanks to the nutty and peppery arugula. Green tea, grapes, and lemon bring bucketfuls of antioxidants to the mix, and a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity to the pungent leaves. A recipe for detox success.
½ cup green tea
1 cup arugula
2 cups green grapes
½–1 lemon
Make the green tea and let it cool.
Juice the arugula, grapes, and lemon.
Combine the juice with the green tea.
Many herbs have detoxifying properties, so you can replace green tea with herbal teas. If you want to do this, consider replacing it with dandelion tea, made from the liver-enhancing wonder-leaf.
Makes 1 glass
Your body will love this creamy juice, which can be considered hypoallergenic thanks to its main ingredient: pear. With its awesome antioxidant and antibacterial properties, this sweet fruit is safe for everyone, including those who suffer from allergies. This makes it ideal for a detox program, as it will give your system a rest from constantly fighting all kinds of allergens out of your system.
2 ripe pears
2 cups spinach
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
½–1 lime
½ cucumber
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
When you buy pears at the farmers’ market or grocery store, they will most likely be hard. Keep them on your kitchen counter until they soften, and once they do, consume them within a day or two or they’ll quickly go bad.
Makes 1 glass
Cranberries are not the easiest fruits to include in your diet, because of their incomparably tart taste. When juiced, however, their taste can be easily balanced with other fruits and vegetables, allowing you to get a concentrated dose of their miraculous health benefits in one glass.
1 cup cranberries
1 apple
2 celery ribs
1 cup spinach
½ cucumber
½ cup cilantro
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Cranberries are nature’s solution for urinary tract infections, many of which can be completely cured simply by drinking their juice. If you are taking blood thinners, however, you should avoid drinking cranberry juice, as it can raise the blood levels of these drugs and become dangerous.
Makes 1 glass
This drink has the exact taste one would expect from a green juice: mild, slightly sweet, with a hint of spice. The peppery flavor is given by mustard greens, a leafy green that we haven’t used nearly as much as we should have in this book, because its taste may be too strong for many people. This juice, however, shows how to do it right, enhancing its flavor instead of overpowering it.
½ cucumber
½ cup broccoli
½ Granny Smith apple
2 celery ribs
½ cup spinach
1 cup escarole
1 mustard green leaf
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
The strong personality of mustard greens matches their strong healing power. They lower cholesterol (especially when cooked), and are rich in phytonutrients that help prevent cancer. They are kick-ass detoxifying and anti-inflammatory agents, and they are also full of antioxidants.
Makes 1 glass
The heart chakra is known to be the energetic center of our immune system. It also happens to be green, and is enhanced by any contact with green colors. No wonder green juices are so good for health! Whenever you need to heal any part of your body, you can concentrate on your heart center, and imagine green light being sent from there to the affected area.
2 mustard green leaves
2 kiwis, peeled
½ heart of romaine
½ zucchini
1 cup broccoli
½ lemon
½ cup blueberries
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Romaine lettuce increases the vitamin and mineral content of juices and smoothies. This leafy veggie should be your best friend if you’re looking to lose weight, and you can have as much as you want because its calories are few.
Makes 1 glass
Just like mustard greens, collard greens help lower cholesterol and are an anticancer powerhouse. Strong-flavored leafy greens like these two examples are detoxifying, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory, so include them in your diet (and your juices) as often as you can. You can learn to like them—if you don’t already—by starting to consume them little by little.
1 cup collard greens
½ cup parsley
1 cup lettuce
½ cucumber
½ orange
1 carrot
2 celery ribs
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
You may have noticed that most of our juices have a cucumber base. This veggie is mother nature’s offering to juicers, as it has buckets of water and goes well with mostly anything. Chinese medicine uses it to dissipate heat, and as a diuretic, laxative, and detoxifying aid.
Makes 1 glass
If you’re an eighties kid, the color of this juice may bring back memories of grape-flavored chewing gum rolls that came in hard plastic containers. Thankfully, in this case the cheerful color is not the result of scary chemicals and colorings, but of all the goodness stored inside blueberries and beets instead.
