Fresh juice is packed full of healthy ingredients and nutrients that we need for a well balanced lifestyle. What is fresh juice composed of? What are the ingredients of fresh home made juice? What do you ingest when you drink fresh juice made with a juicer?

Water - The human body is approximately 60% to 65% water. A healthy person needs water to regulate body temperature, release toxins from the body, lubricate and protect joints, organs and tissues and function normally. A human can survive for weeks without food but, depending on the ambient temperature, survival without water can be only a matter of a few days. Juice is primarily composed of water and thus provides one of the most important requirements for health and life.

Amino Acids and Protein - There are many different kinds of amino acids in juice. Amino acids are compounds that are hooked end to end, like beads on a necklace, and make up proteins. Proteins are worker bee type molecules that are necessary for virtually every cell and part of your body, including hair, skin, eyes, blood, muscles, tissues and organs. Proteins are also required for many important body activities including antibodies and cell defense, enzymes and digestive processes and proteins for cell construction and nerve cells.

Carbohydrates - Fresh home made juice also includes an abundance of carbohydrates in the form of simple sugar molecules. These carbohydrates provide energy and fuel for the body.

Vitamins - Fresh juice is a liquid vitamin cocktail. Fresh fruit or vegetable juices are great sources of vitamins A, B, C and E. Vitamin A is important for the eyes. Vitamin B, which is actually called the vitamin B complex because there are eight distinct vitamin B’s, supports metabolism, the immune system and maintains skin and muscle tone. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and supports metabolism. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant.

Minerals - In addition to vitamins, the human body also needs various minerals to help regulate cell function and provide healthy cell structure. Fruit and or vegetable juice contains various minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and sodium.

Enzymes - Fresh, raw home made juice is loaded with enzymes. Enzymes are vitally important to cell life and activity. Enzymes act as catalysts and helpers in the human body. Enzymes help biochemical processes, including metabolism, energy production, digestion and building and repairing cells. Enzymes are efficient and help lower the amount of energy needed to perform a bodily function and thus speed up the reaction and process time.

Phytochemicals or phytonutrients - The term phyto comes from a Greek word meaning plant. Phytonutrients are organic components of plants thought to promote human health. The most well known phytonutrients are carotenoids which are the red, orange, green and yellow pigments in fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables that are high in carotenoids have been shown to protect the human body against certain cancers and heart disease. Common fruit and vegetable carotenoids include:

Carotenoid	Fruit or Vegetable Source
Alpha-carotene	Carrots
Beta-carotene	Leafy green and yellow vegetables
Lycopene	Tomato, grapefruit, watermelon, guava

Published 1/17/2010 12:00:00 AM

Tags: Juice Ingredients