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A lot of information is available today about superfoods and specifically about wheatgrass. However, supplements can be expensive, and I know that I am not the only one who would rather feel that they are eating a food rather than swallowing a supplement. It is possible to buy trays with the wheatgrass already grown, but it is cheaper to do it yourself.

I decided that even though I was not the world’s best gardener, I would try growing my own. I was amazed how cheap and easy it is to grow. Within 10 days I had a good crop ready for the juicer. Admittedly the juice itself wasn’t particularly appetizing, but I juiced with a couple of carrots which made the juicing easier and the drink more palatable. A 500g bag of organic wheat grain cost me about the same amount as a bar of chocolate. Other grains can be used such as spelt wheat or barley; however I found these a bit harder to grow.

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Fresh juices are a safe and inexpensive form of preventive medicine. A few glasses of juice each day increase nutrient density of our diet. There are very few people who can have a pound of raw carrots a day, but anyone can squeeze in an 8-ounce glass of carrot juice, which is rich in important vitamins A and C.

Juice’s main drawback is that it removes fiber, which is essential for healthy digestion and may even help in preventing certain type of cancer. An adult needs 20-35 grams of fiber everyday. A glass of eight ounce of carrot contains only 2 grams of fiber as compared to 14 grams in a pound of carrots. Thus, it is advisable to have raw and fresh vegetables and fruits in addition to juices. Most people do not have either juice or raw vegetables and fruits. Thus, adding a few glasses of fresh juices each day can do a lot to improve the average person’s diet. (continue reading…)

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When shopping for juice boxes for my child’s lunch, I notice most of the juices contain 100% of the RDA of Vitamin C, but aren’t fortified with other vitamins. What’s with all the Vitamin C in juices I buy from the store?

Aside from fruit sugars, the main nutrient in many commercially available juices is Vitamin C, which is generally added to juice on top of whatever natural Vitamin C survives the processing. Humans are among the few animals who don’t make our own Vitamin C. Bats, guinea pigs, songbirds and the rest of the haplorrhini suborder of primates (which includes humans) don’t synthesize Vitamin C and must get it from dietary sources. Vitamin C deficiency results in scurvy, which is fatal if untreated but is rarely seen in modern times, since adequate Vitamin C intake is fairly easy with a moderate intake of fruits and vegetables. (continue reading…)

As a Green Diva Mom, I generally use simple veggie and fruit combinations for the children. However, sometimes I like to ‘mix it up’ with a few new recipes found in these fabulous juicing books. Besides fresh juicing ideas, my favorite juicing books cover:

While there are many juicing books available, here are a few GreenDivaMom is familiar with and uses often (continue reading…)

Making fresh juice a few times a day is labor intensive but well worth the time and effort.  I make 3 per day for my family and I could see and feel the difference it has made.  Just to name a few, more energy, nutritional benefits and weight loss.  Here are a few simple recipes to get you started:

Carrot Juice… for its carotenoids and flavonoids
Carrot and Beet Root Tops Juice… for detoxing
Carrot and Green Apple…for immune boosting vitamins A and C with potassium
Orange and Carrot Juice… for immune boosting vitamins
Cucumber Juice…as a diuretic
Green Juice…a mix of all types of green veggies
Kale, Cucumber, Lemon and Ginger…calming, clarity and mineralizing
(also try putting spirulina or blue green algae in the drink)
Orange Juice
Grapefruit Juice
Grape Juice
Apple Juice (continue reading…)

by Denae Hyde

Fresh juice made and consumed immediately is alive with enzymes, phyto-nutrients, vitamins and minerals.  Raw fresh juice is filled with many health promoting compounds that scientists are just beginning to learn about. These health promoting compounds will increase your resistance to disease by supporting your immune system. A regular supply of fresh pressed juice can help your body detox and benefit from a high concentration of nutrients. The nutrients in juice do not need to be chewed and digested. This allows the high concentration of active enzymes to be immediately ready for absorption.  (continue reading…)

By Sheryl Walters from Natural News

We all know that eating plenty of greens is necessary for optimum health. Eating fresh, organic, local greens is the best medicine we can give our bodies. A daily green juice is one of the best ways to ensure that we get plenty of greens. It makes it so easy, and even those people out there who don’t love greens will enjoy a delicious green juice because the flavor can be masked. Green juice is a wonderful way to make sure children are getting plenty of greens.

So what is green juice? Green juice is a mixture of green vegetables combined together in a delicious combination of juice. All you need is a juicer and some good quality greens.

Here are 6 Reasons to Consume Green Juice Everyday:

Juicing helps in the Absorption of Nutrients – If your digestive system is less than optimal, it can be difficult to absorb all of the nutrients when eating greens. Juicing will break down the cell walls of vegetables so that they are pre-digested for you. This means that all of the nutrients go straight into your system. (continue reading…)