½–1 beet (with leaves, optional)
1 cup blueberries
½ heart of romaine
2 celery ribs
½–1 cucumber
½ apple
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
When using beets, don´t discard the greens. They are as good as the roots, and have a similar earthy flavor. In fact, beets were originally grown for their leaves, not their roots. You can use yellow or white beets, but nothing is more stunning than the intense magenta color that regular beets give to any juice.
Makes 1 glass
This intensely colored and flavored juice is not for the fainthearted. The bitterness of dandelion may put sweetness seekers off this drink, but for me, its superior detoxifying properties more than make up for it. No pain, no gain.
2 dandelion leaves
1 beet
1 carrot
½ cucumber
½–1 lemon
½ Granny Smith apple (optional)
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
If you want the real hardcore version of this juice, have it without the apple. The beets and carrots already are rich in sugar, and more fruit only adds to it. However, if you really need it, you can add the fruit to get the benefits of the dandelion leaves past your taste buds.
Makes 1 glass
This original juice was created by my Mom to recycle some leftover tomatoes and spinach that were being ignored in the fridge for a couple days. The sweetness added by the berries and pineapple water gave these veggies a 180-degree turn.
1 cup berries
1 tomato
1–2 cups spinach
½–1 cup pineapple water (page 55)
Juice the first three ingredients.
Mix with the pineapple water and serve.
Tomatoes are part of the nightshade group of foods, which have somewhat of a bad rep for having toxins that cause inflammation and pain. Defenders of nightshades, which also include potatoes, peppers, and eggplants, claim that the benefits far outweigh any potential problems caused by such low doses of these toxins. Our verdict? As long as you’re not overdoing it, you can reap positive benefits from mostly anything.
Makes 1 glass
The strong cilantro flavor in this refreshing juice is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the carrots and the acidity of the lemon. The result is a truly enjoyable drink that will flush a huge amount of toxins out of your body. This is a recipe you may want to go back to again and again, not only for how much your liver loves it, but also for how much you do.
½ cucumber
1 large carrot
1 cup cilantro
Juice of ½ lemon
Juice the cucumber, carrots, and cilantro.
Squeeze the lemon into the juice and stir.
Who needs a cold beer when it’s hot and muggy outside? The minerals in this juice will quench your thirst better than any other drink.
Makes 1 glass
This green juice is an efficient cleanser and tonic of the hardworking yet delicate digestive system. Drink it half an hour before a heavy meal, as it stimulates your gut and gets it ready for action. You can also replace a meal with it if you’re feeling heavy from a previous binge.
1 cup pineapple chunks
½ fennel bulb
½ cucumber
1 cup spinach
½ lemon
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Fennel has an aniseed flavor and, similar to that seed, aids digestion and prevents gas. It is also known to be a diuretic, reduce inflammation, and prevent cancer. As a food, only the round bulb is usually used, but for juicing use the bulb, stalks, and leaves. Everything goes.
Makes 1 shot
The strong peppery taste of watercress has the spotlight in this juice, warming up your throat and stomach when you drink it. We rather enjoy it, although this may be too edgy for those who consider sweetness to be the only acceptable taste in a juice. Be brave and have it as a shot one day, or every day. If you like it, go ahead and have a whole glass (you may have to triple the recipe to get a decent-sized glass of it).
½ cup watercress
½ cup cucumber
½ cup carrot
¼ lime, peeled
Juice all the ingredients and serve in a shot glass.
Watercress is an ace at detoxifying the liver and cleansing the blood. It is also a master antibiotic, improves eye health and night blindness, keeps your bones healthy, and prevents several kinds of cancer. Toast for health with this instead of booze, and you will be doing your liver a big favor.
Makes 1 glass
The color of this juice is as deep as the level of well-being it will bring to the new and improved you. Juice it once and your body will feel the difference. Juice it more often and you and everyone around you will notice its powerful effect.
