Berry Banana Smoothie

This is one of my favorite recipes.  It's a little bit tart, but the bananas sweeten the recipe, so it's really delicious.  This smoothie makes a great breakfast in the morning, or a fabulous afternoon snack.  And I cannot say enough about the nutritional value of strawberries and bananas!  IBS sufferers probably aren't getting enough of these nutrients, so take advantage of this recipe.

Ingredients

Fresh Strawberries
Organic Bottled Cherry Juice
2 Bananas

Directions

Wash and juice approximately half of a 1 lb. (16 oz.) carton of fresh strawberries.  (Alternatively, you can use 2 cups of frozen strawberries.)  After juicing, mix with approximately 2-3 oz. of organic bottled cherry juice.  (Alternatively, you can juice your own fresh cherries, but it is more cost effective to purchase bottled cherry juice if you can get it for $6/bottle.)

The next step requires the use of the blender, not the juicer.  Combine strawberry/cherry juice with two ripe, peeled bananas in the blender and blend until smooth.  Consider refrigerating your smoothie for approximately a half an hour before drinking, in order to enjoy optimum taste.

Makes one serving/smoothie.

Nutritional Information

IBS sufferers often have trouble eating strawberries and other berries because of the seeds, which are hard on the digestive system.  But juicing is a great way to integrate berries into your diet and get the valuable nutrients that they have to offer.  Berries, in general, are blood purifiers.  They contain antioxidants, which protect your body from heart disease and cancer, and help prevent bladder infections, high blood pressure, fatigue, colds and bad breath.  Strawberries, in particular, are also packed with iron, Vitamin C, B vitamins, folate, calcium, potassium and magnesium.  They also help reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, since they contain fisetin, a compound that stimulates pathways that improve long-term memory; they lower bad cholesterol, and inhibit the growth of colon, prostate and oral cancers.

The iron in strawberries is incredibly important to your overall health.  Iron transports life-sustaining nutrients throughout the body, along with oxygen, while removing carbon dioxide.  Iron ensures a healthy immune system and helps keep you energized.  If you feel tired, sluggish and have little or no motivation to diet or exercise, you may be suffering from iron-deficiency anemia, and strawberries are one nutritional source that can help restore iron to your body.

The Vitamin C in strawberries increases your body’s absorption of iron, which gives you more energy and stamina.  It also helps reduce infections that can cause anything from colds to pneumonia, and strawberries also have anti-viral properties that help ease allergies and infections.  The Vitamin C in strawberries is also important for fat metabolism and can help you slim down.  Strawberries, packet with Vitamin C, are considered a super weight-loss food.

The B vitamins in strawberries contain many nutrients you need to maintain well-being and fight depression.  B complex vitamins are basically nature’s mood elevators, helping to metabolize neurotoxins that may be linked to anxiety problems and helping even helping with severe forms of depression.  Folate, the naturally occurring form of folic acid, is a B vitamin that is instrumental in keeping your blood healthy.  A deficiency in folate/folic acid causes a decrease in healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body.  The result is lethargy and headaches, which may cause irritability and anxiety as well.  Folate/Folic acid is essential for energy and stamina, so getting your B vitamins is very important – and strawberries can do a lot to help!

The calcium in strawberries strengthens bones, teeth and nails, and helps prevent osteoporosis.  It also regulates blood pressure and can help you shed unwanted pounds.  The potassium in strawberries helps to cleanse your liver and is also important for the proper functioning of your cells, nerves and muscle cells.  A potassium deficiency can cause weakness, fatigue, depression and anxiety.  Finally, the magnesium in strawberries is a mineral that can help to relieve anxiety; too little magnesium causes confusion and agitation, as well as result in nervousness that causes insomnia.  Make sure you are getting enough magnesium by adding strawberries to your juice!

Primary source of nutritional information: The Everything Juicing Book by Carole Jacobs, Patrice Johnson and Nicole Cormier.

For nutritional information about bananas, see my recipe and posting for Green Banana Smoothies.

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.

Green Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

1 Cucumber
2 Stalks of Celery
1/3 Bunch of Parsley
2 Bananas

Directions

Thoroughly wash the cucumber, celery and parsley.  Celery, in particular, often tests positive for higher levels of pesticide residue, so either buy organic or make sure that you scrub the stalks really well.

Juice the cucumber, celery and parsley in the juicer.

The next step involves the blender, not the juicer.  Put your cucumber/celery/parsley juice into the blender with two (peeled) bananas.  Blend until smooth, and then refrigerate your smoothie for a half an hour or so to enjoy optimum flavor.

Makes one serving/smoothie.

