FACTS ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF VEGETABLE JUICE

1. DIGEST JUICED VEGETABLES EASIER

Juicing your vegetables rather than simply eating them means you'll assimilate more of the valuable vitamins and nutrients. Juicing works to "pre-digest" the veggies, meaning you'll get optimum benefit and quicker absorption. Some juice experts recommend that you add the fibrous pulp resulting from juicing back into the juice before you drink it in order to get the heart-friendly benefits of dietary fiber.

2. GET YOUR ENZYMES AND NUTRIENTS

Raw vegetables contain important enzymes that are destroyed by heating. They also are made up of delicate micro-nutrients that are negatively altered by cooking. For this reason, pasteurized canned and jarred vegetables juices are inferior to raw juice that's bursting with nutrients and enzymes.

3. CONSUMED YOUR JUICED VEGETABLES FRESH

It's best to juice your veggies right before you plan to drink the beverage. If you must juice ahead of time, store it in a narrow, airtight glass jar or container that's full in order to minimize oxidation. Refrigerate it to preserve freshness, but leave out for about 30 minutes before consuming so you're drinking it at room temperature, which is optimal for your digestive system.

4. SELECT DARK GREEN VEGETABLES

Dark green vegetables, especially leafy greens such as red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, spinach, kale and Callaloo, pak choi and lettuce, should be the bulk of your juice. A variety is important, and you should rotate what vegetables you're juicing. Add herbs, such as cilantro and parsley, and other greens, such as mustard greens or dandelion greens, when you are accustomed to the taste of vegetable juice.