Carrot Cantaloupe Zinger

Of all my juice recipes, this is one of my husband's favorites!

Ingredients

24 oz. of Carrots (approximately 1 1/2 bags of Baby Carrots)
1/2 of a Cantaloupe
3 tbsp. of (Bottled) Lemon Juice
"2 inches" of Ginger Root

Directions

Cut the cantaloupe in half.  Scoop the seeds out of the center and dispose of them, then scoop out the melon and feed through the juicer.  Make sure that as you are scooping out the seeds and the melon, you don't lose any of the juice that starts to accumulate in the shell.  Poor the excess juice into a cup as you are scooping out the fruit.

After juicing the cantaloupe, wash and juice the carrots, and add the bottled lemon juice to the carrot and cantaloupe juice.  Alternatively, you could juice a fresh lemon, but since you only need 3 tablespoons of lemon juice for this recipe, it's easier to use bottled lemon juice.

Finally, cut approximately 2 inches from a larger section of ginger root.  Ginger is quite spicy and a little goes a long way, so you might even want to start off with a little less to see how you like the taste.  Scrape or cut off the skin from the piece of ginger using a knife, then run it through the juicer and add to your drink.

Makes two servings, or approximately 18-20 oz. of a zesty orange juice that will both help clear your sinuses and ease nausea.

Nutritional Information

Ginger has been used for thousands of years to treat nausea and stomach upset, and can also be used to aid digestion. For one thing, ginger helps to break down stomach contents and settle an upset stomach.  Ginger also contains compounds called ginerols, which act like anti-nausea medications and help block serotonin receptors in the stomach.  Consequently, it is even a very effective antidote for motion sickness!

Ginger is valued for its anti-inflammatory properties, which means that it can help with a whole host of problems: ginger can help reduce pain and symptoms associated with arthritis; it inhibits blood vessels from swelling at the onset of a headache, instantly relieving nerves of pressure.  Ginger limits the creation of prostaglandins and leukotrienes which cause inflammation, swelling and aches.  

Finally, ginger also has an antihistamine, which helps you breathe easier, and ginger is a good source of copper, which helps reduce inflammation (216), aids your body’s absorption of iron, and helps to build immunity.  The copper in ginger also assists in the regulation of enzymes that promote bone strength.  Adding ginger to your juice is a great way to take advantage of ginger’s many nutritional benefits.

Fresh carrot juice contains enzymes that aid your digestion and the juice helps to stimulate digestion overall.  Carrots are often helpful for those with IBS-C because they help “lubricate” your intestines, but not to the degree that the juice causes diarrhea, at least not in my experience.  IBS-D sufferers can therefore also take advantages of the many beneficial nutrients in carrot juice.

Carrots are packed with vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, as well as calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and many other trace minerals that your body needs, but may not be getting if you're on a limited diet to cope with your IBS.  Carrots are also high in antioxidants and carotenoids, which help ease inflammation (a condition that may or may not be the root cause of IBS) and strengthen the immune system.  Carotenoids can also help prevent heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, and some vision problems, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Carrots contain Biotin (Vitamin B7), which is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids.  The Vitamin C in carrots helps reduce infections, and is useful for regulating cortisol secretion in the body.  Cortisol is necessary for the fight or flight response to stressful situations, but too much of it can be unhealthy.  Vitamin C also supplies your body with energy, increases your body’s absorption of iron, and helps to ease certain types of cramping by helping your body assimilate calcium instead of accumulating in your joints.  The Vitamin D in carrots can help prevent numerous chronic diseases, including hypertension (high blood pressure), and can also help facilitate weight loss.  The Vitamin E in carrots and carrot juice is essential for the proper functioning of nerves and muscles; Vitamin E is also an antioxidant that can help prevent a chemical reaction called oxidation, which results in free radicals that contribute to aging, cancer and many other diseases.  Vegetables such as carrots that are high in Vitamins C and E can help to regulate fat metabolism.

Finally, carrots and carrot juice are also packed with beta-carotene, which boots the effectiveness of Vitamin C and helps to cleanse the intestine; Zinc, which boosts the immune system, helps decrease inflammation and stimulate protein synthesis in bone; and Iron, which is necessary for preventing anemia.

Primary source of Nutritional Information: The Everything Juicing Book by Carole jacobs, Patrice Johnson and Nicole Cormier

For nutritional information about cantaloupes, please see my recipe and post for Sunrise Punch.