Juicing, by its very nature, eliminates the ﬁber  from fruits and veget ables,
which means that juices have a higher  GI than the whole fruits or
vegetables do. If you have diabetes, you shoul d drink fresh fruit juice only
in small amounts and stick to juicing low-GI veget ables. For much more information on the glycem ic index , check  out The
Glycemic Index Diet For Dummies, by Meri Raffetto, RD, LDN (Wiley).Part II
Liquid Gold: The Health Beneﬁt s of
Juicing and Smoothies
In this part . . . If you’re still not sold on the whole idea of juicing and
smoothies, this is the part for you. Here, I tell you about all the
incredible health beneﬁts that juices and smoothies offer. I tell
you what kinds of rewards your body will reap — on the inside
as well as the outside. I end the part by explaining how you can
detox and cleanse with juices. If you’re on the fence when you
start reading this part, I bet you won’t be when you ﬁnish.Chapter 6
Science and Nutrition in a Glass
In This Chapter
 Identifying the nutrients in food
 Understanding the role of nutrients
 Seeing how smoothies and juices contribute
 Being mindful of your daily nutrient requirements
As science and technology bring us more detailed information
about the foods we eat, the crucial role of nutrition in the
maintenance of good health becomes increasingly clear. Along
with the growing trove of information about nutrition is the
knowledge about what kinds of foods provide the very best
nutrients. So, the key to good health is twofold:
 Eat as wide a range as possible of the nutrients your body
needs in order to function at its best. Find organic, whole foods that provide the best-quality
nutrients. Juices and smoothies are an important part of a whole-foods
diet because they allow you to get an above-average quota of
fresh fruits and vegetables and, thus, ﬁber, macronutrients
(protein, fat, and carbohydrates), and micronutrients (vitamins,
minerals, and so on) every day. This chapter ﬁlls you in on the nature and role of all the
essential nutrients that you can get from food. With this
information, you can design your juicing and smoothies
program so that you draw from a wide rainbow of fruits and
vegetables. For much more information on nutrition, be sure to
check out Nutrition For Dummies, 5th Edition, by Carol Ann
Rinzler (Wiley). V itamins
Vitamins are organic food substances found only in plants and
animals. They’re essential for growth, energy, and tissue
maintenance, as well as for a whole list of speciﬁc functions
your body performs. With the exception of vitamin D, your body
cannot manufacture vitamins, so you have to get them from the
foods you eat. Table 6-1 outlines the vitamins, what they do for
your body, what happens if you don’t get enough of them, and
which juice or smoothie ingredients are good sources of those
vitamins.Minerals
Minerals are tiny organic elements that you need to keep your
body working properly in order to be healthy. Minerals originate
only in the soil; plants and animals (including humans) do not
create minerals. Instead, plants must absorb minerals from the
soil, and animals must get them from plants or other animals. Smoothies and juices that are made from fresh, local, organic,
raw fruits and vegetables contain the most live enzymes,
vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (nutrients found in plants
— they’re not essential the way vitamins and minerals are, but
they’re still good for you). Minerals vary with geographiclocation (where your food is grown). One of the advantages of
organic soil is that it tends to be richer in minerals than non-
organic soil. Minerals (and other phytonutrients) are lost when
food is transported over long distances or when it isn’t stored
properly. Because cooking destroys some minerals and
vitamins, it’s best to eat or drink raw fruits and vegetables. Like everything in life, the various functions and workings of
minerals are complicated. Some must be present for breaking
down, digesting, absorbing, and releasing energy from food —
these are the minerals that are important for energy. Some help
to strengthen bones, muscles, nails, and teeth. Some regulate
water and cholesterol in the body. Some minerals work at their
peak when other minerals or vitamins are present, while other
minerals are hindered by the presence of some vitamins. If you eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables and combine
them with other whole foods (such as legumes, nuts, seeds,
herbs, and low-fat milk products), you can get all the vitamins
and minerals you need for optimum health. Table 6-2 outlines the minerals, what they do for your body,
what happens if you don’t get enough of them, and which juice
or smoothie ingredients are good sources of those minerals.Calcium boosters
Most people think of milk as the best source of calcium — and milk is a
good source: One 8-ounce glass of 2 percent  milk suppl ies 120 mg of it. But for people who are lactose intolerant, who don’ t drink a lot of milk, or
who can’t digest cheese, there are excellent calcium-rich ingredients to
add to smoothies or to stir into juices. Here are some foods  to use in
smoothies or juice to boost your calcium intake:
 Almonds: 1 ounce of almonds (approximately 23 nuts) has 75 mg
calcium. Add it to smoothies. Blackstrap molasses: 1 tablespoon has 137 mg of calcium. Stir it
into the juice or add it to ingredients in smoothies. Collard greens: 1 cup of collard greens has 266 mg of calcium. Juice
it raw or add it raw or lightly steamed to smoothies. Kale: 1 cup of boiled kale has 94 mg of calcium. Juice it raw or add it
raw or lightly steamed to smoothies. Papaya: 1 medium papaya has 73 mg of calcium. It’s great juiced or
in smoothies. Sesame seeds: 1/4 cup has 351 mg of calcium. You can add sesame
seeds to smoothies. Spinach: 1 cup of boiled spinach has 245 mg of calcium. Juice it raw
or add it raw or lightly steamed to smoothies. Seaweed: 1 cup of raw kelp has 136 mg of calcium (more than a
glass of milk). It’s best rehydrated and used in smoothies. Tahini: 2 tablespoons raw tahini (sesame seed butter) has 126 mg of
calcium. Add it to smoothie ingredients. Enzymes
Enzymes are chemicals produced by your glands and released
into the bloodstream. Think of them as your body’s couriers,
surﬁng the blood to get to their destinations with top priority or
life-changing messages. Enzymes are released by various endocrine glands — the
pituitary, hypothalamus, and thyroid glands, for example — and
travel through your bloodstream to reach their target organs or
tissues where they trigger some speciﬁc action by that part of
the body. In this way, enzymes facilitate proper functioning of
your body in areas of growth, development, and reproduction. In addition to being produced by your own glands, enzymes are
produced in plants and animals. The enzymes in live or raw
plants are best used in smoothies or juices (or eaten raw) so
that they can do their job as messengers and save your body
from the work of producing them.W h a t  d o  e n z y m e s  d o ? Enzymes are simply messengers. They don’t actually do
anything except deliver information to speciﬁc parts of your
body in order for them to do something. So, the cells or organs
react to the chemical stimulation carried by the enzymes. Here’s what enzymes tell your body to do:
 Make you grow and stop growing. Make you feel happy or sad. Speed up or slow down your body’s metabolism. Start puberty and menopause. Regulate your ﬁghting, mating, and ﬂeeing instincts. Enzymes are essential to normal growth, development,
and reproduction. T h e  r a w  t r u t h
Because enzymes are the keys that trigger the active work of
the body, they’re critical to good health. Although the body
does produce enzymes, outside the body, enzymes are found in
all living things, including food in its raw, uncooked form. Because we can’t eat many animal products raw, the very best
outside source of enzymes is in fresh, local, organic, raw fruit
and vegetables, herbs, grains, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Phytonutrients: Nature’s miracle workers
Phytonutrients are natural substances  that are found in plants. Thes e tiny,
life-giving nutrients can prevent or even cure disease.“Sign me up!” you say. Well, if you eat and drink a wide range of colorful
fruits and vegetables along with whole foods , you’ll be getting all the
essential nutrients, including phytonut rients, that you need to be well. If you want more information on phytonut rients, check  out Meals That
Heal: A Neutraceutical Approach to Diet and Health, by Lisa Turner
(Healing Arts Press). You should eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables because
each food contains the speciﬁc enzymes that help break down
the elements found within it. For example, the enzyme amylase
breaks down carbohydrates; amylase is present in bananas,
which are high in carbohydrates. Many people are proponents of a partial or total raw food diet,
and many books and other resources are available on the topic. A good general rule is to try to incorporate at least 25 percent
raw foods into your overall diet, and the easiest way to do that
is by making juices and smoothies every day. When foods are eaten raw, the food enzymes within
those foods do much of the work of digesting them, saving
the body from producing enzymes to do the work. Pr otein
Protein has been called the “building blocks” of the body. It’s
what your cells, tissues, and very essence are made from. Proteins have a number of functions in your body, including the
following:
 Building and repairing body cells, including muscles, teeth,
hair, nails, and bones Providing a source of energy
 Keeping your immune system functioning properly
 Controlling many of the important processes in the body
related to metabolism
Protein is made up of essential and nonessential amino acids. The body is able to make its own nonessential amino acids, but
essential amino acids must be obtained from food. Foods that
contain all the essential amino acids are called complete
proteins. If one or more essential amino acids are missing in a
food, that food is called an incomplete protein. Meat and dairy products are complete proteins, but because of
saturated fat, these foods may not be the healthiest. So,
nutritionists are exploring plant sources of protein. Most plant
sources of protein are incomplete, but when their essential
amino acids are combined, they provide complete protein. Soybeans are an excellent plant source of complete
protein. Quinoa, hemp seeds, and chia seeds are good
sources as well. Table 6-3 lists the essential amino acids and some plant foods
for juicing or smoothies that can supply these important
nutrients. Here are some great protein boosters that you can use in