1 cup broccoli
1 cup spinach
1 beet
1 apple
½ cucumber
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Boasting large amounts of sulfur, calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins, broccoli is a superb ingredient to include in juices and smoothies. Choose dark green heads and store them in the fridge inside a plastic bag to keep them from getting limp. Always try to use them before they start turning yellow.
Makes 1 glass
If you like an aromatic hint in your juice, this recipe is for you. Some people dislike the flavors of anise, licorice, fennel, and the like, but if they knew what wonderful digestive aids these are, maybe they would change their minds.
½ fennel bulb
1 cup watermelon, cubed and seeded
1 cup zucchini
1 cup spinach
1 cup parsley
½ lemon
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Like in tomatoes, the red color of watermelons are the result of their high lycopene content, which makes them especially important for the heart. My mom had a friend who had serious heart issues many years ago. She was put on a strict—and some thought crazy—watermelon diet. She lost forty pounds and healed her heart.
Makes 1 glass
Beets are one of the most detoxifying foods under the sun, as they are powerful cleansers of the bladder, kidneys, and liver. Anytime is good to have a tall glass of fresh beet juice, but take it one beet at a time as you build up your cleansing stamina.
1 beet
1 apple
2 celery ribs
½ cucumber
½–1 lemon
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Some cucumbers you buy at the grocery store may come covered in a thin layer of wax. You will have to take a close look to notice it, because it’s transparent. When making juice, make sure you peel your cucumbers if they’re not organic and if they have this waxy outer skin.
Makes 1 glass
If you are having digestive issues and have tried everything without results, this may be your lucky day. Cabbage and pineapple work wonders for your body’s oven, helping with uncomfortable issues like indigestion and heartburn. You won’t even need to cover your nose to drink the sometimes intimidating cabbage juice, as the dominating sweetness of pineapple will come to the rescue.
2 cups cabbage
1 cup pineapple chunks
½ cucumber
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Despite its pale complexion, which makes it look not so interesting or potent, cabbage is very rich in sulfur, an antioxidant that is greatly detoxifying for the liver and increases the production of bile.
Makes 1 glass
Depending on the type of beets you use, you will get a very different color when you make this juice. Beets are one of the most powerful liver tonics in the world. They power cleanse both the liver and the spleen, and help with more serious liver problems, such as cirrhosis.
2 tomatoes
1 beet
1 cup kale
½ heart of romaine
½–1 lemon
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
This juice is more enjoyable when cold, like a Bloody Mary, so add some ice cubes if you feel like it.
Rich in lycopene, tomatoes protect the liver and make it more efficient at metabolizing and removing toxins from the body.
Makes 1 glass
Our ancestors were wise when they got us in the habit of drinking a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast, as this is one of the most effective ways to detoxify the body. Here, I’ve taken this nutrient-rich juice one step further by mixing it with cucumber, chard, and carrots. Drink it during the winter months, and you won’t need tissues or cough drops ever again.
½ cucumber
4 chard leaves
1–2 carrots
1 orange, peeled
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
Even though some root vegetables can be juiced with their leaves, some people believe that carrot leaves are toxic, and can cause symptoms such as elevated heart rate and blood pressure, among others. Better to err on the side of caution and avoid them.
Makes 1 glass
The dominant flavors in this juice are those of the beet and the mint, and its potent detoxifying qualities come from all the ingredients used to make it, but particularly from those two. Beets and mint have blood-cleansing properties, and will literally refresh from the inside and out.
½ cucumber
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
½ apple
1 beet
1 sprig mint
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
Ginger is one of the ingredients that we have a harder time finding in its organic version, so we usually peel it. This task is easier than you may think, and it doesn’t even involve a knife. Simply push the skin down with the tip of a teaspoon, and it will easily come off.
Makes 1 glass
I love drinking this vibrant juice simply because I find it delicious. The fact that carrots and grapefruits are such nutritional powerhouses doesn’t hurt either. Depending on the kind of lettuce you use, the color will change from an opaque orange to a very bright one.
