Consuming fresh vegetable juices can be an easy way to meet your daily vegetable requirements. Doing so requires the use of a juicer, which extracts juice out of fruits and vegetables through using different methods, depending on the type of juicer. One benefit of juicing your vegetables is the preservation of important enzymes found in vegetables, which are destroyed or significantly reduced during cooking.
Enzyme Facts
Enzymes act as catalysts to chemical reactions that occur in your body. Such chemical reactions include processes that metabolize food, lessen toxin accumulation, aid in digestion, and produce cellular energy. Your body produces enzymes naturally, though your enzyme supply must be replenished. HealthMad.com notes that without a proper supply of enzymes, the body uses enzymes that are stored in your organs, thus slowing down metabolic functions.
Sources
Your body can receive enzymes from fresh vegetables and fruits. However, once vegetables are cooked at 118 degrees, they loose their enzyme content. Processed or microwaved vegetables are also deficient in enzymes. As such, your body needs additional enzymes when eating cooked or processed foods. Eating raw or very lightly cooked vegetables is the best way for your body to obtain the enzymes it needs to function properly. Consequently, juicing raw vegetables enables you to consume all of the enzymes available in a fruit and likely in greater quantities than when eaten normally.
Juicer Options
There are three main types of juicers -- Centrifugal, Masticating and Triturating. The Centrifugal grinds fruits and vegetables and pushes the extract through a strainer at a high speed. HealthDiaries.com notes that this method is cheaper and easier, though this type leaves a significant amount of juice in the pulp, potentially limiting your enzyme intake. The Masticating juicer chews the vegetable and breaks apart plant cells, releasing more enzymes and vitamins. Masticating juicers also extract more juice from the same amount of vegetables as the Centrifugal. Triturating juicers preserve and extract the greatest amount of nutrients in vegetables by using less heat in the machine. These types slowly crush the vegetables before pressing them under extreme pressure. This process breaks apart the toughest plant cells, releasing an even greater amount of nutrients.
Time Frame
Many people undergo vegetable juice diets, during which they only consume vegetable or fruit juice for a certain number of days. Some people do it to relieve their body of toxins and others to lose weight. Such diets require only consuming fresh fruits and vegetables that have not been cooked or stored for long periods of time. If you plan on beginning a juice diet, consult your physician and engage in proper research to determine the diet best for you.
Considerations
Plan ahead when preparing your vegetable juice, as juice will lose its nutrients over the day. Unlike cooking, you generally cannot prepare a large quantity of juice and expect to consume the same high quality enzymes and other nutrients. As such, you may find yourself preparing your juice up to three times a day depending on the type of juicer you use.
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