Conscious Choice: Juicing

July 1998

Juicing

by Julie Winsberg

Back in 1978, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs published a study of the cooked, processed, chemical laden and canned foods that compose the "standard American diet," the diet known as SAD by the wholistic community. That study,"Diet and Killer Diseases" concluded that the average American diet is responsible for the development of chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Today, after 20 years of the same old thing, more than 70 percent of Americans suffer from some form of degenerative disease.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

You probably know that the National Cancer Institute recommends eating more fruits and vegetables. They now understand that plant chemicals, known as phytochemicals, are the cutting edge of nutritional research. Studies have shown that phytochemicals may be the key to preventing some of our most deadly diseases, such as cancer and heart disease as well as more common ailments, such as arthritis, asthma and allergies.

But you don’t have to eat all your fruits and vegetables — you can drink some of them, instead. Drinking fresh juice every day is one delicious and convenient way to nourish the body and please the palate at the same time. Even if your diet does include whole, organic foods, you can boost our intake of vital nutrients by not cooking some of them. While some foods release certain nutrients when heated, cooking does destroy vitamins in others. Even more importantly, essential live enzymes do not survive cooking.

The dictionary defines enzymes as "a complex mostly protein product of living cells that induces or speeds chemical reactions in plants and animals without being itself permanently altered." From the Greek word enzymas, which means "to ferment" or "cause a change," enzymes are the foundation for all cell regeneration. Without enzymes, the miracle of life would be impossible. So delicate are enzymes, that they may not even survive light steaming. It’s estimated that temperatures between 114 and 118 degrees weaken and begin to destroy enzymes.

Fresh fruits and vegetables not only contain an abundance of vitamins and minerals, they are one of the richest sources of enzymes. Unfortunately, they’re bulky. It would be no easy task to eat a mega-serving of carrots, for example, but you can drink the equivalent of a mega-portion easily. And a delicious, nutrient-rich glass of fresh juice does seem more appropriate for a busy lifestyle.

Not only that, but a glass of fresh juice offers a package of viamins, nutrients, and enzymes in proportions that can’t help but nourish the body and enhance health.In Juicing for Life, the authors describe juice as water, flavors, pigments, enzymes, vitamins, minerals and nutrients (compounds that protect the body from the environment). Waxing enthusiastic, the authors assert that "juice is all these substances working synergistically to give your body the materials that promote healing, energy, and protection from disease."

Author Victor P. Kulvinkas states in Don’t Dine Without Enzymes that "Most people don’t realize the intimate relationship between‘happiness’ and their belly." When our bodies are fed the nutrients needed to flourish, and we consume the enzymes to assimilate these nutrients, our bellies, as well as all the trillions of cells in our bodies are not only happy, they function at their optimum level, working to fight any toxins or stresses we may encounter in our daily life.

Many fresh juice recipe combinations offer specific benefits. Juices with kale, carrots, parsley and spinach are good sources of beta-carotene and other carotenoids. Ginger root, parsley, garlic and carrots are sources for zinc, and grape, parsley, apricot and lemon juices for bioflavinoids. Among the many other fruits and vegetables good for juicing are beets and beet greens, turnips, red Swiss chard, green peppers, broccoli, celery, wheatgrass, apples, papaya, mango and pineapple (a rare source of the enzyme bromelain, which has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties).

Of course, you can make do with canned, frozen, packaged, and bottled juices — but be aware that non-organic fruits and vegetables can be subjected to a lot of abuse before they arrive on the shelf. Chemicals, such as pesticides, may have been poured on them, destroying nutrients in the process. Preservatives, coloring agents and other possibly detrimental additives and sweeteners may be contained in the final product.

And even many organic juices are heated to high temperatures to pasteurize. This process kills bacteria and extends shelf life, but simultaneously, kills vital nutrients and alters the flavor. (On the other hand, bottled, raw apple juice recently has been found to be susceptible to an emerging strain of bacteria known as E. Coli O157:h7.) The food industry, however, is working with the FDA to seek alternatives for new techniques for safe juice, which would also keep nutritional integrity intact.

Fresh juicing offers a creative way to bring a variety of nutrients from whole foods into our diets. It is important to remember, however, that there are instances where the whole produce should not be consumed. Orange and grapefruit skins contain a toxic substance that should not be consumed in large quantities, so peeling is best before juicing. (For bioflavinoids and vitamin C, leave on the white pithy part.) Other skins that should be peeled are kiwi and papaya or any other tropical fruits that may have been grown in a country where toxic sprays are still legal. All pits should be removed, as well as apple seeds, which contain small amounts of cyanide. Seeds like lemon, lime, grape and melon may be juiced with the fruit. The stems and leaves of most produce can be juiced along with the fruit or vegetable. However, the greens of carrot and rhubarb contain toxic substances and should be removed. For fruits such as berries, bananas and avocados, it’s best to mix them in a blender, combining the other fresh juices into the blended mixture. The juicing process eliminates the fiber. While essential for good health, fiber may be attained while eating fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and legumes.

If you are planning to purchase a juicer for home use, according to Sherwyn’s Health Food Store on Diversey, there are three main styles to consider. The most popular is the centrifugal force juicer and is priced anywhere from $89 to $350. Another is the masticating style, priced around $200. The third is a triturating press, which is said to most effectively maintain the integrity of the enzymes. These run anywhere from $400 to $600 or more.

If you don’t have the time, money, or inclination to do your own juicing, don’t worry; the popularity of fresh juice has prompted a proliferation of juice bars, now over 800 nationwide. Once a delicacy limited to health food stores and vegetarian restaurants, fresh juice has entered the market place in trendy restaurants as well as many grocery stores around the country, offering live food for living beings.

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