THURSDAY'S DISH'IN NUTRITION: "Eat Your Veggies—Better, Yet Drink 'Em"

Have you ever considered Juicing? Have you ever given it much thought? I realize that when discussing nutrition, all I need to do is just open a dialogue about foods like spinach, broccoli, kale, carrots, parsley, chard, lettuce, celery, cucumbers, etc. and yea, I’m gonna lose a lot of you, no matter what. But when I start talking about drinking those things? HA! All I can hear are the folks shouting AH, BACK UP THE TRUCK, TRIGGER! Well, what would you say if I brought up the name Dr. Oz, Hum? Would I need his clout to get your attention for just a little longer? Hey… I never said that I was above bribing people into great health. Of course, I’ve never really considered it either. But now that I think about it, taking into account the physical condition our country is in at the moment… nah, I’m not above that at all. Sometimes one has to think of the greater good and if throwing Dr. Oz out there makes you look up, yea... I'm going for it!

Unless you have been under a rock for the past three years or so, the name more than rings a bell. If not, since I’m already guilty, let’s try more name dropping to get you to consider what I’m about to suggest. How about Oprah, ah... I think it’s Winfrey? Yeah, now I have your attention. Well, in case you had missed the time the two of them were drinking his GREEN DRINK together on the air,  Let me break it down for ya and then, it’s right there for you to Google yourself, if you so choose. HE came on the show and had her drink his favorite breakfast. Ready? It contained celery, cucumber, spinach, lemon, parsley, lime, ginger and green apple, YUM! Sounds gross maybe to some of you, but to many, if Dr. Oz said to, they’d cut their own lawn and drink it!

Don’t laugh but years ago, I was drinking grass! Yes... GRASS and it was disgusting. But I have always been my own experiment first before throwing you all under the bus and when I heard the health benefits, I thought I’d give it a try. No, I didn’t drink my lawn. This came in the form of a powdered supplement from a reputable company, but to be honest, I might as well have. It tasted about as good as what I’d imagine my front yard’s clippings would. But that is just how I’m bent. Heck, if it’s good for you AND low in calories, I’m in! At least to give it a whirl. But the grass? It had to go. However, when I saw this show, it really grabbed my attention as you can now only imagine. But I had known the benefits of juicing for quite some time, and honestly, I’d just been too hurried to go out and buy a juicer. Then, the idea of adding that to my list of things to make and then clean up; the thought was just a little annoying at the time. Alas, I was younger then and now, well... not only am I willing, I do. We tend to focus more on our health as we get older, even if when younger, we were willing to mix up a glass of grass!

Back to Dr. Oz. While he may have said do it… it’s good for you and after taking a sip, Oprah said it tasted like a “glass of fresh!" you're probably thinking 'Ok, I get it, veggies are good for you, so why not just cook some up tonight and just eat the stuff?' While not everyone is into spinach, kale and broccoli, many of you out there are willing to cook it and eat it if you’re motivated enough. But drinking it is another matter. OK, so convince us! Ok, I will! Hear me out; this will take just a second because when it comes to nutrition it’s all about proven science, facts and math. In other words, you may not like it, but it can be proven. So, basically, it is what it is. Once you know the truth (which here, I consider that my job), then it’s of course up to you to decide what to do with it. So briefly, certainly we can cook up a bunch of healthy, fiber-rich, nutrient-dense veggies, and you should. You would definitely be better off for doing so, but there are also many unique benefits if you drink them:

Raw food juicing is the fastest way to get nutrition into your body. Juicers extract most of the nutrients and leave the pulp and fiber. This allows your stomach to quickly absorb the nutrients and gives you quick energy. By eliminating the bulk of green smoothies, your body gets similar benefits, i.e. nutrition, and a flatter feeling belly. Juice is a natural source of water and also provides the body with carbohydrates, fatty acids, protein, vitamins and minerals. It is easily absorbed by the body and contains enzymes, natural pigments, and anti-oxidants. Raw food juicing is extremely helpful for weight loss and has numerous health advantages. Juicing fresh vegetables and some lower sugar fruits can lead to improved blood sugar control and lowered blood pressure. You also will probably find a raw foods diet more filling. Cooking can cause the loss of up to 97% of water-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Since uncooked foods such as juices contain more vitamins and other nutrients, they are more satisfying to the body, so it does not feel starved for nutrients. This means the metabolism will keep running efficiently and keep your weight loss efforts headed in the right direction. For me, the sheer absorption rate is proof enough. However, go ahead and definitely continue to eat them. They are always healthy AND remember, by eating them, you’ll continue to keep all of the FIBER that juicing can remove. Shooting for a good balance of both is the ultimately the best way to ensure you are getting the fullest benefit that your veggies have to offer. 

Want to know my favorite blend? Spinach, celery, cucumber, parsley and lemon. Hey... don't Judge until you give it a whirl.  

SO, eat  your veggies, but also try and  DRINK 'EM UP!

Until Next Time,

Think green...

Candace

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