juices and smoothies:
 Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are good sources of
protein — for example, 1/4 cup of almonds contains about 8
grams. Add up to 1/4 cup chopped nuts to smoothies. Oats: One cup of cooked oatmeal has 6 grams of protein. Add 1/4 cup per smoothie serving. Soybeans and other legumes: Soybeans are complete
protein providers, and other legumes (like chickpeas andbeans) deliver essential amino acids without fat or
cholesterol. Add up to 1/4 cup to each smoothie serving. Whey powder: Whey powder is a high-quality complete
protein that delivers essential amino acids without fat or
cholesterol. Add 1 tablespoon to each smoothie serving or
stir into juice. Yogurt, soft cheeses, and tofu: All contain complete
proteins. Add up to 1/2 cup to smoothies per serving. Fluids
Your body is at least 65 percent water, so staying hydrated is
important. Water is present in all cells, but it’s a major
component of your blood. And because the blood feeds your
cells and carries away toxins and waste from metabolism,
healthy blood means healthy tissues and cells. Fresh organic vegetable and fruit juices provide vital pure water
to your body, and their nutrients help to cleanse the blood and
transfer live plant energy to all parts of your body. Pure juices
do this without your liver or kidneys having to work to sift out
toxins. Most other beverages — including tea, coffee, sodas,
alcoholic drinks, and treated water — contain one or more of
the following: sugar, additives, preservatives, chlorine, ﬂuoride,
and caffeine. These must be eliminated before the body can use
the water in them. Quenching thirst and replenishing minerals lost through
sweating is an important function of fresh, pure juices. For
an excellent after-exercise drink, juice the following
ingredients. 2 slices watermelon with rind, cut to ﬁt the feed tube2 stalks celery
1/2 English cucumber
You can mix the juice with an equal amount of pure water or
take it straight. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of turmeric — turmeric is
an excellent post-exercise herb because it’s anti-inﬂammatory
and reduces post-exercise pain. Don’t wait for thirst to tell you that you need to drink
water. By that point, your body is dangerously low in ﬂuids. The truth about supplements
The dietary supplement industry is a pow erful force. It spends  millions of
dollars on communicating the message that poor  nutrition can be ﬁxed by
popping pills. By deﬁnition of the Health and Educat ion Act, dietary suppl ements are
 Intended to supplement the diet
 Contain one or more ingredients (like vitamins, herbs, amino acids,
or their constituents)
 Meant to be taken orally
 Labeled as dietary supplements
The Food and Drug Administration regul ates the manuf acturing of
supplements and ensures that they are produced in a quality manner , free
of contaminants or impurities, and accur ately label ed. The ﬁrst thing to remember about suppl ements is that they’re meant  to
enhance your diet if there are shortfalls or deﬁci enci es. They  aren’t
intended to, nor can they ever replace nutritious foods . In addi tion, it’simportant to know that isolated, chem ical replicas of vitamins or minerals
or phytonutrients can’t come close to offering the com plex and interactive
array of nutrients in whole foods. Although food scientists have ident iﬁed
many key components of food, there are still unident iﬁed nutrients in
foods, and all nutrients work together to provide a total heal thy and
balanced diet. The American Dietetic Association recogni zes that a small num ber of
people may require supplements becaus e the speci ﬁc nutrients they need
are hard to get in adequate amounts in their diets. Thes e groups  of peopl e
are
 Pregnant women and nursing mothers
 Strict vegans or vegetarians
 People with food allergies or intolerances
 Seniors
Bottom line: Unless you fall into a group at risk, take pure veget able and
fruit juices in place of a multivitamin pill; make a lunch or dinner  smoothie
instead of a meal replacement liquid product ; design your own sports
juices that replace lost ﬂuids and minerals and that include foods  high in
sodium and whisk in 1 teaspoon of pow dered turmeric to reduce post-
exercise pain; eat a whole-food diet; avoid fast food,  reﬁned foods , and
empty calorie snacks. Drink the Rainbow: How to Make
Sur e Y ou Get the Nutrients Y ou
NeedThe Greek physician Hippocrates (460 b.c.–c. 370 b.c.) said, “Let
your food be your medicine.” But that was centuries ago. How
can you let your food be your medicine today? The U.S. Surgeon
General, Canada’s Food Guide, the United Kingdom Food
Standards Agency, the Australian Government’s Department of
Health and Aging, and the National Cancer Institute all agree:
Eating more fruits and vegetables will reduce the risk of
cancer and other modern diseases. Science shows that fruits and vegetables contain all the
vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other phytonutrients that help
prevent cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis,
and stroke. We know now what Hippocrates claimed: that what
you eat becomes your body and what you drink becomes your
blood; that your food is your medicine. Finding it hard to cut out the “bad” foods you’ve come to eat
without thinking? Try squeezing them out. Snack on fresh fruits
and vegetables (or drinks made from them) and nuts and seeds. Fill at least half of your mealtime plate with more fruits,
vegetables, and legumes, and let whole grains, organic meats,
nuts, seeds, and milk products ﬁll the other half. You shouldn’t
have room for anything else. The message is clear: For a healthy body, eat a whole-food diet
that consists of fresh organic fruits, vegetables, lentils, legumes,
herbs, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and small amounts of meat
and low-fat dairy products. Using fresh, organic vegetables and
fruits in juices and smoothies helps to increase the number of
servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. The best way to make sure you’re getting the vitamins
and minerals you need is by drinking the rainbow. Fruits
and vegetables come in a rainbow of colors — red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet — and it’s easy to get
optimum nutrients from the food you eat by including one
or more foods in each color every day. Here are examples
of places where you can get all the colors of the rainbow:
 Red: Beets, cherries, cranberries, pink grapefruit,
pomegranates, raspberries, red cabbage, red grapes, red
peppers, red potatoes, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes,
watermelon
 Orange: Apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, mangoes,
nectarines, orange peppers, papayas, persimmons,
pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes
 Yellow: Citrus fruit, corn, grapefruit, peaches, pears,
pineapple, rutabaga, yellow peppers, yellow summer
squash, yellow tomatoes, yellow watermelon
 Green: Asparagus, avocadoes, beet greens, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans,
green cabbage, green grapes, green peppers, honeydew
melon, kale, kiwi, limes, mustard greens, peas, spinach,
Swiss chard, turnip greens, zucchini
 Blue: Blueberries, concord grapes
 Indigo: Blackberries, dates, elderberries, ﬁgs, plums,
prunes, raisins
 Violet: Eggplant, plums, purple grapes
 White: Bananas, cauliﬂower, garlic, ginger, jicama,
mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, turnipsChapter 7
Juicing and Smoothies for the Outside
In This Chapter
 Looking younger, feeling better
 Improving your skin
 Building healthy hair and nails
 Shedding extra pounds
Beauty is more than skin deep. In fact, it reaches right down to the
molecules and cells of your body. Organs and blood, bone and ﬂesh
— vibrant good looks radiate outward from them. When all the body’s
systems, especially the organs of elimination and digestion, are
working at their best, it’s reﬂected in your skin, eyes, nails, and hair. You glow with a clean and honest beauty that has nothing to do with
perfect features, artful makeup, or the right clothes. Vibrant, healthy good looks are your natural reward from what you
choose to eat and drink and the exercise you get on a daily basis. In
this chapter, I call on science to explain the factors that contribute to
aging so that you can understand how consuming fresh fruits and
vegetables actually saves your body from the ravages of time. Glowing skin, bright eyes, shining hair, and strong nails are the other
beneﬁts of smoothies and juices that I explore. Are you hoping to lose
weight? This chapter helps you to achieve optimum health and
weight by taking you through the practical steps you need to take in
order to achieve realistic goals. Looking your best on the outside may spur you to learn more about
juicing and blending for the inside. It’s all connected, so keep reading
to Chapter 8. Looking Y oungerWe all know what happens in aging — the loss of strength and energy,
the slowing of the mental processes and memory, the graying hair,
and changes to the skeleton and skin — but do you understand what
aging actually is? Here are a couple of things to consider before you
submit to the general theory that you can’t win the ﬁght against
aging:
 From about the time we reach puberty, we begin to age. Aging is
a continuous process that can be slowed but not stopped. Why
not concentrate on slowing the process, protecting the cells
against damage, and staying healthy longer? Aging is a progressive process that gets worse with time,
accumulating and compounding. Why not protect the immune
system so that the body isn’t weakened, and so that cells are
strong and the domino effect of cell destruction is not allowed to
open the door to fatal diseases? Maybe you can’t win, but you can deﬁnitely score some points and
enjoy the game. What exactly is aging? It could be that the body is designed to age
and there is a biological timeline that our bodies follow. Or maybe
changes in hormones control aging. Or maybe the immune system is
programmed to decline over time, leaving people more susceptible to
diseases. Other aging theories assert that, like electronic products
and car engines, cells and tissues simply wear out. Others reason that
the faster an organism uses oxygen, the shorter it lives. All these
theories may contribute in a large or small part to aging. Science has proved that molecules known as free radicals cause
damage to cells, and this destruction leaves them vulnerable to
disease and premature aging. There is no doubt that your body is continually undergoing complex
biochemical functions, reactions, and changes and that time is
exacting a toll. The one thing that you can do to counteract them and
protect the cells, the immune system, and other vital organs is to feed