2 carrots
½ grapefruit, peeled
½ cucumber
2 cups escarole (or any other kind of lettuce)
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Do you remember when having half a grapefruit for breakfast every day was in vogue to lose weight? The reason for that trend was that this fruit is low in calories and sugar, and it also boosts the immune system with its high dose of vitamin C. To pick the juiciest grapefruit, try to find one that feels heavy for its size.
Makes 1 glass
Cabbage comes very handy when you cleanse, as it’s a very affordable vegetable and may yield a good amount of juice depending on which one you pick. Give this juice a try and notice how good your stomach starts to feel, especially if you suffer from heartburn, gastritis, or peptic ulcers. In Chinese medicine, cabbage is used to treat constipation. The more of it you consume, the better.
2 cups cabbage
2 ripe pears
½ cucumber
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
½ lime, peeled
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Want to look fresh and young? Ditch the Botox injections and get in the habit of juicing cabbage instead. This cruciferous vegetable helps in the production of collagen, the basis for younger-looking skin, and it also heals varicose veins.
Makes 1 glass
My all-time favorite herb in the kitchen, the popular parsley, is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, protecting the kidneys and bladder. Its rejuvenating leaves have also been traditionally used to reduce high blood pressure. So stop using it as decoration only, and make it work for you by adding it to your juices.
3 carrots
4 celery ribs
2 cups parsley
½ cucumber
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Parsley and other herbs, such as cilantro, are so effective at detoxifying the body that you should start slowly when adding them to your juices. Be particularly careful—and even seek a doctor’s advice—if you have kidney problems, as this herb will powerfully stimulate and cleanse them.
Makes 1 glass
Pineapple and mint should become your life partners if you have any digestive discomfort. Mint leaves are cooling and help relieve motion sickness, nausea, and cramps. Pineapple’s bromelain (a potent digestive enzyme) is linked to a reduction in inflammation, rivaling commercial medications at this task.
1 cup pineapple chunks
2 sprigs mint
2 celery ribs
1 heart of romaine
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Pineapple is at its ripest point when very fragrant. Peel it and cut it in round slices or chunks. Keeping pineapple chunks in the freezer will make your life easier the next time you want to prepare a delicious juice or smoothie in the spur of the moment. Thaw it first if you’re going to juice it.
Makes 1 glass
This antioxidant cocktail’s key factor is the tartness of the grapefruit, which tempers the strong flavor of kale. Grapefruits are excellent for lowering cholesterol and don’t have many calories, making them ideal for those watching their weight.
½ grapefruit, peeled
2 carrots
2 celery ribs
4 kale leaves
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
The carotene in carrots is said to be best absorbed by the body if the carrots are cooked and mixed with a little oil. But for juicing, raw is obviously the way to go, and you will still get tons of benefits.
Makes 1 glass
When you first start juicing, it’s better to begin with a rookie-friendly recipe. Unless you have a very particular sense of taste, we can guarantee that you will enjoy this one, and that little by little you will start liking (and even craving) stronger ones. When that happens, it will be the moment to add spinach leaves or parsley, and then graduate to kale and wheatgrass.
2 cups blueberries
2 celery ribs
½ cucumber
½–1 lime
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Just as kale has the highest antioxidant content in the vegetable world, blueberries are the equivalent in the fruit world. A handful a day can protect you from many diseases, like high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, urinary tract infections, and memory loss. Keep them in the fridge or freeze them, and add them freely to salads, cereals, and smoothies.
Makes 1 glass
Peach juice is creamy and sweet when the fruit is ripe. Its delicate fragrance is especially seductive in the summer, when they are in season. Combined with some relaxing lettuce, which makes you sleepy, this juice is best enjoyed in the evening, when you already have your jammies on. Teddy bear is optional.
