By Joanne Clark
Green juices, depending on ingredients used, can have a variety of benefits. They can support gut health and digestion, supply us with antioxidants and nutrients. Also, you can make juices with a juicer, or you can make them with a blender. These recipes can either work with both or either. Recipes for green juices often contain similar ingredients, so you can always mix it up in the future.
Here’s five recipes for five days of the week, starting with:
Recipe 1 – Monday:
Start your week off with some spinach, which includes nitrates and vitamin K – both of which could be beneficial for your heart and bones. For this juice, you’ll need two bunches of spinach; one apple; one lemon (squeezed); half a cucumber and 500ml water (if blending). This recipe can be made using both a blender and a juicer but would require different methods. If you’re using a blender, follow this method:
- Wash the spinach and apple
- Chop the spinach and peel, core and cut the apple into smaller pieces – add these to the blender, along with the water
- Cut the cucumber – leave the skin on!
- If you haven’t already done so, squeeze a lemon and add this to the blender and blend
- Once done, strain the juice through a sieve or strainer, to remove pulp and any other bits and pour into a glass. Enjoy!
If using a juicer, you can put the spinach, apple, and cucumber through the juicer, mixing lemon juice with the end result for extra zest.
Recipe 2 – Tuesday:
You can use a juicer or blender for this recipe also. For this, you’ll need one bunch of kale; one piece of ginger; one apple; one lemon (squeezed) and 500ml of water (if blending). Kale is a source of vitamin C, E, K, and calcium, among other nutrients. These can help to support healthy skin, bones, and your immune system.
If using a blender, follow this method:
- Wash the kale, ginger, and apple
- Chop the kale and peel and cut the ginger into smaller pieces
- Peel, core and cut the apple and add ingredients to the blender
- Squeeze the juice of the lemon if you haven’t already
- Add the lemon juice and water to the blender as well and blend
- You’ll then need to strain this as you did with the last recipe, using either a sieve or strainer. The back of a spoon can come in handy here.
If juicing, put the kale, ginger and apple through the juicer. Add the lemon juice to the finished product and enjoy.
Recipe 3 – Wednesday:
For a midweek boost, try some spirulina. Dubbed a ‘superfood’, spirulina contains antioxidants and vitamin C but should be avoided if you have certain medical conditions, so check beforehand. This recipe requires a blender and is fairly easy. Putting the green in green juice, you’ll need around half a teaspoon of spirulina powder; one banana; a handful of raspberries; one lemon (squeezed) and 500ml water. This recipe needs to be used in a blender; the method as follows:
- Wash the raspberries and cut the banana into smaller pieces
- Juice the lemon
- Put the raspberries, banana, lemon juice, spirulina and water into the blender and blend.
Recipe 4 – Thursday:
Thursday calls for kiwi, a fruit rich in nutrients including folate and vitamins C, E and K. There are also studies that suggest kiwi can also benefit heart health and immune systems, and also includes antioxidants. For this recipe, you’ll need one kiwi; one bunch of spinach; one apple and coconut water – or if you’re not a fan of coconut water, try apple juice or lemon juice with 500ml water. This recipe can be made using a blender or juicer, as follows:
- Peel and cut the kiwi into small pieces
- Chop the spinach and peel, core and cut the apple
- Add all the ingredients above into the blender, add the coconut water (or other ingredients above) and blend
- Sieve to remove any larger pieces or pulp and enjoy
For the juicing method, put the spinach, kiwi and apple through the juicer and mix the end product with the coconut water (or lemon juice).
Recipe 5 – Friday
For the end of the week, we’ll need a boost. Ginger can support immunity and help with the symptoms of cold and flu. It can also assist with nausea and digestion. You can also use turmeric in place of ginger. This recipe also includes celery which contains folate, calcium, and vitamin K. You’ll need one piece of ginger; one stalk of celery; two bunches of spinach; one lemon (squeezed) and 500ml of apple juice.
- Peel and cut the ginger and celery into smaller pieces
- Chop the spinach and juice the lemon
- Add all the ingredients to the blender along with the apple juice and blend
If juicing, add the ginger, celery and spinach to the juicer and then mix with the apple and lemon juices.
Before making these recipes, check the ingredients against any health conditions you may have. Several of the ingredients in these recipes contain a variety of nutrients that may assist in various things, including digestion, the immune system and heart and bone health. They’re also a good way to get your five fruits and vegetables a day. You can also experiment by adding other ingredients, including other fruits and vegetables, along with powders and syrups to make your smoothies different each day.