them the high-quality nutrients they need to stay toxin-free and
functioning at optimal levels.Juices and smoothies allow you to absorb the nutrients from fruits
and vegetables. This is important because, as you age, your digestive
function diminishes or is impaired by toxins or years of poor food
choices. The nutrients in juices and smoothies pass directly into your
blood because they’ve been broken down, or “pre-digested,” so that
they don’t put any strain on your digestive system. Vitamin C is necessary for the synthesis of collagen, which in turn
keeps all your tissues (including your skin) in tip-top condition. Vitamin A found in the deep red, orange, and green fruits and
vegetables is converted to retinol by the body. Retinol protects the
surface of the eye, or the cornea, and is essential for good vision. And
it just so happens that the fruits and vegetables high in vitamins C
and A are also high in antioxidants. F o c u s i n g  o n  f r e e  r a d i c a l  d a m a g e
Free radicals are highly unstable molecules that are dangerous
because they lack an electron, which causes them to latch on to other
molecules in the body in order to steal an electron from them. In
doing this, free radicals damage vital cell structures, thus destroying
DNA, enzymes, proteins, and membranes and causing them to
malfunction. Free radicals are a product of stress, chemical
pollutants, and toxins, as well as normal cell function. When cells
create energy by metabolizing food or when our immune systems
attack microorganisms, these essential cell activities produce
unstable oxygen molecules known as free radicals. There is no escaping the fact that your body will be producing the
very agents of aging that contribute to wrinkles, sagging skin, loss of
muscle tone, age spots, and the onset of age-related diseases. But
there is a powerful tool that your body can use to mop up free
radicals and prevent them from doing harm. That important
preventive tool is the group of nutrients known as antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances found in plants that act as sponges in
your body to soak up free radicals. There has been a tremendous
amount of research surrounding antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A, C,and E) and their role in slowing aging, boosting immune response,
and reducing the risk of degenerative diseases. If the foods you eat provide plenty of high-quality antioxidants, they
can neutralize free radical damage and slow aging. Antioxidants are
found in deep red, orange, or green plant foods. (See Chapter 20 for a
list of ten antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.) Making smoothies and juices from enzyme- and antioxidant-rich fruits
and vegetables means that you’re releasing these virtual sponges into
your body. Antioxidants and enzymes work together on the inside of
cells to protect against free radicals, and antioxidants also circulate
through the blood to neutralize free radicals outside the cell
structures. P r e v e n t i n g  o r  r e v e r s i n g  a g e  s p o t s
Often called “liver spots,” these ﬂat brown areas may begin to appear
on the face, hands, arms, legs, chest, and neck around middle age
(thus, the term age spots). Age spots are a result of exposure to the
sun. Over time, our skin is subjected to increasing amounts of sun
damage to the melanocytes (skin cells that produce melanin pigment,
which helps to protect us from the sun). In fact, age spots have nothing to do with how old you are. Instead,
they’re related to how long you’ve been exposed to the sun and how
good a job your melanocytes work. Fair-skinned people tend to have
more of these dark spots than their dark-skinned counterparts. Free radical damage (in this case, from the sun) is at the root of the
problem. When you see dark spots on your skin, they’re an indication
that the cells are damaged and are accumulating waste. Again, foods high in antioxidants can protect skin cells from free
radical destruction. In addition, one to three days of juice fasting
helps to cleanse your body at the cellular level because your body
can concentrate on cleanup and repair when it doesn’t have to use its
resources for digestion. A juice fast is an opportunity for your body
to clean out the wastes that have accumulated, including those thatare clumped together on the top layers of your skin. (See Chapter 9
for more on fasting and detoxing.) Using a mineral sunscreen, such as zinc or titanium, early in
life will help to prevent formation of age spots. If you notice a new bump or dark spot on your skin, or if a
spot you’ve had for a while starts to change, consult a doctor to
make sure it’s not cancerous. R e c o g n i z i n g  t h e  a n t i - a g i n g ,  r e s t o r a t i v e
p o w e r  o f  g r e e n  j u i c e s
Like the green foods they’re made from, green juices are bursting
with chlorophyll, enzymes, and phytonutrients, in a combination
that’s perfect for rebuilding, rejuvenating, and regenerating cells;
energizing the body; protecting cells from free radicals, radiation, and
degenerative diseases; as well as boosting immune performance. All
this prevention and restorative power makes them powerful anti-
aging drinks. Table 7-1 lists green ingredients and the nutrients they contain.Other green ingredients include celery, cucumber, endive, fennel,
fenugreek, broccoli, sunﬂower sprouts, lamb’s quarters, herbs
(especially parsley), and sweet bell peppers. Start slowly and add highly potent green ingredients to juice
ingredients, slowly building the amounts, but never adding more
than one-quarter greens to three-quarters other vegetables. R e c h a r g i n g  y o u r  b a t t e r i e s
An active person’s metabolic rate (the amount of energy you burn
while at rest) burns hotter and faster than that of an inactive person. Increasing activity requires the body to burn more calories, which
come from excess body fat or from the food you consume. The beneﬁts of increasing your activity level is that your body weight
will drop, you’ll be providing your body with a wider variety of
vitamins and minerals (including antioxidant or anti-aging nutrients)
because of the extra food you’ll be consuming to fuel your exercise. In addition, your body will get better at using the vitamins and
minerals it takes in, and this results in healthier cells, thus slowing
the aging process. Fruit smoothies and juices provide the best energy for recharging
your batteries if you’re an active person. For an excellent energy
juice, try juicing the following:
 1 apple
 1 slice pineapple
 1 slice watermelon or cantaloupe
 2 carrots
 1 wedge of cabbage
Combine the following ingredients in the blender for an energy
smoothie:
 1/2 cup orange juice
 1/4 cup carrot juice 1 cup watermelon cubes or seedless grapes
 1 cup cantaloupe cubes
 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries
Impr oving Y our Skin
The transformation of your skin to a ﬂawless, glowing complexion
starts on the inside. Nutrients and pure water found in raw fruits and
vegetables are the keys to beautiful skin, and drinking pure fruit and
vegetable juices or smoothies feeds and enables the growth of
healthy skin cells that will transform your skin. Your body’s skin is actually one of the biggest organs, and it’s made
up of several layers. The outer layer, or epidermis, acts as a barrier to
environmental damage from bacteria and toxic chemicals, as well as
from the sun’s rays, and it assists in the elimination of toxins from the
body. The dermis cells (the deeper layers of the skin) nourish the
epidermis and replenish the cells of the epidermis and its millions of
dead cells on the surface that are constantly being shed. This is the
layer that is made from elastin and collagen that forms the structure
of your skin. It gives ﬁrmness to the skin and can sag or become
creased with lines. Overexposure to sun damages the dermis, making
it leathery and wrinkled. The deepest layer of skin is called the
hypodermis; this is where sweat glands, hair follicles, and main blood
vessels of the skin are found. A layer of dead cells that have undergone a process called
keratinization forms the top layer of the epidermis. This top layer
has had the protein hardened. That’s what makes the top skin
cells waterproof. Vitamin C improves the suppleness of the skin because it builds
collagen. Collagen is made up of proteins that form the “glue” used by
the body to connect and support tissues such as skin, bone, tendons,
muscles, organs, teeth, gums, and cartilage. Fruits and vegetableshigh in vitamin C — citrus fruit, strawberries, cabbage, and peppers
— are essential for healthy skin. Cleansing your body to improve your skin
All the cells of your body can be ﬁlled with waste and,  worse, toxins, but you
can’t see any of those cells as you can see the skin. The quickest way to
actually see a difference in your skin cells (and know  that the same difference
has taken place in all other cells of your body ) is to fast or cleans e for a few
days using only fresh, raw fruit juices. Results from a two- to three-day fruit cleans e vary, but you’ll notice a visible
difference in the texture, ﬁrmness, and cont our of your skin, which shoul d lead
to a lessening in the number and dept h of facial lines and wrinkles. The skin (as
well as your hair and eyes) will exhibit a bright, clear glow. It’s best to juice-cleanse over a weekend,  starting and ﬁnishing with raw foods
on the days just before and after you’re actually only drinking pure water along
with fresh, raw fruit juices. You can sip as many juices as you want during the
fast, depending on how hungry you get, but six is the usual num ber to expect  to
drink each day. (See Chapter 9 for more details.) Acne busters
When pores and hair follicles becom e blocked, sebum, the skin’s natural oil,
can’t drain and bacteria infect it, caus ing blackheads  and whiteheads  to form
just under the skin. Fasting will help to clear the cells of waste. Cleans ing the
skin on the outside with gentle facial soap and cleans ing it on the inside is the
very best remedy for acne that you’ll ever ﬁnd. In addition, diet is important to reducing inﬂam mation and keepi ng the skin
follicles open and clear. Foods for your face that are rich in vitamins A, B, and C
and smoothies and juices that are made from melons, spinach,  and other dark
leafy greens (parsley, kale, and Swiss char d) and broccol i can help treat acne. Yellow-orange vegetables and fruits, for example, apricots, red pepper s, carrots,
squash, and carrots are bursting with anti-inﬂam matory beta carotene,  anot her
good acne buster.In addition to vitamin C, a host of nutrients found in fruits and
vegetables are essential to healthy skin. Vitamin A helps the skin rid