Nutritional Information

Bananas are great for people with IBS.  They’re a staple of the BRAT diet, the diet that most doctors recommend for patients with gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea when they catch a stomach bug.  The BRAT diet is composed of foods that are mild, low in fiber and easy to digest; low-fiber foods are recommended for those with diarrhea because foods that are high in fiber often cause gas and worsen gastrointestinal upset.  Bananas have very little unsoluble fiber, which can be difficult for people with IBS to digest, but they’re high in soluble fiber, which is one of the most helpful things for preventing IBS symptoms.  In soluble fiber, the chemical bonds that join the individual sugar units cannot be digested by enzymes in the human GI tract, and so soluble fiber passes through the body intact.  Soluble fiber dissolves in water but is not digested, which allows it to absorb excess liquid in the colon, preventing diarrhea by forming a thick gel and adding a great deal of bulk as it passes intact through the digestive system.  Unlike other types of fiber, soluble fiber soothes and regulates the digestive tract, stabilizes intestinal contractions and normalizing bowel functions from either extreme – meaning that bananas and other sources of soluble fiber prevents and relieves both diarrhea and constipation.  Those of us with IBS-D and IBS-C should be eating bananas pretty much every day.

Beyond that, bananas are a great source of potassium, an essential electrolyte, as well as magnesium and Vitamin B6.  Potassium is necessary for the proper functioning of your body’s cells, nerves and muscle cells, as well as helping to improve your mood and energy levels.  Deficiencies in potassium can cause weakness, fatigue, depression and anxiety.  Similarly, too little magnesium causes confusion, agitation and anxiety, and Vitamin B6 (aka Pyridoxine) also helps fight depression and diminish anxiety.  All of these minerals are very helpful for those of us stressing out about our IBS symptoms.  Moreover, Magnesium helps to relax blood vessels, maintain normal nerve function, prevent bone loss and help our bodies absorb use calcium and estrogen properly.  All three of these vitamins and minerals also help to prevent muscle cramps, and the magnesium and Vitamin B6 in bananas can also help improve your ability to sleep.

Some additional added long-term benefits of eating bananas: they help to decrease symptoms associated with asthma, boost fat burning, decrease the risk of certain cancers and support heart health.

Sources for Nutritional Information: Wikipedia Entry for The BRAT diet; The First Year: IBS – An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Heather Van Vorous; The Everything Juicing Book by Carole Jacobs, Patrice Johnson andNicole Cormier

For nutritional information about cucumbers, please see my recipe and post for Grasshopper Juice.

Sunrise Punch

I'm on a roll with tomato juice, which is great news because tomatoes are really healthy for you and I love fresh tomatoes.  I can't eat tomato soup or anything with marinara sauce, though, because the high concentration of acidic tomato upsets my IBS.  Fresh tomato juice isn't as strong/concentrated, though, so my stomach can easily handle homemade tomato juice blends.  Fresh tomato juice also has a lighter flavor, so it blends really well with a lot of fruit juices.

This punch recipe is really simple -- just two ingredients -- and it makes a sweet, frothy, sherbet-colored punch that looks a lot like a girly cocktail.  Sunrise Punch makes a great addition to a Saturday or Sunday morning brunch.

Ingredients

1/2 Cantaloupe
2-3 Roma Plum Tomatoes (or another variety of Roma Tomatoes)

Directions

Cut the cantaloupe in half.  Scoop the seeds out of the center and dispose of them, then scoop out the melon to juice.  Make sure that as you 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, juice the Roma tomatoes.  If you don't want the tomato flavor to be too strong, only use 2 tomatoes - but if you enjoy the stronger tomato flavor (if you are a fan of Bloody Marys, for example) then add a third tomato.  Once you've juiced, stir the two types of juice together and enjoy!

Makes approximately 10. oz. of juice. with 2 tomatoes.

Nutritional Information

Cantaloupe is a good source of dietary fiber and is supposedly a “high-fiber food that is safe for the IBS sufferer,” but can be a trigger food for some IBS-D sufferers.  Because cantaloupe contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals, I’m glad to report that cantaloupe juice doesn’t seem to aggravate IBS symptoms.  For IBS-C sufferers, cantaloupe can help to reduce/relieve constipation.  Cantaloupe helps to alleviate disorders of the bladder and kidney.  For our general nutritional benefit, cantaloupe contains Vitamins A, B3 (Niacin), B6 and C, beta-carotene and potassium, as well as myo-inositol, a lipid that helps prevent hardening of the arteries.

The Vitamin A in cantaloupe protects the lining of the digestive system and is extremely important in immune defense.  Vitamin A enhances white blood cell functioning, which helps the body resist and fight off infections.  Vitamin A can be specifically helpful for IBS sufferers because of its anti-inflammatory qualities, since IBS sometimes (but not always) has an underlying cause of inflammation or is aggravated by inflammation.  As an added bonus, Vitamin A promotes healthy skin and hair growth.  Too little Vitamin A causes dry hair, dandruff, and a thick scalp, which eventually causes hair loss.

