Juice, Smoothies, and Drinks

By Noor Salem, contributing columnist

If you walk into the juice aisle of any supermarket, you may walk out discombobulated by the many choices. There are various brands selling smoothies and juices in the refrigerated aisle of many supermarkets, considering them a health food. Every bottle is screaming its own marketing tactic, trying to assure you it’s the healthiest choice. Whether it says real juice, fresh fruit, or good source of vitamin C, I’d recommend you be wary of what kind of drinks you purchase. While I love smoothies and raw juices, at the end of the day nothing beats a glass you’ve made yourself at home. You’ll be rest assured of the ingredients and freshness of your drink.

Pre-made smoothies are extremely popular, and sought out by many who are aiming to eat healthily. However, many of these store bought smoothies are not as healthy as they claim. The first thing I advise you do is to read the ingredients. If it’s made with many fruit concentrates, it’s not a good choice. Fruit concentrate is basically a syrup of the fruit, highly heated and processed. Many brands like SUJA and 1915, use fresh fruit in their juices and smoothie blends. there are other great options as well that you may find at a supermarket or health food store. Secondly, check for any added sweeteners. Fruit smoothies and raw juice can be sweetened naturally, whether it’s with beets or berries. Avoid ingredients like gums and carrageenan, used as thickening agents in many brands. The majority of bottled and pre-made smoothies may also contain some sort of preservatives for discoloration and taste optimization. They may come along with way more sugar than you’d ever imagine and chemicals you cannot pronounce.

The same concept goes for restaurants and fast food chains. The billboard may advertise it as healthy and of course the image has a ton of fresh fruit beside the cup of what looks like a refreshing and delicious smoothie. Purchase the smoothie and everything changes. It will most likely be sweeter than a candy bar and will look nothing like what was advertised. Forget the appearance; the ingredients in there are undoubtedly more than what you’d put in a smoothie at home. High fructose corn syrup, food dyes, or artificial sweeteners are popularly used. If dairy products are used, they are conceivably low quality, coming from livestock fed antibiotics and hormones. Being more aware of what may be in your drink will allow you to not want it all together. Making smoothies and raw juice at home is tremendously easy alternative.

Whether you’re a huge fan of orange juice, or obsess over carrot juice, no store-bought quality will top a fresh homemade version. Yes, we’re now seeing cold-pressed raw juices hitting the market and they’re definitely kinds I approve for my family and clients alike. I enjoy them while on the go or traveling, and I’m frankly very happy with these companies for finally answering the healthier food demand of more and more people. As mentioned though, I personally find nothing tastier than the ones I make at home. Both smoothies and raw juices are fairly easy to make, and you’ll be able to customize the flavor. After publishing this recipe in my book, I’ve had several clients mention how they feared ginger completely. After testing the recipe themselves, they’ve come to realize it’s actually pretty good. Learning the benefits only allows you to enjoy it more. This juice is extremely high in vitamin A, potassium, and B vitamins. Of the benefits is that it aids in preventing cancer, improves digestion, promotes better lung health, is great for your vision, and promotes optimum liver function. That’s a lot of benefits from something so tasty!! Not everyone likes the ginger taste as overpowering as I do, so I do recommend that you try it with a reduced amount first and see how you like it.

Feel free to add other vegetables like beets, kale, greens, and even lemon to this recipe.

Noor’s Only If You’re Brave Ginger Carrot Juice

Ingredients:
3 pounds of carrots (about 18-22 carrots)

4 inches of fresh ginger, unpeeled

Directions:

1. Wash the carrots and ginger well.
2. Carefully place the vegetables in a high speed juicer.
3. Pour into individual mason jars.
4. Drink immediately or close with an air-tight lid and refrigerate until the next day.
5. This makes about four 16-ounce jars.

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Editor’s note: Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, Sunnah Superfoods, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.