Why Juices Help You Lose Weight

For most of us, there's a balance between the good things and the not-so-good things. It gets me back on track and makes sure I drink the best smoothies for weight loss and my overall health. Smoothies are excellent if you want to try a juice cleanse and eat nutritious foods.

There are special occasions when we want to indulge. And it's hard to eat healthy all the time when traveling. You know the drill. We do our best. I don't believe in punishing ourselves for enjoying a treat now and then.

Let’s face it. For those of us who grew up eating junk food. Most fruits and vegetables cannot compete with the flavor and sodium hit you get from eating junk. If healthy foods were easier to eat, you would see a lot more thinner people walking around but you don’t. It is far easier to eat junk or fast food because they are so common, easy to eat, and oftentimes more delicious. Our bodies develop a craving for them. They are so accessible. Whereas for most fruits and vegetables, for those that do not develop a liking for them, they become an effort to consume and prepare.

A juicer will extract the juice from fruits and vegetables, separating them from the pulp by crushing, grinding or squeezing the liquid out, leaving behind just the thin juice without any of the fiber. They save time and can make eating or drinking nutritious food less of a chore and more of something that you can look forward to. These things that would normally be time-consuming for you to eat cause you some apprehension asking “do I even want that?” get turned into very easily gulpable and oftentimes delicious versions of themselves.

Can They Help You Lose Weight?

Yes, they can! There are tons of juicing recipes available that can aid your weight loss efforts. Try picking a recipe that includes several green vegetables like celery, cucumber, or parsley, and does not include a lot of fruit. Green juices without fruit are generally low in calories and natural sugars.

There are several fat-burning juice cleanse recipes that can help boost metabolism. Healthy fat is necessary for your body to break down carbs and protein, so make sure NOT to cut the fat!

A good smoothie with protein, healthy fat, and whole-food carbs is a great combo for a healthy snack or meal that can promote weight loss. My fat-burning smoothie contains spinach, mint, celery, green tea, grapefruit, pineapple, and avocado.

Diet only forms half of a pursuit of a healthy lifestyle or of weight loss, a big component of weight loss is exercise. There's nothing that helps boost your metabolism more than exercising to build muscle.  So the Juices and Smoothies we make should help us be able to maintain energy to exercise and go about our day, as well as help us recover from our physical exertions. It should also provide our bodies with what it needs to repair themselves and provide nutrients that help us burn more fat for weight loss. 

More muscle means more fat-burning capabilities.

Certain foods have fat-burning and metabolism-boosting abilities. Adding them into your diet can help magnify weight-loss efforts. I'm a huge fan of smoothies, especially when I can use natural ingredients to transform them into a weight loss smoothie.

Top Juicing Tips

  1. Wash your fruits and vegetables beforehand. This is great in order to minimize your prep time. Avoid accidental ingestion of pesticides or chemicals by doing this simple thing.
  2. Use raw natural sweeteners. Add naturally sweet fruits to any smoothie that tastes bitter or a bit too “green.” My favorite naturally sweet fruits are bananas, mango, apples, pears or pitted dates.
  3. If it's your first time juicing, follow the recipes! It makes for an easier learning curve and you can learn what works and what doesn’t without wasting any ingredients.
  4. Use in-season produce. You can make juice out of just about any fruit or veggie. So, your home juicing menu will lean heavily on what’s fresh, what you’re trying to use before it goes bad (we see you, wilted spinach buried in the crisper drawer), and what you like.
  5. Juice the rainbow. Whatever you use, it’s important to juice a range of vibrant produce whenever possible. Different colors indicate different plant nutrients so having colorful fruits and vegetables is not just for flavor or to make them more appealing to the eye, it is actually a good measure of how nutritious your juice is.

Popular Weight Loss Juice Recipes

Here are some of the most popular healthy juice recipes you can easily prepare at home!

1. Celery Lime Juice

One of the easiest homemade juices is Celery Lime Juice. This recipe is nourishing, fresh, and delicious. It's very easy to prepare using a juicer or a blender. The celery is very nutritious and flavor-filled and the lime provides a nice sour note that makes it easier to go down. Celery juice is a nourishing beverage that you can drink in the morning, or at any time of day. This simple juice has Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin C, and Magnesium in addition to its carbs and natural sugars.

Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches of Celery 
  • ½ Lime

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the celery by washing them and cutting off the base of the stalk. Get rid of any dirt or impurities
  2. Chop them up in nice pieces that will fit your juicer
  3. Run it through your juicer
  4. Squeeze half a lime

2. Carrot Pineapple Ginger Juice

Pineapple offers sweet-and-tangy tropical flavor to fiber- and vitamin A-rich carrots and spicy ginger. Ginger has been shown to reduce body weight. (1) The carrots and the carrots provide a healthy serving of Vitamin A. Pineapple is very rich in bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, minerals, and nutrients. (2)

Ingredients:

  • 7 – 9 large carrots
  • 1/4 pineapple (about 1 cup), flesh only
  • 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled

Instructions:

  1. Scrub and rinse the carrots well. Leave the peels on.
  2. If the tops are clean-looking, you can leave them on. If not, trim off the very top 1/2 inch or so. If using carrots with the leafy green tops, you can juice the whole thing, but your juice color may change.
  3. Cut the carrot or Ginger to manageable sizes for your juicer
  4. Juice according to your equipment and enjoy.