The B vitamins are fast becoming some of my favorite vitamins.  Vitamin B3 (Niacin) supports your digestive system.  The Vitamin B6 in cantaloupe supports proper immune system function by aiding in the production of antibodies that help the body fight infection.  Vitamin B6 also helps to reduce stress and anxiety.

The Vitamin C in cantaloupe enhances the immune system by increasing the production of white blood cells to help the body fight off infections.  It also increases the body’s level of interferon, which prevents viruses from even entering the body.  Moreover, Vitamin C 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, aids your fat metabolism and helps improve circulation.  Vitamin C even helps to ease certain types of cramping by helping your body assimilate calcium instead of accumulating in your joints.

To boost the effects of Vitamin C, cantaloupe contains beta-carotene, which boots the effectiveness of Vitamin C and helps to cleanse the intestine.  One cup of cantaloupe also contains your daily requirement for antioxidants, and according to the National Cancer Institute, all of these immune system-boosting vitamins and antioxidants help to fight cancer.

Cantaloupe is also a great source of potassium, an essential electrolyte that is necessary for the proper functioning of your body’s cells, nerves and muscle cells.  Potassium also helps to improve your mood and energy levels.  Deficiencies in potassium can cause weakness, fatigue, depression and anxiety.

For nutritional information about tomatoes, check out my recipe and post for Cherry-Tomato Twist.

Primary Nutritional Information Source: The Everything Juicing Book by Carole Jacobs, Patrice Johnson and Nicole Cormier

Cherry-Tomato Twist

Ingredients

Fresh Strawberries
Fresh Roma Plum Tomatoes (or some other variety of Roma Tomatoes)
Bottled Organic Cherry Juice*

*Note on the Ingredients: despite the expense of organic juices, it is more cost-effective to buy cherry juice as opposed to juicing the cherries yourself.  You can always opt to buy fresh cherries and juice them, though.

Directions

Wash and juice the strawberries and tomatoes.  Combine equal parts strawberry, tomato and cherry juice.

To make one serving, juice approximately half of a 1 lb. (16 oz.) carton of strawberries, 2 to 3 Roma Plum tomatoes (which are about the size of plum, thus their name), and add 2-3 oz. of cherry juice.  Makes an 8 to 10 oz. of refreshing, frothy red juice.

Nutritional Information

Tomatoes are a good source of both Vitamin C and Potassium, which help to cleanse your liver.  Potassium is also important for the proper functioning of your cells, nerves and muscle cells.  A potassium deficiency can cause weakness, fatigue, depression and anxiety.  Meanwhile, Vitamin C also boosts your immune system, helps to regulate cortisol secretion in the body, and helps regulate your fat metabolism, along with the Vitamin E found in tomatoes.  Vitamin E has many benefits, in fact; it helps to build a healthy immune system by triggering the production of cells that kill germs and promotes the production of B cells, which create the antibodies that destroy bacteria.  Vitamin E also helps to maintain the chemical balance of nutrients in your brain, correct nutrient deficiencies, support the proper functioning of nerves and muscles, and repair the damage caused by environmental toxins. This is because Vitamin E is an antioxidant which helps prevent a chemical reaction called oxidation that results in free radicals that contribute to aging, cancer and many other diseases.

Fresh tomato juice helps to stimulate circulation, and is a good source of boron, a mineral that helps reduce calcium secretion and promotes strong bones.  An excellent source of iron as well, tomatoes help form red blood cells, keeping blood vessels and nerves healthy, and helping to prevent anemia.  Iron also promotes the healthy functioning of certain enzymes that play a role in bone strength.

Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, which has been proven to have anti-cancer properties, and reduce inflammation.  Because inflammation is at the root of many different medical problems, by reducing inflammation, the lycopene in tomatoes helps to prevent degenerative diseases, lowers the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and can help calm IBS in some cases if the colon is spasming due in part to inflammation.

Tomatoes also contain Bioflavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and help to ease the length and severity of colds.  Finally, tomatoes contain Vitamins A and B, which help improve your mood and aid your body in maintaining healthy skin.

Primary Nutritional Information Source: The Everything Juicing Book by Carole Jacobs, Patrice Johnson and Nicole Cormier

Note: I will be posting nutritional information on strawberries and cherries in upcoming posts, so stay tuned!