itself of blemishes and stimulates the renewal of skin cells; vitamin E
protects against skin cancer, speeds healing of cuts and abrasions,
and prevents dryness; calcium supports the bones so that skin
doesn’t sag or wrinkle; and essential fatty acids feed the skin, making
it soft and plump instead of dry and lined. Water is essential for healthy cells, including skin cells. Regular water intake in the form of pure water or the ﬂuids in
fruits and vegetables helps to ﬂush waste that causes dull,
lifeless skin. Because fruits and vegetables are over 90 percent
pure water that has been naturally ﬁltered through the plant’s
root system, they’re an excellent way to hydrate the cells of your
body. Gr owing Healthy Hair and Nails
What is one of the easiest ways for nutritionists and other health
professionals to determine malnourishment, nutrient minerals, and
trace elements your body may be lacking, and even toxic exposure to
elements like lead, cadmium, mercury, aluminum, or arsenic? By
analyzing your hair. That’s because hair permanently records your
body’s levels of these important nutrients and offers a snapshot of
your body’s state at a particular time. The reason hair analysis is so accurate and reliable is that when new
hair cells are forming the hair follicle, they take in traces of
substances in the blood stream — protein, fat, vitamins, minerals,
and trace elements, as well as toxic substances. New cells push out
the older cells, and as the hair or nail cells move away from the
follicle or nail bed, they die and harden, trapping and mapping
exactly what was in them or lacking in them at the time of the cells’
death.Healthy hair and nails have a natural luster, strength, and shine that
come directly from the nutrients in the blood vessels in the dermis at
the base of the hair follicle and the nail bed. Feeding the cells that are
important for the regenerative growth of both hair and nails means
that when they eventually die and are keratinized, they will be
stronger. Sebum, the body’s natural oil, comes from the sebaceous gland
connected to the hair follicle. When the oil is replenished from the
foods you eat and drink, it coats the hair and gives it more luster and
natural shine. You already know that juicing and smoothies will deliver
concentrated vitamins and minerals, as well as some protein,
carbohydrate, and fat, depending on the ingredients you choose to
add. And you know that those nutrients pass directly into your blood
from fruit and vegetable juices because the ﬁber has been removed. Table 7-2 lists the speciﬁc foods to juice daily or add to your
smoothies to feed your hair and nails. Losing W eight
A few years ago, I lost 30 pounds over the course of a year. I was
pleased that I had accomplished my goal and that, in the process, I
didn’t actually feel like I had deprived myself of good food. What
surprised me the most about the reaction of my friends and family
was their one question: “How did you lose weight?”
I’m here to tell you what I told them: There is no magic involved in
losing weight. Anyone who makes a commitment to being healthy and
losing weight can do it. There is only one sure route to weight loss,
and that is to make sure that you burn more calories than you take in. Your body converts what you eat and drink into energy using a
process called metabolism. Calories from protein, carbohydrate, or
fat are combined with oxygen during this complex biochemical
process to release the energy your body needs to work and move and
even for internal functions while you’re sleeping or at rest. The number of calories your body uses to satisfy its energy needs is
called your basal metabolic rate (BMR). It’s based on your age, sex,
and body size and composition. Your BMR should account for 60
percent to 75 percent of the calories you burn every day. BMR is the
number of calories that nutritionists use to calculate how many
calories you should be eating in a day to lose or gain weight.The role of fat in weight gain or loss
Of all the nutrients in food, only proteins, carbohy drates, and fats cont ain
calories. And fat contains over two times the num ber of calories per gram that
proteins or carbohydrates contain. We need complex carbohydrates like those found in fruits and veget ables; lean
protein from nuts, beans, soy, chicken, and ﬁsh; and small amount s (not more
than 25 percent of your total calories) of polyunsaturated fats like avocado oil,
olive oil, and nut oils. The focus shoul d be on omega- 3 fats becaus e they’re the
types of fats least consumed in the moder n Western diet. Because fat is over twice as concent rated in calories as protein or
carbohydrates and because it enters the body  in a state ready  to be stored,
consumption of high-fat foods in amount s not balanced by physical activity
leads to weight gain, so use it sparingly. It’s important to note that excess
carbohydrates are easily converted and stored as fat if they aren’t used by the
body for energy. One of the most important advantages  of pure fruit or veget able juices and
smoothies is that, while they contain plant proteins and carbohy drates, they’re
completely free of fat. This makes them  valuabl e snack  and meal substitutes to
use as part of your new, healthy routine. The only factor that can change the number of calories your
body burns or converts to energy in a day is physical activity. If you eat or drink fewer calories than your body burns over the
course of time, it will begin to use energy stored as fat to fuel its BMR
and physical activity. If you want to loose weight and you choose not
to increase the amount of physical activity you do in a day, you’ll
have to decrease the number of calories you consume. If you change
to lower-fat foods and decrease the number of calories you take in
and you begin to add some form of physical activity to your daily
routine, you’ll burn fat and lose weight at a faster rate.T a k i n g  t h e  l o n g - t e r m  a p p r o a c h
Remember I mentioned that I took a year to lose 30 pounds? That
works out to about 21/2 pounds per month. Not all that impressive
when stacked up against the claims of some popular diets, I admit. However, slow, steady weight loss has proven to be the most effective
method of keeping you motivated and at being able to maintain your
new, healthy weight. You stay motivated by taking a long-term approach because losing
one to six pounds a month means that you’re setting reasonable goals
instead of starving or depriving yourself only to go right back to old
habits when the diet is ﬁnished. It gives you results you can track,
and it means that you’re revamping your eating habits over a longer
period of time and training yourself to rethink your attitudes about
food, health, and weight. To lose 1 pound of fat, a person must consume or burn
(through exercise) 3,500 calories less than he or she uses. M a k i n g  l i f e s t y l e  c h a n g e s
In addition to reducing calories in and increasing calories out, there
are other factors that guarantee success in achieving and maintaining
an appropriate weight. Having a positive attitude and making a
commitment based on reasonable goals will ensure long-term success
in your weight loss program. Here are some of the adjustments that
will prove to be the most important changes you’ll ever make
because they take you away from crash or temporary diet toward
permanent lifestyle changes:
 Eat and drink low-fat foods. Juices and smoothies are excellent
low-fat meal replacement and snack alternatives. Every
individual’s caloric needs varies, but generally, a successful
weight-loss program provides 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day. Eating complex carbohydrates in the form of raw fruits andvegetables will give you a feeling of being full with over half the
calories of a high-fat meal. Eating large amounts of high-fat foods promotes weight gain and
keeps fat stored on the body. Increase ﬁber. Drinking fruit or vegetable smoothies helps
increase your ﬁber intake. Insoluble and soluble ﬁber are found
only in plant foods. Fiber is most abundant in fresh raw fruits
and vegetables. The bulk from fruits and vegetables is due to the
ﬁber and cellulose in plant foods, which gives a feeling of
fullness and means that you’ll stop eating sooner. Raw fruits and
vegetables contain no fat and are relatively low in calories and
provide consistent energy production. Metabolizing stored fat during weight loss releases toxins in
those cells, and ﬁber helps eliminate those wastes. Mix 1 tablespoon of psyllium husk powder into fresh juices or
smoothies and take before and between meals to help reduce
appetite. Be sure to drink eight glasses of water daily. Drink fresh juices and smoothies every day. For snacks
between meals, juices are best because they provide pure
absorbable nutrients quickly. A great start to any weight-loss
program is to begin with a one- to three-day juice fast. Drink
fresh fruit juice at breakfast and midmorning and take fresh
vegetable juices after that, for lunch, midafternoon, at
dinnertime, and midevening. This feeds your body an
abundance of absorbable nutrients while allowing your stomach
muscles to relax and contract. (See Chapter 9 for details on
cleansing with juice.) Use smoothies for meal replacements. Smoothies are excellent
because the ﬁber in them gives a feeling of fullness that stays
with you longer. Substitute all high-fat, empty-calorie snacks
with fresh juice and replace one meal with a smoothie, and
you’ll reduce your overall calorie intake dramatically. Consider enjoying a one-day juice fast every week to keep
ﬂushing the body with pure, absorbable nutrients, which help to
reduce cravings. Drink eight glasses of pure water every day. Pure water is
essential, and you can count pure juice or herbal teas as one or
two of the eight recommended glasses. Every time you crave
something or feel hungry, drink a glass of water (or juice or
smoothie, depending on the time of day and convenience)
because it will give you a feeling of fullness. Water hydrates your
cells, suppresses your appetite, and works with the extra ﬁber
from raw fruits and vegetables to ﬂush toxins and metabolize fat
from the body. Eliminate sugar and sweet beverages and foods. Never use
artiﬁcial sweeteners. Natural and reﬁned sugars are mostly
empty calories, meaning that they offer no nutrients and are
more likely to get stored as fat than used for energy by your
body. Sweets stimulate the appetite so, strictly speaking, all-fruit
juices or smoothies should be avoided when you’re in a weight-
loss program, unless you’re using them in a cleanse. Artiﬁcial sweeteners stimulate the appetite and add to toxic
waste in the cells. Exercise regularly. Walk, run, jog, practice yoga, dance, cycle,
