Benefits of Drinking Fruit and Vegetable Juices
Fruits and vegetables are essential foods to include in a healthy diet. Because of that, the World Health Organization (WHO), recommends that you eat a minimum of 14 ounces of these foods each day. They equate 14 ounces to five pieces of fruits, or vegetables. These can be included either as meals or in drinks, such as fruit or vegetable juices.
If you consume these within the context of a balanced diet, the list of benefits that fruit or vegetable juices can provide you with, is very long. Aside from their refreshing nature, they are practical and easy to make. Experts highly recommend that you consume them for breakfast.
Properties of fruit and vegetable juices
Lowering your risk for chronic diseases is one of the principal benefits of juices. Diabetes, obesity, and cancer are just some examples of these diseases. These beverages can also provide you with optimal mental health.
Fruits provide vitamins and minerals. These, along with the bioactive compounds contained in some fruits with antioxidants, help to maintain perfect balance within your body.
Experts estimate that, each year, 1.7 million lives could be saved, just by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables. The development and consumption of fruit juices is among the highest objectives of experts, nutritionists, and public authorities.
Other benefits of juices
Juices are essential for the absorption of iron. They also provide folic acid. This contributes to the correct maintenance of the psychological functions of the body. Aside from this, it helps prevent malformations in fetuses.
Within its influence on joint development, drinking juice helps to maintain adequate muscle function. It also supports the development and strengthening of the bones and reinforces the body’s defenses.
There are infinite types of juices, smoothies, and shakes. It’s important for you to consume the widest variety of “colors” in fruits and vegetable juices. Each color has a certain amount of nutrients. These provide you with different phytochemical substances to benefit your body.
Juices and the benefits they provide, by color
Yellow – orange juices
In this group, you can find: melons, oranges, pineapples, peaches, mandarin oranges, papayas, and lemons. Apricots, grapefruits, loquats, carrots, squash, corn, and peppers are also in this category as well.
They help to improve the immune system and to combat oxidative stress. These contain carotenoids, flavonoids, and vitamin C. Thanks to this, they have antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antihistaminic properties.
Along with all of this, these healthy drinks function as an aid against breast cancer. They also keep the nervous system running perfectly. Additionally, they can be ideal for helping you to overcome depression and keeping yourself in high spirits.
Red-blue, and violet fruit or vegetable juices
Strawberries, black or red/blue berries, red grapes, blackberries, figs, plums, and other berries. All of these contain anthocyanin that reduces vascular inflammation. This also encourages the flow of blood. These fruits are ideal for healthy skin and are rich in magnesium and potassium.
Red fruit and vegetable juices
These juices are made with tomatoes, blood oranges, pomegranates, strawberries, beets, red peppers, red chicory, and red cabbage. Thanks to the lycopene that they contain, they can reduce the risk of getting prostate cancer.
Fruit and vegetable juices with a red hue, have a protective function against cardiovascular diseases. Aside from this, they are also effective in counteracting the damages you might endure from exposure to ultraviolet light or tobacco smoke.
Orange juices
In this group, you will find carrots, mangoes, pumpkins, yellow apples, apricots, and melons. These are indispensable for the optimal functioning of the immunological system and the vision system. Aside from this, they have an antioxidant effect. This makes them able to ‘catch’ free radicals as well as strengthening the hair and skin.
Green juices
You can create a very nutritious beverage, with a variety of vegetables, fruits, or legumes. Some of these are: parsley, broccoli, lettuce, basil, cucumber, spinach, kiwi, or white grape. Strengthening the digestive and immune system are just two of the benefits of green juices.
They also keep cholesterol levels under control and prevent problems with blood pressure. Green juices facilitate the absorption of iron. At the same time, they help to counteract feelings of tiredness or fatigue.
White juices
Beverages prepared with pears, apples, celery, bananas, fennel, ginger, leek, or cauliflower, contribute to lower levels of LDL cholesterol. They also help to protect the cells.
These drinks are high in potassium–a mineral that plays a fundamental role in the correct functioning of the nervous and muscular system. They also provide high quantities of antioxidants. These are important for the control of degenerative diseases.
Yellow-green juices
These can be made by combining spinach, avocado, or melon. Among the greatest benefits of the juices in this group, is the reduction in risk of contracting ophthalmological diseases. Moreover, they strengthen the immune system thanks to the lutein that they contain. They are also able to slow macular degeneration and they improve the flexibility of the joints.