Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Beet, Apple, Carrot and Cucumber Juice



For breakfast this morning we had a piece of two whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana slices. Since the bread was posted previously I didn’t bother to take its picture or post the stats again. However, I did make a vegetable and fruit juice this morning that I have not posted previously.

Those of you who know me know how much I love my Vitamix blender. I use that blender everyday, and sometimes more than once a day. That blender makes the best smoothies, juices (with the fiber) and quick soup. If you haven’t tried a Vitamix I highly recommend them. I waited a few years to buy one due to the price tag and now I can’t imagine not having this blender.

Since our breakfast was devoid of vegetables I decided to make a vegetable and fruit juice. My husband is not crazy about tomato based juices so I didn’t want to use tomatoes. Then I remembered the baby beets I bought to make a salad. Two little baby beets were enough to make this juice a beautiful magenta color. This juice tasted mostly of apple.

I really enjoyed this juice and particularly the nutrition it packed. One serving of this juice contained over 6900 IU of Vitamin A (the RDA is 3000 IU’s for adult males). Vitamin A is required for normal functioning of the immune system and plays a critical role in the development of white blood cells, which is important for preventing and fighting disease. Studies in cell culture and animal models have documented the capacity for vitamin A to reduce carcinogenesis significantly in skin, breast, liver, colon, prostate, and other sites.

To increase the nutrition of this juice, I used organic products and scrubbed the skin, but left it on the vegetables when they were “juiced”. With all the nutritents in and just under the skin I think it makes a big difference in terms of overall nutrition to leave the skin on the fruits and veggies.

This juice is mild in flavor and tastes mostly like apple, with a little beet flavor in the background. We liked this juice enough that I may make it everynight and keep it in the refrigerator to have with our breakfast. This juice is a tasty way to get a little extra vegetable nutrition in each day.

Beet, Apple, Carrot and Cucumber Juice
Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 baby beets, scrubbed
1 apple, scrubbed and cored
1 large carrot, scrubbed
4 inches of seedless cucumber
1 cup of filtered water

Directions:

Cut fruit and vegetables into chunks and place in your blender with the water. Blend until completely smooth. You may need to add additional water depending on the power of your blender. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Nutritional information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 85.69
Calories From Fat (4%) - 3.3

Total Fat - 0.4g
Saturated Fat - 0.08g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 66.21mg
Potassium - 490.55mg
Total Carbohydrates - 21.1g
Fiber - 4.46g
Sugar - 13.59g
Protein - 1.89g

Comments:

This juice tastes like apple with a little beet in the background. The overall flavor is mild, but pleasant. Both my husband and I liked this juice. I plan to make this juice regularly and keep it in the refrigerator so that we can add a little extra nutrition to our diet when we are thirsty.

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