swim, play tennis, or engage in another sport as part of your
exercise program. Our bodies are made to move, and when they
don’t get the activity they were designed for, they begin to store
excess energy as fat. Exercise is essential for weight loss and for
healthy, ﬁt bodies. Find a way to include at least 30 minutes of moderate activity or
exercise four to ﬁve times per week. Choose healthy foods all the time. Eating six small portions of
whole foods and one or two juices or smoothies is healthier
than three large, high-fat meals. The reason I call these suggestions healthy lifestyle habits is
that, in order for you to see permanent results in ﬁtness, health,
and weight, you need to make permanent changes to your
attitude about food and the food choices you make from here on
out. This is not a diet to endure and then slip back to the old
ways. Changing the habit of what you have for meals and snacks
is the key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Healthy foods include small amounts of lean sources of
protein — nuts, whole grains, legumes, ﬁsh, lean dairy, lean
meats — with eight to ten servings of fresh fruits and
vegetables. The good news is that with the help of a juice cleanse and regular
intake of juices and smoothies, cravings, especially sweet cravings,
will stop within the ﬁrst few days and your appetite for fat will
decrease. As your body is nourished by the whole foods you eat and
drink, the body will be less stressed and working at its optimum, and
digestion will be working properly. You’ll ﬁnd that your energy levels
rise with exercise and healthy eating habits. S t a y i n g  r e g u l a r  w i t h  f r u i t  a n d  f i b e r
Eating ﬁber is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to prevent
disease and maintain health and a reasonable weight because it helps
the body to eliminate waste materials and deadly toxins. Unlike
soluble ﬁber, which absorbs water to form a gel, which pushes food
along the digestive tract, insoluble ﬁber doesn’t dissolve, so it moves
through the intestines virtually intact and without being absorbed. Insoluble ﬁber, found in apple skins, cherries, grapes, pineapple,
rhubarb, oranges, melons, dates, prunes, and berries, adds bulk to
stomach and bowel movements, reducing constipation, and causing
you to feel full, thus helping with appetite control. Vegetables high in
insoluble ﬁber include turnips, beets, cauliﬂower, cabbage, Brussels
sprouts, and carrots. Fruits and vegetables are best if eaten raw
because cooking softens the ﬁber and breaks down some of the
cellular structure. S n a c k i n g  o n  j u i c e s  a n d  s m o o t h i e s
Do you ﬁnd yourself eating in your car, in front of the computer or
television, or while in the kitchen, preparing dinner? Those are the
worst times to snack because they’re mindless consumption, notusually because you’re actually hungry, and the choices are usually
empty-calorie, high-salt, high-fat foods. Do you drink several cups or glasses of carbonated drinks, iced tea,
coffee, or ﬂavored water? Next time you reach for your favorite drink,
check the number of calories in it and multiply them by the average
number of times you drink them in a day. Drinking sugar, caffeine,
artiﬁcial sugar, and calories is an unconscious habit that can be easily
eliminated. Choosing a juice or smoothie as a snack does two things:
 It causes you to think about what you’re doing and signals that
you have actually chosen to include this food in your daily
routine instead of absently munching. It actually helps to reduce cravings and quenches thirst because
it provides pure water and nutrients directly into the blood
stream. Vegetables are the best choice for juice and smoothie snacks when
weight loss is a goal. D r i n k i n g  j u i c e s  a n d  s m o o t h i e s  a s  m e a l
r e p l a c e m e n t s
Before you start to think that I’m recommending that you use juices
and smoothies as a substitute for a balanced diet, let me be clear:
They should always be an integrated part of a balanced diet. Having
said that, you can start to control the amount of calories and the
portions of foods you consume within a balanced diet by drinking a
juice or smoothie for one meal in your day on an occasional basis. Keeping a food log and knowing the total calories you consume each
day is a pretty good exercise for anyone serious about losing weight. It not only shows you how much you consume, but also helps to
pinpoint the high-calorie foods. A successful weight-loss program
provides 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day. You can divide your day into
ﬁve light meals and three light snacks, allowing roughly 200 caloriesper meal and between 100 and 150 calories for the snacks. If you’re
still eating three main meals and one or two snacks in a day, that
works out to roughly 350 to 400 calories per meal and 100 to 200
calories for the snacks. It’s important for you to get an idea of how
many calories are in the foods you eat every day and how to keep
everything you eat — meals, drinks, and snacks — in line with a
reasonable calorie goal for your age, sex, and physical activity. Drinking a pure vegetable juice or smoothie is an excellent
way to nourish your body with vitamins, minerals, and
phytonutrients, while lowering calories because they’re are
virtually fat-free and lower in natural sugars than fruit. Here are
some tips for making juices and smoothies to replace a meal:
 Choose mostly vegetables and use fruit sparingly. One apple or
other fruit to three vegetables is a good ratio to follow for juices
or smoothies. Use only low-fat dairy products in smoothies. Skip cheese and
ice cream and check labels on yogurt for artiﬁcial sweeteners
and other ingredients used as thickeners; use skim or 1 percent
milk in smoothies. Use only your own juices in smoothies. Juicing your own
apples or oranges for the liquid in smoothies will reduce the
calories signiﬁcantly because bottled juices tend to be higher in
calories. Add some protein. Stir a tablespoon of ﬂaxseeds, chia seeds,
nuts, tofu, or whey powder into juice or smoothies. Include dark greens. Adding kale, Swiss chard, spinach, or
broccoli boosts calcium. Avoid dried and canned fruit. They’re usually high in sugar,
and some are treated with chemicals.F l u s h i n g  f a t s  w i t h  j u i c e ,  w a t e r ,  a n d
s m o o t h i e s
Your digestive system, especially your liver, is important to
maintaining overall health and, speciﬁcally, to maintaining optimal
body weight. That’s because the liver is the primary organ for
ﬁltering out pollutants and chemicals from your food and, just as
important, metabolizes fat. Detoxifying and cleansing the liver makes
it more efﬁcient so that nutrients are absorbed, waste and toxins are
cleared, and fat is burned more effectively. Eating organic foods and avoiding over-the-counter drugs as much as
possible is the ﬁrst step in helping the liver do its job. The next is to
drink those eight glasses of water! Last, cleansing the liver is
absolutely essential. A juice fast to cleanse the liver and lymphatic system is one of
the keys to your health. I guarantee you’ll feel better, and it’ll
help your liver work with you as you begin to lose weight. Here is
a simple plan for a liver cleanse:
Day 1: Pre-cleanse: Eat only raw foods — no dairy, no grains, no
animal protein. Here are some suggestions:
• Make a fresh, raw fruit juice for breakfast and a midmorning
snack (see Chapter 11 for recipes, but omit all dairy). • Either eat ten raw almonds throughout the day or grind them
and stir half of them into your breakfast and midmorning
juices. • Make a fresh green salad for lunch and dress it with 2
tablespoons of organic, cold-pressed nut, avocado, or olive
oil mixed with 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. • In the midafternoon, make a fresh, raw vegetable juice with a
beet and some greens — you can pick a vegetable juice
recipe from Chapter 12 and add the beet and greens, or use
the Borscht recipe in Chapter 12 and omit the yogurt.• For dinner, either eat a fresh vegetable salad or drink a
vegetable smoothie. In the mid-evening, drink a vegetable
smoothie. • Be sure to drink eight glasses of pure water throughout the
day. You can have herbal tea, but no coffee or black tea. Days 2, 3, and (optional) 4: Cleanse: Drink only pure juice or
water. Here are some suggestions:
• Upon rising, drink a glass of fresh pure water mixed with the
juice of 1/2 lemon. Wait an hour, and make a fresh, raw fruit
juice as your breakfast. • Juice 4 cups fresh cranberries and 1 apple; measure the juice
and add an equal amount of pure water. Cover and set aside
in the refrigerator. Drink 1 cup midmorning and 1 cup
midafternoon. • At noon, drink a vegetable juice and drink a vegetable juice
again every two hours after that. • Be sure to drink eight glasses of pure water throughout the
day. You can have herbal tea, but no coffee or black tea. Day 4 or 5: Post-cleanse: Eat only raw foods — no dairy, no
grains, no animal protein. Here are some suggestions:
• Make a fresh, raw fruit juice for breakfast and a midmorning
snack (see Chapter 11 for recipes, but omit all dairy). • Either eat ten raw almonds throughout the day or grind them
and stir half of them into your breakfast and midmorning
juices. • Make a fresh green salad for lunch and dress it with 2
tablespoons of organic, cold-pressed nut, avocado, or olive
oil mixed with 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. • In the midafternoon, make a fresh, raw vegetable juice with a
beet and some greens — you can pick a vegetable juice
recipe from Chapter 12 and add the beet and greens, or use
the Borscht recipe in Chapter 12 and omit the yogurt. • For dinner, either eat a fresh vegetable salad or drink a
vegetable smoothie. In the mid-evening, drink a vegetablesmoothie. • Be sure to drink eight glasses of pure water throughout the
day. You can have herbal tea, but no coffee or black tea.Chapter 8
Juicing and Smoothies for the Inside
In This Chapter
 Feeling energized and sexy
 Living longer
 Improving immunity and memory
Given that we live in a fast-paced, stress-ﬁlled, modern society
with escalating demands on our time and patience and
seemingly little choice for nourishing food, it’s not surprising
that many people consider wellness and health to be the
absence of sickness and disease. But high-level wellness — that
clear-headed, exuberant, and joyful state of being that
encompasses social, mental, emotional, and physical ﬁtness and
well-being — involves so much more than simply not being sick. In 1961, Dr. Halbert L. Dunn described optimum or, in his words,
high-level well-being as a state wherein you are “alive clear to
the tips of your ﬁngers. You have energy to burn. You tingle with
vitality.”