Grasshopper Juice

Ingredients

For one serving:
1/2 Cucumber
1/2 Green Pear
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
1/3 bunch of Parsley
2 tbsp. of concentrated Aloe
(I am currently using Aloe Life Aloe Gold Concentrate Dietary Supplement)

Directions

Wash all ingredients and remove the center and seeds from the green pepper.  Juice all of the produce and parsley in your juicer, then add the 2 tbsp. of concentrated aloe.  Makes an 8-10 oz. glass of frothy, sweet, opaque green juice.  The aloe tempers the sweetness of the beverage somewhat, so you can adjust the amount of aloe according to your taste.

Nutritional Information

The nutrients and ingredients in this juice will specifically aid your digestion and help heal your digestive system.

Aloe Vera is known for it's healing properties, which work not only to soothe and heal your skin when you get a sunburn, but also help to cleanse the intestine, heal the digestive system and promote the healthy function of the colon.  Aloe can be a hassle to juice yourself, though.  You only need a small amount for each glass of juice, and the leftover aloe juice will go rancid pretty quickly.  That's why I use aloe concentrate.  You can find aloe vera drops and in other concentrated forms at health food stores, Whole Foods, and online.  (As noted above, I am currently using Aloe Life Aloe Gold Concentrate Dietary Supplement, which you can buy on Amazon or at Whole Foods.)

Cucumber is a good source of chlorophyll, which helps your body's organs (especially your liver) eliminate toxins by improving cellular and organ detoxification.  Chlorophyll helps the body maintain a proper acid-alkaline balance, and also protects against the formation of calcium stones in the kidneys, helping to break them down and eliminate them.  Although cucumber does not have quite as much chlorophyll as dark, leafy green vegetables, it is a good way to add chlorophyll to your diet if you are sensitive to the more bitter and difficult to digest kale, cabbage, etc.

Cucumbers, with their high water content and as a source of chlorophyll, are also a natural diuretic and detox agent. They will help you eliminate bloating and puffiness and shed water weight.  Cucumbers are also great for treating edema, the accumulation of fluid beneath the skin.  They are one of the most important vegetables that you can consume to detox your kidneys, which are the body's most important sites for eliminating toxins, help to cleanse your gallbladder of toxins and fight candida infections, a common disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that arises when there is an overgrowth of the yeast candida.

Cucumbers are rich in zinc, which helps reduce inflammation and facilitates healing and tissue regeneration.  Zinc contains neutrophils, compounds that boost your immune system, helps fight infections and colds, and is also necessary for the conversion of omega-3 acids into anti-inflammatory substances called prostaglandins.  Zinc can significantly reduce the time it takes to recover from a cold, and there are many additional benefits to consuming this mineral.  Zinc is important for maintaining healthy levels of anxiety and generally happy moods; a zinc deficiency may cause depression, anxiety and lethargy. Zinc is also associated with lower body fat levels and may help you lose weight, has been shown by numerous studies to improve memory, and is thought to help reduce the symptoms and severity of allergies and respiratory conditions.  Zinc is also important for maintaining healthy skin because it is necessary for absorbing linoleic acid, a fatty acid that promotes healthy skin.  Zinc controls the production of oil in the skin and may also help control some of the hormones that create acne. The correct levels of zinc in your body clears skin by taming oil production and controlling the formation of acne lesions. Cucumbers are also known to generally help the skin from becoming overly dry.

Cucumbers are also high in vitamin A and silica, which strengthen connective tissue of muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and bone, and promotes strong, shiny hair, strong nails and healthy-looking skin.  Too little silica can result in reduced skin elasticity and slower healing of wounds, and vitamin A is essential for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue as well.

Finally, cucumbers contain an enzyme called erepsin that is helpful in digesting protein and are instrumental in maintaining a healthy acid-alkaline balance in the body. By increasing the alkalinity of your diet, you improve your bone health by reducing the excretion of calcium.

Nutritional Information Source: The Everything Juicing Book by Carole Jacobs, Patrice Johnson and Nicole Cormier

Note: I will be posting nutritional information on pears, bell peppers and parsley in upcoming posts, so stay tuned!

Carrot Mango Punch

Ingredients

12 oz. of Carrots (one bag of Baby Carrots or equivalent amount)

1 Mango
1 Red Bell Pepper

Directions

Wash the red pepper and carrots.  If you aren't using baby carrots, you will need to peel the carrots.  Cut the center out of the red pepper, and peel the mango and remove the fruit from around the pith.

Juice all ingredients in the juicer.  Makes approximately 10-12 oz. of a sweet, opaque orange-colored juice.

Nutritional Information

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.

Nutritional Information Source: The Everything Juicing Book by Carole Jacobs, Patrice Johnson, and Nicole Cormier.

Information on Bell Peppers and Mangoes will be included in an upcoming post, so stay tuned!