3 ripe peaches
½ lettuce head
½ cucumber
½–1 lime
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Believe it or not, the humble lettuce has been around for thousands of years, and it was quite popular in ancient Egypt. Lettuce was highly appreciated for its relaxing powers, and some food historians say it was even used as a sleeping aid.
Makes 1 glass
I have to admit I don’t use pomegranate often enough in my recipes. But when I do, I love watching the way these sweet and tart seeds transform most juices. The magnetic color is telling of their great antioxidant properties. This explains why these precious seeds are one of the superfoods of our time.
2 cups pomegranate seeds
1 heart of romaine
2 carrots
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
½ lemon
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
If you can’t find fresh pomegranate, you may replace it with a good-quality, organic, sugar-free juice. Otherwise, replace it in this recipe with organic cherries or red grapes.
Makes 1 glass
This juice was inspired by all the many vegetarian Indian dishes I’ve eaten throughout my life containing cauliflower and a vast array of spices. It is also the result of my newfound fascination with turmeric, Mother Earth’s anti-inflammatory and antidepressant root. If you don’t juice it, you can add it to your food, or make an infusion with it.
2 cups cauliflower
½ cucumber
1 orange, peeled
1-inch piece ginger, peeled
1-inch piece turmeric, peeled
2 carrots
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Whenever you see fresh turmeric at the grocery store or the market, buy it! This intense yellow-orange spice is a real superfood, as effective at preventing and treating many ailments (such as arthritis) as the most sophisticated drugs. Turmeric is also a strong antioxidant, and may protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
Makes 1 glass
Are you surprised to find sweet potato in a juice recipe? The surprise should be that more people don’t think about it! This vegetable’s vibrant orange color shows what a great source of beta-carotene it is, making it a strong anticancer agent, and fabulous for healthy eyes, skin, and hair.
1 beet
½ grapefruit, peeled
½ cucumber
2-inch piece sweet potato
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
Despite their name, the sweetness in sweet potatoes doesn’t spike your sugar levels, making them ideal for diabetics. Who knew?
Makes 1 glass
If you love the smell of basil when someone is making pesto in the kitchen, you will relish drinking its aromatic juice. This gorgeous drink will be a complete sensual experience, luring your senses of smell, sight, and taste alike.
½ cucumber
1 cup strawberries
1 beet
1 cup basil
1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)
Juice the cucumber, strawberries, beet, and basil.
Add the coconut oil to the juice, stir with a spoon, and serve.
Basil has been appreciated in India and the Mediterranean for thousands of years for its digestive and antibacterial properties. These qualities make the pretty leaves a real treat for your body, which is able to rest and replenish more easily thanks to their help.
Makes 1 glass
If you’ve never soaked chia seeds before, you’re in for an exciting show. These tiny seeds absorb a lot of water, quickly plumping up with a jelly-like coating around each of them. These super bubbles will swipe out everything they stumble upon on their voyage through your gut.
1½ cups pineapple
2 celery ribs
1 cup kale
½–1 cup nut milk (page 41)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Juice the pineapple, celery, and kale.
Mix the juice, nut milk, and chia seeds with a spoon.
Let the chia seeds soak in this juice for 5 to 10 minutes, and serve.
This is a great juice to have first thing in the morning, as the fiber in the chia will get things moving and clean you out. The nut milk will keep you full and energized for several hours.
Makes 1 glass
Honeydew melons are sweet as honey, just like their name implies. Including this yummy fruit in your juices and smoothies will lighten up and bring sweetness to even the sternest of them. By the way, I named this one after my dog. She has a honeydew effect on our lives.
2 cups honeydew, cubed
½ cucumber
½ heart of romaine
Juice of ½–1 lemon
Process the honeydew, cucumber, and heart of romaine in a juicer.
Add the lemon juice and serve.
Vary this juice easily by using an orange instead of the lemon. For a completely different flavor, substitute the lemon juice with a half teaspoon of ground cinnamon. And there you have it: three juices in one.