Emerging from the fog of low-level nutrition in order to “tingle
with vitality” is something that is possible for everyone to
achieve through diet and exercise. It’s not by chance that some
people are lean and strong and resistant to illness, have sharp
brains, and stay sexually vibrant. It’s not always genetics that
keeps some people spending vast sums of money for
supplements and treatments for conditions that could have
easily been prevented. Instead, it’s the small day-to-day decisions that revolve around
conscious and unconscious habits that raise or lower our ownlevel of health. This chapter is all about feeding your body at a
cellular level so that each intricate component can fulﬁll its
brilliant potential and compose the shining entity that you are. It’s about bringing about physical and mental change from the
inside. Incr easing Y our Energy Level
People are meant to think and move, dance and play. They’re
wired for contemplation, recollection, memory, and throwing
their entire beings into their passions. And at the end of the day,
they may be spent and tired and ready for a long, rejuvenating
sleep, but they’ve also been able to think clearly and act with
vitality. They feel rewarded for their efforts and their ability to
handle whatever the day has presented. Operating at a low,
depressed, irritable, and lethargic pace is crippling in an
insidious way — but it’s often a normal way of life for people
who think they don’t have time to eat well, replenish their
spirits, and exercise. Ironically, people who take the time to nourish their bodies and
spirits and who set aside a mere 30 minutes for physical activity
every day actually have more time for all the daily routine tasks,
as well as the unplanned challenges, because they’re mentally,
emotionally, and physically equipped to accomplish their goals
and handle the stresses, which allows them to get more done. Increasing your energy level through cleansing and ﬂushing (see
Chapter 9) and feeding and fueling the cells not only infuses
your body, but also begins to change your thinking and your
emotions in ways that you may not expect. In their raw state, all plants (in particular, fruits) are reservoirs
of solar energy. The presence of this incredible energy is what
makes raw plant food so vital to our health. It’s what separates
synthesized chemical supplements from the vitamins, minerals,and other nutrients in the real thing. Fresh, raw fruit is higher in
solar energy than any other plant, although vegetables, grains,
nuts, seeds, and legumes all contribute that life-giving force to
us if we eat them raw. Food plants that have a long, slow
ripening process and that are ripened on the vine or in the ﬁeld
(instead of in gas-ﬁlled containers or on shelves) have more
time to absorb and store the sun’s energy, and that’s why most
fruits are exceptional energy storehouses. Naturally sun-dried
fruit or vegetables are also high in solar energy. The sun’s energy is stored in the cells of plants as starch. Starch
is one of the body’s primary sources of complex carbohydrates,
and starch is converted to glycogen (sugar), which is pure
energy in our bodies. It’s this carbohydrate-to-sugar-to-energy
process (called metabolism) within human beings that powers
everything we do. It fuels our growth, allows us to breathe and
carry on all the daily and nightly involuntary internal functions,
and allows us to think and be active. F u e l i n g  t h e  b o d y
In order to capture and utilize a high level of dynamism and
drive, you need to provide your body with energy. Foods high in
complex carbohydrates and high-quality whole foods, as well as
omega-3 fatty acids, are healthy energy foods. Here’s how they
work:
 Complex carbohydrates: These essential macronutrients
are converted to glucose and are either used immediately
for energy or additional glucose is turned into glycogen
and stored in the muscles and liver for energy at a later
time. As opposed to simple carbohydrates (found in white
sugar and processed grain products), complex
carbohydrates are bound up in soluble and insoluble ﬁber,
so they take longer for the body to digest. This means thatthey supply a slower, steady source of energy resulting in
stamina and endurance. Juice a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and eat
whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds to get plenty of
complex carbohydrates. B vitamins: B vitamins are essential for proper
metabolism, and B6 works with enzymes to convert
carbohydrates to glycogen. Without the B vitamins, energy
from food wouldn’t be as efﬁciently used. A deﬁciency over
time results in extreme fatigue and reduced resistance to
allergies and infection. To get enough B vitamins, juice green leafy vegetables,
broccoli, cauliﬂower, and kale. Eat whole grains, poultry,
ﬁsh, eggs, nuts, beans, and lean meats. Potassium: Potassium carries a slight positive electrical
charge and plays a key role in energy metabolism in the
body. Deﬁciency is associated with muscle weakness,
confusion, chronic fatigue, and exhaustion. To get enough potassium, juice a wide variety of fruits and
vegetables; the best sources include Swiss chard, spinach,
papaya, parsley, garlic, broccoli, cauliﬂower, watercress,
asparagus, red cabbage, cantaloupes, tomatoes, beets, and
peaches. Also, eat potatoes, legumes, and lentils. Antioxidants: The natural process of metabolizing food to
energy releases free radicals, which can damage cells. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. To get plenty of antioxidants, juice brightly colored fruit
and vegetables, and eat whole grains and nuts. Proteins: Protein forms the building blocks for cells,
tissues, muscles, bones, cartilage, and skin. Muscle burns
energy at a faster rate than fat cells do, so using protein to
build muscle is important in weight loss.Add ground nuts and seeds and cooked lentils to
smoothies and juices to get plenty of protein. Essential fatty acids: Keep your cells and brain functioning
properly with essential fatty acids. A lack of essential fatty
acids can disrupt the balance of energy in your body by
preventing your brain and cells from performing at their
peak. Add ground nuts and seeds and cooked lentils to
smoothies and juices to get enough essential fatty acids. Spark your energy fast
Juicing every day and eating raw foods  will ener gize and rejuvenat e the
body if your liver and lymph system are in peak  condi tion. In addi tion to
the vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonut rients, it’s the life force from
the raw plants that gives you the accel erated pow er boos t. If you’ve been
eating the typical Western food diet of fast, proces sed, high-fat, and high-
chemical foods, you’ll need to ﬂush before fueling. A juice fast over two or three days is the ideal  way to ﬂush your digestive
organs and give them a rest. You’ll be rewarded with a burst of intense
energy that will last over several months. Try the liver cleans e I outline in
Chapter 7. You can follow it exactly as it is described or, if your goal  is
energy, use only fruit juices during the cleans e. Be sure to follow the pre-
and post-cleanse instructions. B u i l d i n g  b o n e s
Your skeleton supports you and enables you to be physical, so
keeping your bones in top condition is important to your ability
to be active and energetic. Although calcium is a critical bone-
building mineral, other nutrients play a key role in keeping your
bones strong and healthy, too. Getting plenty of fruits andvegetables by drinking juices or smoothies leads to greater
bone density. For example, high levels of magnesium are linked to strong
bones and calcium retention; omega-3 fatty acids decrease the
rate of bone breakdown and facilitate consistent bone
formation; vitamin K is critical in forming bone proteins and
reduces the risk of hip fractures; vitamin D assists in calcium
absorption. In addition, weight-bearing exercises like running,
dancing, and lifting weights stress your bones and keep their
cells regenerating. For healthy bones, juice dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli,
spinach, and sea vegetables, and add sesame seeds, walnuts,
Brazil nuts, ﬂaxseed oil, low-fat yogurt, and soybeans to
smoothies. Make smoothies with vitamin D–fortiﬁed, low-fat
milk, rice milk, or soymilk. If you’re looking for go-to drinks to power your daily
living and activity, you can’t go wrong with the following:
 Peaches and Dreams (Chapter 11)
 Perfect in Pink (Chapter 11)
 Citrus and Mango Tango (Chapter 11)
 Get Up and Go (Chapter 15)
 Tropical Pick-me-up (Chapter 15)
Living Longer
It’s a fact of life: Eventually, all living things die. No matter what
we eat or drink, we can’t stop or avoid our own mortality.Sounds terminal, but the good news is this: We do have some
inﬂuence over when and how we’ll die. Science tells us that we can actually extend both the quality and
the length of our lives if we enjoy health-supporting foods in the
right amounts and engage in moderate, regular exercise. I don’t
know about you, but for some people I’ve spoken to about diet
and exercise, it’s almost a letdown for them to learn that the key
to the live-longer, look-younger, feel-better dream is as close as
eating a balanced, whole-food diet and doing some form of
aerobic exercise for 30 minutes every day. It’s incredibly simple,
but, for some reason, many people seem to want a magic pill or
potion from the fabled fountain of youth. If you could only change one thing in your diet, adding a daily,
