Healthy Juice Drinks That Will Keep You Full All Day
Is there anything more refreshing than a glass of freshly-squeezed juice? Juice is a filling, nutritious beverage that has so many benefits. Unfortunately, most types of juice are also loaded with sugar and calories.
If you’re watching your weight or simply trying to eat more healthfully, it can be challenging to know how to make a healthy juice that won’t leave you craving more shortly after finishing it.
However, drinking juice in moderation can be an excellent way to get some vitamins and minerals into your diet without eating as many fruits and vegetables as you would need to get the same nutrition from whole foods.
How to Make Healthy Juice Drinks
When choosing what produce to include in your juice drink, the first thing to consider is how to make healthy juice drinks. There are some fruits and vegetables (and combinations thereof) that are best for juicing, and others that aren’t as well-suited.
When selecting fruits, you want to choose those that are low in sugar but high in fiber. Fruits that are excellent for juicing include apples, pears, and grapefruits.
Skin-on citrus fruits can work well in a vegetable juice, but they tend to have more sugar than other fruits. Celery, lettuce, and cucumber are also commonly used in vegetable juices, but these should not be the primary ingredients.
Some Recommendations for Making Healthy Juice Drinks
- Use a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables – It’s best to mix fruits and vegetables in any juice recipe because each group provides a different set of nutrients.
- Avoid High-Calorie Fruits – While any fruit can be used in a juice recipe, some are better than others. Avoid high-calorie fruits such as bananas, pineapples, and grapes if you’re trying to minimize the calories in your juice drink.
- Add Some Beans – Beans are a great way to add some extra nutrition to your juice drink without adding too many calories. Black beans and kidney beans are especially good choices.
- Add Some Greens – Greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard add a lot of nutrition to a juice drink but very few calories.
- Use a Little Ice – Adding a few ice cubes to your juice drink can help to cool it down, making it more refreshing on a hot day. It can also help to keep your drink from spoiling as quickly since juice drinks will remain fresh for only a few hours.
- Use Organic Produce Whenever Possible – While it’s not necessary to use only organic produce in your juice, it’s a good idea to do so whenever possible.
- Only Use Raw Fruits and Vegetables in Your Juice – Cooking your produce will damage some of the vitamins and minerals present in it, which is why it’s important to only use raw produce in your juice drink.
- Avoid Juicing Too Many Carrots – While carrots are a great vegetable to use in a juice recipe, they also have relatively high sugar content.
A Word of Caution Regarding Fruit Juices
Juice drinks that are primarily made up of fruit juice may provide a healthy source of vitamins and minerals, but they are also very high in sugar.
If you’re trying to lose weight, or if you have diabetes, these drinks may not be appropriate for you. If you decide to drink fruit juice, it’s important to keep in mind that you should consume no more than one serving per day.
Healthy Vegetable Juices
Carrot Juice – Carrot juice is a classic vegetable juice, and for good reason. It has tons of beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for healthy eyesight, and it also promotes a healthy immune system. Carrot juice is also high in vitamin C, which is great for your immune system and for preventing colds.
Beet Juice – Beet juice is loaded with nutrients. It has tons of fiber and potassium and is also high in iron. Beet juice is a wonderful way to stay hydrated and get these nutrients without having to eat any vegetables or take a supplement. It’s not tasty, but it is healthy.
Nutritional Shake Recipes
Tropical Blueberry Banana Protein Shake – Bananas and blueberries are both delicious and nutritious, and this tropical-flavored protein shake combines them with yogurt to create a tasty, healthy beverage. You can also swap out the blueberries for strawberries if you prefer the flavor of strawberries to blueberries.
Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie – For a sweet, creamy treat that’s healthy enough for breakfast, this strawberry cheesecake smoothie is just the ticket. It’s full of healthy fats, protein, and even some fiber, so you can feel good about indulging in it.
Begin with a regular strawberry smoothie foundation (milk, strawberries, vanilla yogurt, and ice). You may want to include a few cubes of cream cheese along with crumbled graham cookies.
These are excellent for a warm day and would be appropriate at a shower or birthday gathering. To make it vegan, replace skim milk with any alternative milk such as almond, soy, oat, cashew, or coconut milk. You can look for vegan alternatives at health food shops.
Conclusion
Juice drinks are a healthy way to get vitamins and minerals into your diet but only if you choose the right ingredients. If you’re trying to lose weight or if you have diabetes, you’ll want to choose a juice drink that’s low in sugar.
If you want to drink fruit juice, you’ll need to keep in mind that you should only have one serving per day. If you’re looking for a refreshing beverage that won’t leave you feeling hungry 10 minutes later, a juice drink might be just what you’re looking for.