Makes 1 glass
When it comes to juicing, you can find a solution for any problem you encounter. You don’t like the flavor of a straight green juice? Add fruit to make it sweeter. The natural sugars of the fruit make you drowsy? No problem, add a nut milk that will help you stabilize your sugar levels. This is how this juice came about.
1 cup spinach
½ cucumber
1 kiwi, peeled
1 cup grapes
½ lemon
½ cup almond milk (page 41)
Juice the first five ingredients.
Stir in the almond milk and enjoy.
Once you get to know your fruits and veggies better, juicing them will be an easier task. For example, instead of peeling your kiwis, you will learn that cutting them in half and scooping the flesh out with the spoon is quicker. The same trick works with avocados.
Makes 1 glass
Homemade almond milk is a wonderful ingredient to have on hand when you want to make quick and healthy drinks that will keep you full throughout the day. Add chia to the mix, and you won’t even remember the word “food” until your next meal.
1 cup watermelon, cubed and seeded
1 cup berries
2 celery ribs
½ lemon
½ cup almond milk (page 41)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Juice the first four ingredients.
Add the almond milk and chia seeds, stir, and let the seeds soak for 5 to 10 minutes.
Would you ever have guessed that chia seeds are from the mint family? Surprise, surprise! Native to Guatemala and Mexico, these seeds were being munched on by the wise Aztecs long before the Spanish conquerors came to town in the sixteenth century. The high content of healthy oils in them probably gave them their name, which comes from the Nahuatl word chian, meaning “oily.”
Makes 1 glass
Rich in chlorophyll, soothing to the digestive system, alkalizing, and a blood pressure regulator. These are just some of the qualities of this striking red juice. Not all juices will please every palate. This one, however, is most likely to be everyone’s cup of tea.
2 cups watermelon, cubed and seeded
2 cups strawberries
1 cup parsley
1 lime
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
When juicing parsley, it’s better to start slowly. There’s a big difference between adding a little chopped parsley on your bruschetta, and taking it in concentrated doses that go directly to your bloodstream. The juice of this innocent-looking herb is highly detoxifying, which may make you feel like you are having a bit of an out-of-body experience if it’s the first time you are taking it in such high doses.
Makes 1 glass
Apples are known for cleansing the liver and gallbladder. Celery is a powerful diuretic. Ginger stimulates digestion, circulation, and sweating. Put these three healing ingredients together and you have a recipe made in detox heaven!
1 apple
2 celery ribs
1 cup escarole
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
½ cup nut milk (page 41) or seed milk (page 53)
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
Juice the first four ingredients.
Add the nut or seed milk and flaxseeds, and stir well with a spoon.
Boost the energetic power of this shake by adding hemp and maca powders to the blend. You can also add one teaspoon of chia seeds to each glass to literally swipe those toxins out of your body. Stir them in with a spoon and let the seeds sit for five to ten minutes, to give them enough time to absorb some water and grow.
Makes 1 glass
When I was a kid, I was once playing in our garden when I was suddenly struck by a hypnotizing lemon smell. We didn’t have a lemon tree, and that’s when I realized the culprit was a giant pot of vibrant lemongrass. Realizing this herb can be juiced has been as exciting a discovery as lemongrass was in the first place. It adds incredible depth to any juice, while also speeding up the detox process in the body.
½ cucumber
2 ripe peaches
1 orange, peeled
½-inch piece ginger root, peeled
1–2 lemongrass sticks
Juice all the ingredients and serve.
You can add lemongrass to many of your juices. Sometimes you can even replace lemon with it. But smoothies are a different story. Ingesting the wood-like fiber of a lemongrass stick is not a pleasant experience.
Makes 1 glass
Who needs to be artificially invigorated with energy drinks, when nature has given us all we need to feel our best? Coconut water is a miracle drink, said to resemble human blood plasma. Chlorella is a sea veggie that turns your pH alkaline, strengthens the body’s natural defense mechanism, and detoxifies chemicals and heavy metals.
1 ripe mango
1 cup coconut water
1 teaspoon chlorella or spirulina (optional)
Peel the mango, cut the pulp off the seed, and process it in a juicer.