pure fruit or vegetable juice and/or smoothie would be the best
possible thing you could do. This is because raw fruits and
vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, those nutrients that
protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Free
radicals, which are part of the normal body processes and are
found in processed foods, chemicals, and air-borne toxins,
contribute in a major way to the aging process because they
weaken cells and allow illness and disease to grow. Science has pinpointed free radical damage as a link in the
debilitating diseases of aging such as atherosclerosis, diabetes,
rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease,
cataracts, and cancer. The one proven way to stop the chain
reaction of free radicals attacking healthy cells and turning
them into more free radicals is to unleash a steady stream of
antioxidants (such as vitamins A, C and E) into the
bloodstream. Providing a steady supply of pure antioxidants by
drinking juices and smoothies at least twice in a day means that
those nutrients are ready for absorption into the blood
consistently and immediately.Your diet, including fresh fruit smoothies and juices, and your
choice to include moderate exercise daily are the two most
important things you have complete control over. This is where
you must start if you want to live a long and productive life. L o w e r i n g  y o u r  c h o l e s t e r o l  w i t h  p u l p
As you know by now, dietary ﬁber is found exclusively in plant
foods — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Eating
ﬁber is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to lower
cholesterol, prevent disease, and maintain health because it
helps the body to eliminate waste materials and deadly toxins. Water-soluble ﬁber lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood
sugar. Guidelines to longevity
You can skip this sidebar if you want to increase your chances  of disease
and dying young. On the other hand, if you want to live a long and heal thy
life, the following list will help you get there:
 Eat ten fresh, raw, organic fruits and veget ables every day. Make
juices and smoothies part of your daily routine becaus e studies show  that
the nutrients in fruits and vegetables protect agai nst moder n diseases. Rejuvenate your body, especially your organs  of digestion, by going
on a juice fast at least four times per year. Fasting allows your liver,
kidneys and lymph system to rest and renew .
_OceanofPDF.com_Juicing_and_Smoothies_For_Dummies_-_Pat_Crocker.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Juicing, by its very nature, eliminates the ﬁber  from fruits and veget ables,
which means that juices have a higher  GI than the whole fruits or
vegetables do. If you have diabetes, you shoul d drink fresh fruit juice only
in small amounts and stick to juicing low-GI veget ables. For much more information on the glycem ic index, check  out The
Glycemic Index Diet For Dummies, by Meri Raffetto, RD, LDN (Wiley). Part II
Liquid Gold: The Health Beneﬁt s of
Juicing and Smoothies
In this part. If you’re still not sold on the whole idea of juicing and
smoothies, this is the part for you. Here, I tell you about all the
incredible health beneﬁts that juices and smoothies offer. I tell
you what kinds of rewards your body will reap — on the inside
as well as the outside. I end the part by explaining how you can
detox and cleanse with juices. If you’re on the fence when you
start reading this part, I bet you won’t be when you ﬁnish. Chapter 6
Science and Nutrition in a Glass
In This Chapter
 Identifying the nutrients in food
 Understanding the role of nutrients
 Seeing how smoothies and juices contribute
 Being mindful of your daily nutrient requirements
As science and technology bring us more detailed information
about the foods we eat, the crucial role of nutrition in the
maintenance of good health becomes increasingly clear. Along
with the growing trove of information about nutrition is the
knowledge about what kinds of foods provide the very best
nutrients. So, the key to good health is twofold:
 Eat as wide a range as possible of the nutrients your body
needs in order to function at its best. Find organic, whole foods that provide the best-quality
nutrients. Juices and smoothies are an important part of a whole-foods
diet because they allow you to get an above-average quota of
fresh fruits and vegetables and, thus, ﬁber, macronutrients
(protein, fat, and carbohydrates), and micronutrients (vitamins,
minerals, and so on) every day. This chapter ﬁlls you in on the nature and role of all the
essential nutrients that you can get from food. With this
information, you can design your juicing and smoothies
program so that you draw from a wide rainbow of fruits and
vegetables. For much more information on nutrition, be sure to
check out Nutrition For Dummies, 5th Edition, by Carol Ann
Rinzler (Wiley). V itamins
Vitamins are organic food substances found only in plants and
animals. They’re essential for growth, energy, and tissue
maintenance, as well as for a whole list of speciﬁc functions
your body performs. With the exception of vitamin D, your body
cannot manufacture vitamins, so you have to get them from the
foods you eat. Table 6-1 outlines the vitamins, what they do for
your body, what happens if you don’t get enough of them, and
which juice or smoothie ingredients are good sources of those
vitamins. Minerals
Minerals are tiny organic elements that you need to keep your
body working properly in order to be healthy. Minerals originate
only in the soil; plants and animals (including humans) do not
create minerals. Instead, plants must absorb minerals from the
soil, and animals must get them from plants or other animals. Smoothies and juices that are made from fresh, local, organic,
raw fruits and vegetables contain the most live enzymes,
vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (nutrients found in plants
— they’re not essential the way vitamins and minerals are, but
they’re still good for you). Minerals vary with geographiclocation (where your food is grown). One of the advantages of
organic soil is that it tends to be richer in minerals than non-
organic soil. Minerals (and other phytonutrients) are lost when
food is transported over long distances or when it isn’t stored
properly. Because cooking destroys some minerals and
vitamins, it’s best to eat or drink raw fruits and vegetables. Like everything in life, the various functions and workings of
minerals are complicated. Some must be present for breaking
down, digesting, absorbing, and releasing energy from food —
these are the minerals that are important for energy. Some help
to strengthen bones, muscles, nails, and teeth. Some regulate
water and cholesterol in the body. Some minerals work at their
peak when other minerals or vitamins are present, while other
minerals are hindered by the presence of some vitamins. If you eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables and combine
them with other whole foods (such as legumes, nuts, seeds,
herbs, and low-fat milk products), you can get all the vitamins
and minerals you need for optimum health. Table 6-2 outlines the minerals, what they do for your body,
what happens if you don’t get enough of them, and which juice
or smoothie ingredients are good sources of those minerals. Calcium boosters
Most people think of milk as the best source of calcium — and milk is a
good source: One 8-ounce glass of 2 percent  milk suppl ies 120 mg of it. But for people who are lactose intolerant, who don’ t drink a lot of milk, or
who can’t digest cheese, there are excellent calcium-rich ingredients to
add to smoothies or to stir into juices. Here are some foods  to use in
smoothies or juice to boost your calcium intake:
 Almonds: 1 ounce of almonds (approximately 23 nuts) has 75 mg
calcium. Add it to smoothies. Blackstrap molasses: 1 tablespoon has 137 mg of calcium. Stir it
into the juice or add it to ingredients in smoothies. Collard greens: 1 cup of collard greens has 266 mg of calcium. Juice
it raw or add it raw or lightly steamed to smoothies. Kale: 1 cup of boiled kale has 94 mg of calcium. Juice it raw or add it
raw or lightly steamed to smoothies. Papaya: 1 medium papaya has 73 mg of calcium. It’s great juiced or
in smoothies. Sesame seeds: 1/4 cup has 351 mg of calcium. You can add sesame
seeds to smoothies. Spinach: 1 cup of boiled spinach has 245 mg of calcium. Juice it raw
or add it raw or lightly steamed to smoothies. Seaweed: 1 cup of raw kelp has 136 mg of calcium (more than a
glass of milk). It’s best rehydrated and used in smoothies. Tahini: 2 tablespoons raw tahini (sesame seed butter) has 126 mg of
calcium. Add it to smoothie ingredients. Enzymes
Enzymes are chemicals produced by your glands and released
into the bloodstream. Think of them as your body’s couriers,
surﬁng the blood to get to their destinations with top priority or
life-changing messages. Enzymes are released by various endocrine glands — the
pituitary, hypothalamus, and thyroid glands, for example — and
travel through your bloodstream to reach their target organs or
tissues where they trigger some speciﬁc action by that part of
the body. In this way, enzymes facilitate proper functioning of
your body in areas of growth, development, and reproduction. In addition to being produced by your own glands, enzymes are
