Juicing vegetables can be a great way to sneak necessary nutrients into your diet. You need to consume 2 to 3 cups of vegetables each day. Drinking 1 cup of your fresh vegetable juice counts toward a 1-cup serving of vegetables. Before juicing your produce, wash it thoroughly to remove any pesticides. Organic vegetables do not contain pesticides, but you need to wash it to remove dirt and residue. Vegetable juice can have somewhat of a bitter flavor. Add honey or fruit to liven it up.
Green Leafy Vegetables
Vegetables that have a dark, vibrant color are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Leafy vegetables also have a high water content and can add more bulk to your juice. Juice vegetables include spinach, red or green leaf lettuce, escarole, kale, and cabbage. Dark-colored leaves, such as spinach, are full of iron that your body needs for blood formation and distribution. Light-colored produce, such as romaine lettuce or iceburg lettuce, do not offer many nutrients to your body.
Beets
Selecting beets for juicing can give you many options. Beets come in a wide array of colors and sizes. Multiple vitamins reside in beets, including vitamin A, several B vitamins and vitamin C. You can also get many of your mineral needs from beets, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium and iron. Adding beets to your diet can help stabilize your blood pressure. Beets also contain betaine, which is a powerful amino acid that helps fight cancer causing compounds in your body.
Carrots
Carrot juice has a mild flavor that will blend well with any other fruits or vegetables that you juice. The bright orange pigment in carrots come from the antioxidant beta carotene. Carrots are beneficial for your eye health due to their high beta carotene content. Other orange vegetables that are high in beta carotene include pumpkins and sweet potatoes.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes come in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Organic varieties of tomatoes are seasonally available at your local grocery store. Red tomatoes are filled with lycopene, which can lower your risk for cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. All tomatoes contain high levels of vitamin C, folate and potassium. Consuming tomatoes may irritate your stomach due to the high acid content. Drink tomatoes in moderation to avoid this problem or blend it with other types of vegetables.
Herbs
Your juice may taste slightly bland and flavorless. Throw some of your favorite fresh herbs into your juicer to give your juice additional flavor. Add cilantro, rosemary or parsley to make your juice more enjoyable.
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