One of our regular components in our daily diet are juices – Nutrition for healthy eyes. Juices from various vegetables and fruits constitute one of the most important constituent of our food intake. But why is it so? It is quite a task to extracet juice from a vegetable or a fruit but still we do it instead of eating the whole thing. Here are few questions and answers on it.
Let us read take them one at a time:-
Why not just eat the whole thing?: Solid food gets into the process of digestion and it takes many hours before the nutrient is readily available to our body tissues and cells to absorb. The fibers clean the digestive tract. Juicing removes the fibers in the extraction process and the nutrients only remain in the juice. Now this can be absorbed readily in the body within a few minutes and with little effort by our system.
Enzymes?: Enzymes are the chemicals inside our body which help us to digest food, absorb it into blood, and also remove the waste materials from the blood. It also helps to oxygenate and deoxygenate the blood. They are essential for many life functions. Enzymes work improperly at cooking temperatures above 118 degrees, and stop working and degenerate at temperatures above 130 degrees. Juices keep them intact in our food and thus it’s healthy.
Can juicing help us to prevent diseases?: Yes, studies suggest that a diet high in fruits and vegetables reduce risk of serious diseases. They also contain antioxidants which prevent oxidant damage to our body cells.
How much juice should I take?: Doctors usually recommend at least 1 pint of juice per day. Some healing points actually suggest for therapeutic purpose 2-8 pints per day.
Juices and its combinations with vegetables and fruits: There exist various different recipes; generally at least 50-75% of the juicing must be green (spinach, broccoli, parsley, dandelion, watercress, etc.).
Storing juices: Juices contain certain enzymes and vitamins which break down quickly in sunlight and heat so it should be drunk as and when prepared. If it has to be stored ; must be in a cool freezer.