I am always up early – the sun’s up and my eyes open and my brain starts it’s boot up cycle and I literally can not shut down once I am awake – so I get up!

Sometimes this means out of bed at 5.30am.  Today is was 6.30am.

My son also is an early riser and we collided in the kitchen as the sun started streaming in.

Perfect morning to juice (actually every morning is perfect for juicing) especially as my son requested a morning juice, which makes me so happy because I love my kids choosing to drink or eat something good for them.

So together we made a juice for my son and a juice for me.

Xavi’s Juice:

1/2 pineapple and 1 orange please mum!

I cut off the skins from the pineapple and orange.  He cut them into pieces and juiced them.

Comments after – ‘This is the best juice I’ve ever had!’  And I am sure it was – until the next juice 🙂

The benefits of raw pineapple juice:

• stimulates the kidney and relieves intestinal disorders as it contains many vitamins and minerals essential for the digestive system;
• works as a diurectic, reducing excess water stored in the body;
• contains Bromelain which is an anti-inflammatory agent, good for athletic injuries, menstral disorders, sore throats and arthritis;
• contains Vitamin C which is great for fighting bacterial and viral infections and assists the body in the absorption of iron; and
• is great for the heart and reduces blood clots.

Remember to only juice ripe pineapples.

Next we made my juice.  But first…

a short word or two on beetroots…

I have gone crazy after beetroots lately!  Everytime I read about the health benefits of juicing, I find out more about the benefits of this amazing vegetable.

I now have 43 beetroot plants growing in the vegetable garden (being new to vegetable growing I did not actually think that if I created 50 beetroot seedlings – I’d end up with 40 odd actual beetroot plants… I just figured they’d merge  together or something – but they have not and I now have a 2.4m x 1.2 m plot dedicated entirely to beetroots!).

In my readings I have found that beetroot is great because:

•  it assists your liver eliminating toxins and prevents the build up of fatty deposits.  Great for after a night of indulgence;
• it reduces high blood pressure. Researchers at Barts’ Hospital (London) and the London School Of Medicine found that drinking 500ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce high blood pressure, for over 24 hours after drinking;
• is packed with Vitamin C and iron. Vitamin C is water soluble, which means it leaches out of vegetables when you cook them in water. So the easiest way to get your combo-fix is to eat raw beetroot. Incidentally, young beetroot leaves are a better source of iron than spinach! The roots are a good source of many other vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, phosphorous, magnesium and B6;
• beetroot has been shown to contain the compound betaine, which enhances the production of the body’s natural mood-lifter seratonin. So it would seem that munching fresh beetroot can literally make you smile. Betaine is also really useful for cardiovascular health; and
• beetroot’s amazing range of vitamins and nutrients has been shown to boost your immune system, helping you better fight off infection. These nutrients help stimulate the reoxygenation of cells and the production of new blood cells.

Beetroot is Awesome!

Beet Magic Juice:

2 beets (or 1 large one)

2 apples

1 large carrot

Rinse all vegetables well and prepare by cutting the top and bottom off the carrot, cutting the beetroot/s and apples into quarters. Just make sure de-stalk the apple before juicing.   Juice by alternating pieces of carrot, apple and beetroot.  Pour into a glass and enjoy fresh!

Juice is best drunk freshly squeezed before it has time to oxidise (within 10 minutes of juicing for maximum nutritional benefit).

Another little story about beetroot juice:  A friend of mine was telling me about a business associate she works with that was diagnosed with the early stages of prostate cancer.  This gentleman was a very health conscious individual.  Refusing treatment from the Doctor he did some research and found that beetroot juice taken daily can combat the early stages of prostate cancer.  He juiced many a beetroot and poured into ice cubes and placed them in the freezer.  Every morning he’d have some beetroot juice.  He returned to the Doctor some time later, who was amazed to find that the cancer had resolved itself and no longer existed. Go Beetroot!

Of course this is a story that is second hand to me and I always recommend that people do their own research about the benefits of raw food.  There is heaps of information in books and online and many a research paper written.

No doubt – though – I love my beetroot and I love my fresh juice!

Ally x

Giving credit where credit is due…

Thanks Jenny Ross and Doreen Virtue for this Beet Magic Juice recipe from ‘The Art of Raw Food’.

Thank you www.rawfoodjourney.co.uk for your info on the benefits or raw beetroot.