Including fresh juice into your daily diet is a great way to boost your fruit and vegetable intake while energizing mind and body. But before you buy that bottle of “fresh ” juice at your local health food store, check the label. Many pre-packaged juices can contain up to 40 grams of sugar, which isn’t healthy no matter how many vegetables come with it!

In many mass-produced juices, apple juice is the first ingredient. Apple juice is cheap and contains a lot of sugar, producing a beverage that’s priced to buy and tastes delicious – at the risk of your teeth, waistline, and health. Even green veggie-packed juices aren’t immune. You could eat chocolate cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner and have had less sugar by the end of the day than if you “cleansed ” with five of these juices.

But not all juices are like that. A well-balanced vegetable and fruit juice can taste great without relying on sugary fruit juices as the primary ingredients. One of my favorite green juices includes:

GREEN JUICE

1 apple (green apples contain less sugar)
3 kale leaves
1 cup spinach
5 celery stalks
1 ” ginger
½ cucumber
½ beet
½ peeled lemon

Try it – it’s delicious!

Photo – shutterstock.com