The juice diet, also called a juice fast, is used as a means of losing weight, cleansing the colon, liver and gallbladder, and healing ailments. According to Dr. Cynthia Foster, author of the book, "Stop The Medicine," while on the juice diet, most people should drink at least a gallon of juice a day, more if they are hungry. She recommends using a juicer to extract the juice from raw foods, rather than consuming commercially packaged juices. There are many good recipe books on the market.
Green Juice
Green juice comes from juicing leafy greens such as parsley, kale, spinach or dandelion leaf. Other good greens to juice include beet greens and chard. Adding carrot and/or apple juice to the blend helps them taste better.
Cruciferous Vegetable Juice
Cruciferous vegetables are crispy and usually contain a lot of fiber. Cabbage and broccoli are good vegetables to juice. Celery juice is also beneficial on a juice diet. Again, adding some fruit juice to these vegetables make them more palatable.
Root Vegetable Juice
Root vegetables are a staple on a juice diet and include carrots, beets and surprisingly, sweet potatoes. A great root vegetable recipe requires two carrots, one sweet potato, two apples and a thin slice of Spanish onion, juiced in a juicer.
Fruit Juice
Not all fruit juices are appropriate on a juice fast. According to Foster, the best fruits to juice are apples, grapes and citrus fruits, like lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges. Ron Lagerquist, author of "Fasting To Freedom" suggests juicing a lemon, an orange, three pears and three apples to make a potent pain reliever. He also suggests juicing tomatoes, pears, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries and fresh pineapple.
Herb Juice
Foster recommends juicing yucca root to help reduce inflammation, like arthritis. She also suggests juicing fennel, spearmint, peppermint, basil, ginger, garlic, green onion, chili pepper and small amounts of fresh turmeric root.
Wheatgrass Juice
Wheatgrass is a variety of grass grown primarily for juicing. High in chlorophyll, you can buy wheatgrass in trays at juice bars and health clubs. You can also buy it already bottled or as a supplement in dehydrated form. Ellen Coleman, RD, MA, MPH says that wheatgrass is 70 percent chlorophyll and recommends it for its antiseptic benefits.
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