Cleanser juice (carrot, ginger, beetroot and celery)

I sometimes also call this Dracula juice in order to get kids to try it.  For first time vegetable juice tasters, I usually add apple juice (and less beetroot) to make it taste a little more familiar, though its pretty sweet anyway.   If you want to make a big batch and have some for the next day, just store in an airtight jar in the fridge, adding a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  The potent antioxidants in the lemon juice keep the juice fresher longer.

Using a masticating juicer like the Samson single auger juicer retains more nutrients but you will still get a decent juice from an ordinary rotary juicer (the type that spins and grates instead of gently crushing).

Do have this juice with some protein. Otherwise the hit of sugars (natural sugars in the root veg) causes spikes in blood sugar which are bad news if you want to look and feel your best.

 

 

 

To make about 350ml juice (2 servings)

5 medium/large carrots (about 500-600g in all)
1 small beetroot
2-3 sticks of celery, with leaves
2-3cm knob of ginger, peeled
Optional: generous squeeze of lemon juice, to taste

Why this is good for you
Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which gives your skin a natural golden glow and helps prevent acne and other skin problems.  It’s also an important antioxidant for your liver and immune system.  Beetroot is rich in betaine, chromium and iron.  These also help your liver  clear the many toxins it has to metabolise every day to keep you well.  Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-infection spice that soothes your digestive system too.  The vegetables are rich in potassium, which helps your natural thyroid hormone action at cellular level.  This is one of the reasons why eating a veggie rich diet helps you feel more energetic, cheerful, and motivated as well as helping your hair.  Yes, your hair can thin if you don’t feed yourself potassium-rich foods (veg) to help your thyroid keep hair thick and strong.  Like fruit, this juice is high in natural sugars so is best with a protein-containing meal or snack so it doesn’t cause erratic blood sugar levels.  Erratic blood sugar levels can cause peaks and dips in energy and mood.