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Americans are Overweight but Undernourished
Surveys show that less than 9% of Americans eat even the minimum recommended of two or more servings of fruit and three or more servings of vegetables per day.
A survey of 12,000 Americans showed that 41% ate no fruit on the survey day and only 25% reported eating one fruit or vegetable rich in beta carotene or vitamin C.
Are you missing important vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytochemicals that are vital to vibrant health?
Phytochemicals—Plant Champions
Phytochemicals are nonnutritive plant chemicals that contain protective, disease-preventing compounds.
Here are just a few examples of these plant champions, over 600 have been discovered.
- Lycopene, abundant in tomatoes, deters tumor growth and prostate disease.
- Limonene, found in citrus fruits, stimulates enzymes that break down carcinogens.
- Ellagic acid, found in grapes and strawberries, scavenges for carcinogens and prevents them from altering the DNA of cells.
- Indoles, found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, stimulates enzymes that make the hormone estrogen less detrimental.
Why Juice?
Eating whole fruits and vegetables is vital, because our bodies need the insoluble fiber to maintain a healthy digestive system. However, juicing provides concentrated nutritional supplementation in its most natural, fresh and easily absorbable form.
Tips for Juicing
- Wash all produce thoroughly before juicing. Cut away all bruised or damaged areas.
- Use organic or unsprayed produce if possible.
- Always peel oranges, tangerines and grapefruits before juicing, but leave as much of the white pithy layer as possible.
- Remove pits, stones and hard seeds from fruits such as peaches, plums, apricots, etc.
- The stems and leaves of most produce can be juiced, but remove carrot and rhubarb greens as they contain toxic substances.
- Fruits with a low water content do not juice well, such as bananas, mangos, papaya, etc. Add them in a blender to the juice.
- Juice can be stored in an airtight, opaque container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, however the nutritional content, decreases with storage.
- Place a thin plastic bag in the pulp receptacle of your juicer, then you can easily save the pulp for recipes or toss it without needing to wash the receptacle.
Tips for Choosing a Juicer
- Choose a machine with a quality motor for long-lasting use. (.5-horsepower are very durable.)
- Choose a juicer with only a few parts to clean and that assembles easily.
- Choose a juicer that ejects pulp into a receptacle. They are much easier to clean.
- Choose a juicer that can handle herbs and leafy vegetables and that does not require a separate citrus attachment.
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