10 reasons to juice: tastes great and fulfilling!

Juicing is no longer just a fad. Supported by scads of studies, juicing is fast becoming a way of life for the health-conscious at heart. That's because diets high in fruits and vegetables can help prevent or cure a wide range of ailments. Fresh-squeezed juice liquefies the vitamins, minerals and enzymes found in fruits and vegetables for a quick, convenient way to keep the doctor away.

"If you obey nature's laws, then you can be born again," says Jack La Lanne, the godfather of fitness. "What are nature's laws? Exercise and nutrition. Juicing is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle."

Still not convinced? There are many obvious reasons--and some you may never have thought of--to juice your way to better nutrition.

1 Get Vita-Specific

Sure, you can take vitamins in pill form, but you can also increase your intake of specific vitamins and minerals in an instant with fresh juice. Carrot juice offers beta-carotene; blackberry juice contains potassium; ands of course, orange juice is jam-packed with Vitamin C.

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2 Improve Digestion

Juices contain digestive enzymes that work to breakdown old food debris in yore digestive tract while other juice nutrients regenerate the glands and organs responsible for digestion. Juices revitalize digestive excretions, strengthen muscle action and give your body the ability to absorb nutrients more efficiently. Improving digestion improves your overall health and gives you more energy.

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3 Fight Deadly Diseases

Fresh juices contain phytochemicals, substances in plants that are linked to good health and prevention of certain deadly diseases. Phytochemicals are found in fruits and Vegetables, and juicing is a quick way roger a healthful dose.

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4 Lose Weight Without Cravings

If you're trying to lose weight and I you stay hungry all the time, it could be because you re lacking essential vitamins and minerals that can be lost by cooking food. Drinking juice replenishes those elements so you can eat less, save calories and lose weight. Drinking fresh juice can also satisfy a sweet tooth and eliminate food cravings.

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5 Rev Up Your Metabolism

Too tired to exercise? Get an energy boost with some fresh juice, and get moving. Increasing your activity will rev up your metabolism so you can burn more calories.

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6 Cut the Caffeine

Caffeine strips your body of much-needed minerals. Replace the morning cuppa joe with fresh mice, and get a natural eye-opener that really gets your body going.

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7 Enjoy Healthful Sugars

Believe it or not, there are such things as healthful sugars, and juices contain them. Unlike refined sugars found in candy and desserts, these simple sugars bring energy in a nutritious way.

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8 Proactive Protein

Who says you need fatty proteins to build muscle? If you combine brewer's yeast, wheat germ or whole grains with your freshly squeezed juice, then you can enjoy a high-protein snack that your body absorbs quickly.

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9 What About Water?

Juicing can help you get those eight daily glasses of water that you've been meaning to drink. Fruits and vegetables contain a large percentage of water that we need to flush out toxins and Stay healthy.

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10 Transform Eating Habits

Once you begin to enjoy the nutritional benefits of juicing, you'll be inspired to transform your eating habits for a lifetime. It just gets better from here.

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Do It Yourself

So, you're ready to jump on the juicing bandwagon. Where do you start? Stay away from most bottled beverages. Mainstream canned and bottled juices are healed during the pasteurization process, which can decrease the vitamin content and eliminate the enzymes. So, you may want to invest in a juicer.

"Start with one glass of fresh juice daily," says Victoria Moran, author of Fit from Within and Lit from Within. "If you like it, work your way up to two or even three glasses. Any more than that and juice may crowd out whole vegetables with their necessary fiber."

Moran suggests diluting fruit juice half and half with spring water to cut its sweetness. Otherwise, use apple, citrus, or carrot juice as the mild base for mixed-juice cocktails.

Be sure to include powerful green vegetables, which are so important to better nutrition but are too potent to drink when juiced by themselves. Sample mixtures include carrot/celery (juice 4 carrots, 1 stalk of celery), carrot/apple/parsley (3 carrots, 1 apple, a small handful of parsley), carrot/beet/spinach (5 carrots, 1 beet, one handful of flesh spinach), apple/cucumber/kale (3 apples, 2 cucumbers, 1 handful fresh kale).

"Experiment," suggests Moran. "If your drink is bitter or overpowering, you've used too many greens and not enough of the milder fruits or vegetables. If it's very sweet; toss in a few more greens next time."

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