produced in plants and animals. The enzymes in live or raw
plants are best used in smoothies or juices (or eaten raw) so
that they can do their job as messengers and save your body
from the work of producing them. W h a t  d o  e n z y m e s  d o. Enzymes are simply messengers. They don’t actually do
anything except deliver information to speciﬁc parts of your
body in order for them to do something. So, the cells or organs
react to the chemical stimulation carried by the enzymes. Here’s what enzymes tell your body to do:
 Make you grow and stop growing. Make you feel happy or sad. Speed up or slow down your body’s metabolism. Start puberty and menopause. Regulate your ﬁghting, mating, and ﬂeeing instincts. Enzymes are essential to normal growth, development,
and reproduction. T h e  r a w  t r u t h
Because enzymes are the keys that trigger the active work of
the body, they’re critical to good health. Although the body
does produce enzymes, outside the body, enzymes are found in
all living things, including food in its raw, uncooked form. Because we can’t eat many animal products raw, the very best
outside source of enzymes is in fresh, local, organic, raw fruit
and vegetables, herbs, grains, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Phytonutrients: Nature’s miracle workers
Phytonutrients are natural substances  that are found in plants. Thes e tiny,
life-giving nutrients can prevent or even cure disease. “Sign me up. ” you say. Well, if you eat and drink a wide range of colorful
fruits and vegetables along with whole foods, you’ll be getting all the
essential nutrients, including phytonut rients, that you need to be well. If you want more information on phytonut rients, check  out Meals That
Heal: A Neutraceutical Approach to Diet and Health, by Lisa Turner
(Healing Arts Press). You should eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables because
each food contains the speciﬁc enzymes that help break down
the elements found within it. For example, the enzyme amylase
breaks down carbohydrates; amylase is present in bananas,
which are high in carbohydrates. Many people are proponents of a partial or total raw food diet,
and many books and other resources are available on the topic. A good general rule is to try to incorporate at least 25 percent
raw foods into your overall diet, and the easiest way to do that
is by making juices and smoothies every day. When foods are eaten raw, the food enzymes within
those foods do much of the work of digesting them, saving
the body from producing enzymes to do the work. Pr otein
Protein has been called the “building blocks” of the body. It’s
what your cells, tissues, and very essence are made from. Proteins have a number of functions in your body, including the
following:
 Building and repairing body cells, including muscles, teeth,
hair, nails, and bones Providing a source of energy
 Keeping your immune system functioning properly
 Controlling many of the important processes in the body
related to metabolism
Protein is made up of essential and nonessential amino acids. The body is able to make its own nonessential amino acids, but
essential amino acids must be obtained from food. Foods that
contain all the essential amino acids are called complete
proteins. If one or more essential amino acids are missing in a
food, that food is called an incomplete protein. Meat and dairy products are complete proteins, but because of
saturated fat, these foods may not be the healthiest. So,
nutritionists are exploring plant sources of protein. Most plant
sources of protein are incomplete, but when their essential
amino acids are combined, they provide complete protein. Soybeans are an excellent plant source of complete
protein. Quinoa, hemp seeds, and chia seeds are good
sources as well. Table 6-3 lists the essential amino acids and some plant foods
for juicing or smoothies that can supply these important
nutrients. Here are some great protein boosters that you can use in
juices and smoothies:
 Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are good sources of
protein — for example, 1/4 cup of almonds contains about 8
grams. Add up to 1/4 cup chopped nuts to smoothies. Oats: One cup of cooked oatmeal has 6 grams of protein. Add 1/4 cup per smoothie serving. Soybeans and other legumes: Soybeans are complete
protein providers, and other legumes (like chickpeas andbeans) deliver essential amino acids without fat or
cholesterol. Add up to 1/4 cup to each smoothie serving. Whey powder: Whey powder is a high-quality complete
protein that delivers essential amino acids without fat or
cholesterol. Add 1 tablespoon to each smoothie serving or
stir into juice. Yogurt, soft cheeses, and tofu: All contain complete
proteins. Add up to 1/2 cup to smoothies per serving. Fluids
Your body is at least 65 percent water, so staying hydrated is
important. Water is present in all cells, but it’s a major
component of your blood. And because the blood feeds your
cells and carries away toxins and waste from metabolism,
healthy blood means healthy tissues and cells. Fresh organic vegetable and fruit juices provide vital pure water
to your body, and their nutrients help to cleanse the blood and
transfer live plant energy to all parts of your body. Pure juices
do this without your liver or kidneys having to work to sift out
toxins. Most other beverages — including tea, coffee, sodas,
alcoholic drinks, and treated water — contain one or more of
the following: sugar, additives, preservatives, chlorine, ﬂuoride,
and caffeine. These must be eliminated before the body can use
the water in them. Quenching thirst and replenishing minerals lost through
sweating is an important function of fresh, pure juices. For
an excellent after-exercise drink, juice the following
ingredients. 2 slices watermelon with rind, cut to ﬁt the feed tube2 stalks celery
1/2 English cucumber
You can mix the juice with an equal amount of pure water or
take it straight. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of turmeric — turmeric is
an excellent post-exercise herb because it’s anti-inﬂammatory
and reduces post-exercise pain. Don’t wait for thirst to tell you that you need to drink
water. By that point, your body is dangerously low in ﬂuids. The truth about supplements
The dietary supplement industry is a pow erful force. It spends  millions of
dollars on communicating the message that poor  nutrition can be ﬁxed by
popping pills. By deﬁnition of the Health and Educat ion Act, dietary suppl ements are
 Intended to supplement the diet
 Contain one or more ingredients (like vitamins, herbs, amino acids,
or their constituents)
 Meant to be taken orally
 Labeled as dietary supplements
The Food and Drug Administration regul ates the manuf acturing of
supplements and ensures that they are produced in a quality manner, free
of contaminants or impurities, and accur ately label ed. The ﬁrst thing to remember about suppl ements is that they’re meant  to
enhance your diet if there are shortfalls or deﬁci enci es. They  aren’t
intended to, nor can they ever replace nutritious foods. In addi tion, it’simportant to know that isolated, chem ical replicas of vitamins or minerals
or phytonutrients can’t come close to offering the com plex and interactive
array of nutrients in whole foods. Although food scientists have ident iﬁed
many key components of food, there are still unident iﬁed nutrients in
foods, and all nutrients work together to provide a total heal thy and
balanced diet. The American Dietetic Association recogni zes that a small num ber of
people may require supplements becaus e the speci ﬁc nutrients they need
are hard to get in adequate amounts in their diets. Thes e groups  of peopl e
are
 Pregnant women and nursing mothers
 Strict vegans or vegetarians
 People with food allergies or intolerances
 Seniors
Bottom line: Unless you fall into a group at risk, take pure veget able and
fruit juices in place of a multivitamin pill; make a lunch or dinner  smoothie
instead of a meal replacement liquid product ; design your own sports
juices that replace lost ﬂuids and minerals and that include foods  high in
sodium and whisk in 1 teaspoon of pow dered turmeric to reduce post-
exercise pain; eat a whole-food diet; avoid fast food,  reﬁned foods, and
empty calorie snacks. Drink the Rainbow: How to Make
Sur e Y ou Get the Nutrients Y ou
NeedThe Greek physician Hippocrates (460 b. c. –c. 370 b.
Almonds, blackstrap molasses, collard greens, kale, papaya, sesame seeds, and seaweed.
What is the primary source of calcium for people who are lactose intolerant or have difficulty digesting dairy products?
The text does not explicitly state a recommended daily intake, but it emphasizes the importance of consuming a wide range of fruits and vegetables to get all the essential nutrients.
What is the recommended daily intake of antioxidants and other phytonutrients?
The text does not provide a specific recommended daily calorie intake, but it suggests that a successful weight loss program should be based on a balanced diet and regular physical activity.
What is the recommended daily calorie intake for a weight loss program?
The text recommends drinking at least eight glasses of pure water every day.
What is the recommended daily water intake?
The text does not provide a specific recommended daily fiber intake, but it emphasizes the importance of consuming a wide range of plant-based foods to get all the essential nutrients.
What is the recommended daily fiber intake?