Mix the mango juice with the coconut water and the chlorella or spirulina.
You can use chlorella or spirulina interchangeably for this juice, or use them both, as you cannot overdose on these amazing microalgae. Just be mindful of the intense taste they will add to your juice.
Makes 1 glass
This juice is a perfect way to start your day. The cleansing papaya will detoxify and nourish your cells, while also pacifying your digestive system. Add the radical energy of maca, and the diuretic pineapple water, and you’ll be ready to go.
2–3 cups ripe papaya, peeled and cubed
1 cup pineapple water (page 55)
1 teaspoon maca powder (optional)
Peel the papaya and process it in a juicer.
Mix the juice, pineapple water, and maca, and serve.
Bring sexy time back to the bedroom by drinking maca on a daily basis. This strong sexual enhancer is known as “the Viagra of the Incas.” If you have an embarrassing pimple too many or are chronically fatigued, maca could also help, as it provides out-of-this-world levels of energy, and regulates hormonal imbalances.
Makes 1 glass
My family has always been a big fan of apple juice. My mom used to buy big pints of it all the time when I was a kid, and they would be gone in a matter of minutes. As much as we adore it, nothing compares to its freshly made version, especially when combined with a tart piece of grapefruit and the exotic heat of ginger.
1 apple
½ cucumber
3 celery ribs
½ grapefruit, peeled
½-inch piece ginger, peeled
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
When juicing citrus fruits, you can leave the skin on if you want because this is where a lot of the nutrients are found. The one exception is grapefruit, because the skin is far too bitter. Peel the fruit but try to keep the white pith that lies between the skin and the pulp. This way you will get most of this fruit’s health in your juice.
Makes 1 glass
It’s easy to fall in love with the rich and creamy nectar that ripe peaches yield when juiced. Their velvety skin comes in different colors, and its softness is an indicator of the effect they have when consumed. You will literally get a peach-like complexion by juicing this top food for beautiful skin. So what are you waiting for?
3 ripe peaches
½ cucumber
3 celery ribs
1-inch piece ginger, peeled
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and serve.
If peaches are underripe, they will be hard as stones and the juice they give won’t be anything to write home about. Better to be patient and let them arrive at their sweet spot before using.
1 sprig mint
Makes 1 glass
My seventy-nine-year-old father drinks this smoothie every morning as soon as he wakes up. For many years his breakfast consisted of a banana-and-milk smoothie. This was before I intervened and sent dairy into exile, replacing it with green juices, healthy fats, and fiber. Since he started drinking it this way, he has lost weight, he is healthier than he’s ever been, his mood is more balanced, and even his voice is clearer. Nothing short of a miraculous fountain of youth.
2 celery ribs
1 cup spinach
4 lettuce leaves
½ cucumber
½ Granny Smith apple
½ banana
1 teaspoon flaxseeds (optional)
1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon maca powder (optional)
1 teaspoon sacha inchi oil (optional)
Juice the celery, spinach, lettuce, cucumber, and apple.
Blend the green juice together with all the other ingredients.
If you suffer from depression or moodiness, you may want to experiment with maca. My mom’s doctor once mentioned this powerful root’s antidepressant qualities to her, but it wasn’t until we saw the impressive improvements in my dad’s mood after a few weeks of taking it religiously that we realized these claims were indeed true.
Makes 1 glass
Avocado is a fruit made in vegan heaven for all kinds of scrumptious dairy-free shakes. Its flavor goes almost unnoticed when mixed with other ingredients, and all it brings to the table is an appealing light green color and a creaminess that no milk or yogurt could compete with. Juicing newcomers: Don’t be put off by the idea of adding avocado to your smoothies. Take the plunge and we promise it won’t disappoint.
1 fennel bulb
1 kiwi, peeled
1 orange
1 cup parsley
½ avocado
1 tablespoon hempseeds or powder (optional)
Juice the fennel, kiwi, orange, and parsley.
Put this juice in a blender with the avocado and hempseeds. Process until smooth. If it’s too thick, add water or the juice of ½ cucumber.
Serve immediately. If you don’t drink it soon the avocado will brown easily.
Choosing a good avocado is a simple endeavor. All you have to do is press it gently to see if your fingers sink into it slightly. If it’s too soft (like butter), run away, as you will most likely find a blackened inside when you open it. If all you can find are hard-as-rock avocados, put them in a paper bag at room temperature until they soften.
Makes 1 glass
As I already mentioned, in Peru we like to drink fresh papaya and orange juice every morning for breakfast. In this case, we have added energetic green tea to the mix, as it speeds up the detox process in the liver cells while healing this important organ and burning fat. Green tea also helps wake you up, making it a great alternative to coffee.
1 cup papaya (with seeds), peeled and cubed
1 orange, peeled and cut in chunks
½–1 cup green tea, at room temperature
Process all the ingredients in a blender and serve.
Some people shy away from papaya because of its high sugar content, but they’re missing out on the great health benefits this fruit offers, especially if you also add the seeds to your smoothies, which are highly detoxifying. To pick the best papaya, make sure it feels slightly soft to the touch.
Makes 1 glass
Mangoes are nature’s biggest gift for those of us who can’t live without dessert, and you should keep one close if you know the day won’t end without you falling into sinful, sugar-laden territories. If you ever feel like reaching for a slice of cake or cookie during a cleanse (or at any other time), have this instead. And if you’re feeling extra naughty, replace the avocado with half a banana. We won’t tell anyone.
½ ripe mango
1 ripe golden plum
1 cup coconut water
½ avocado
Process all the ingredients in a blender until smooth, and serve.
Mangoes are used in the ancient Unani tradition to remove toxins from the body, treat anemia, and heal the nervous system. To achieve the desired rich color and taste in this smoothie, make sure you get a very ripe mango. Just look for one that is slightly soft when pressed, and very fragrant, even if it still looks green on the outside.
Makes 1 glass
Many women swear that their beauty secret is going on a grape mono-diet every now and then (this is a diet where you eat only grapes for several days). The Ayurvedic tradition also recommends fasting with only grape juice to reset the digestive fire and improve overall health.
2 cups green grapes
1 cup parsley
1 lemon
1 avocado
Process the first three ingredients in a juicer.
Blend this juice with the avocado.
Some of my friends think I’m crazy when I tell them that I make my juices creamy by adding avocado to them. I don’t know what the big deal is, as this fruit is used in many dessert preparations and, most notably, to make ice cream. The truth is, you cannot judge it until you try it, and—trust me on this one—adding it to smoothies may very well be the best thing since sliced bread.
Makes 1 glass
Also known as rocket or rucola, the bitter leaves of Arugula will shoot your health to the moon and back in one zesty drink. Arugula is one of my favorite greens, as it is nature’s medicine packed into one pretty leaf. Do yourself a favor and include it in your juices and smoothies more often.
½ cucumber
2 cups arugula
1 heart of romaine
1 banana
Juice the cucumber, arugula, and heart of romaine.
Blend the banana and the juice together.
Arugula is packed with compounds that aid in detoxification, and it also has a cooling effect on the body. But that’s not all. This sassy leaf has been used as a potent aphrodisiac for many centuries. Even the Greek philosophers and the Romans knew about the wonders of this love drug.
Makes 1 glass
The Brits got it right when they started drinking tea on a regular basis. They just picked the wrong kind! Regular tea certainly has many health benefits that make it worth the daily cup, but few things contain the antioxidant and detoxifying characteristics of green tea.
1 cup green tea
1 cup blueberries
1 cup kale
½ banana
Prepare the green tea, and let it cool.
Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, adding more green tea if needed.
Green tea also enhances the circulatory system and assists in weight loss by boosting your metabolism. During a body cleanse, feel free to have a cup between meals if you feel thirsty or hungry.