3. Lemon Ginger Turmeric

Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which boasts amazing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. (3)

It can be made into a tea with hot water and has been popular in South Asian and South East Asian cuisine.

Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that’s known to aid digestion and relieve nausea. (4)

Lemon is naturally detoxifying and alkalizing in the body, aids in healthy bowel movements, and boasts plenty of vitamin C, which boosts the immune system.  (5)

Ingredients:

  • 1 small orange (add 1-2 more oranges for added sweetness / omit and add another lemon for less sweetness!)
  • 2 small lemons (add 1-2 more lemons for more acidity / reduce by half and add another orange for less acidity!)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh turmeric (peeling optional)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger (peeling optional)
  • 1/8 tsp fresh black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp oil (such as extra virgin, optional / to help improve turmeric absorption)

Instructions:

  1. Wash your ginger and turmeric
  2. To a juicer, add orange, lemon, turmeric, and ginger
  3. Depending on the juicer, you may need to peel the orange and lemon 
  4. Add a little bit of oil or water as needed

4. Spinach Apple Green Juice Recipe

Here’s another Green Juice but with Apple and Spinach. You would be surprised at the variety of flavors that spinach, parsley, romaine lettuce, and celery bring. With the Spinach and Romaine, you’ll be feeling like Popeye after drinking this. Celery is a vegetable that can also reduce the caloric input of the diet in weight loss issues. And is very common in many weight-loss diets (6)

Ingredients:

  • Celery – 1.6 oz (1 medium stalk)
  • Ginger – 0.5 oz (1 piece of 2-inch ginger root)
  • Green Apple – 4 oz (2/3 medium apple)
  • Spinach – 4.6 oz (4 1/2 cups of spinach)
  • Lemon – 0.4 oz (1/5 medium lemon)
  • Parsley – 1.7 oz (2/3 cups of chopped parsley)
  • Romaine – 4.5 oz (3 cups of chopped romaine)

Instructions:

  1. Wash all produce.
  2. Juice all ingredients together.

5. Refreshing Watermelon Lime

The Refreshing Watermelon Lime juice here has the added benefit of protecting your kidneys from kidney diseases and having the ability to clear urine. (7) It is common in detox diets and tastes delicious too. Watermelons are seen as a summer treat and Watermelon juice with lime and mint is exactly as refreshing as it sounds on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

  • Watermelon (seedless) – 15 oz (3 cups cubed watermelon)
  • Lime – 0.23 oz (1/5 lime)
  • Mint  – 0.11 oz (3-4 mint leaves)

Instructions:

  1. Wash the produce.
  2. Remove the watermelon rind or see tips below. Weigh and cube the watermelon and place it directly in the juicer/juice press chamber.
  3. Weigh the rest of the ingredients.
  4. Grind the lime and mint.
  5. Juice the rest of the ingredients together.

6. Homemade V8 Juice Recipe

V8 is a popular tomato-based juice you can find on any grocery shelf. Having a filling juice like this has been used in studies to try and achieve a caloric deficit while still feeling full or satiated (8). It has a variety of ingredients that freshens up the palate and can be just as satiating as a full meal when running a caloric deficit

Ingredients:

  • Tomato – 11.46 oz (2 tomatoes)
  • Carrot – 3.22 oz (1 1/2 medium carrots)
  • Celery – 1.21 oz (1 medium stalk)
  • Romaine – 0.71 oz (1/2 cup shredded)
  • Spinach – 0.63 oz (1/2 cup)
  • Parsley – 0.36 oz (1/4 cup chopped)
  • Watercress – 0.14 oz (1/5 cup chopped)
  • Beet (red variety) – 0.11 oz (1 slice)
  • Garlic – 0.08 oz (1/2 clove)

Instructions:

  1. Wash and weigh all ingredients.
  2. Remove the top ends of the carrots and beets.
  3. Run ingredients through your juicer.
  4. Chill in the fridge or freezer.

7. Beet Juice with Lemon and Carrots

This juice contains beneficial compounds like dietary nitrates (9). Dietary nitrates can help increase muscle efficiency and endurance, as well as reduce blood pressure levels by dilating your blood vessels.

Meanwhile, whole beets are low in calories and loaded with fiber, which can help support regularity, slow stomach emptying, and keep you feeling fuller for longer to promote weight management (10). It’s a lower calorie and nutritious juice option when you’re looking to lose weight.

Ingredients:

  • 2 beets
  • 1 lemon, peeled
  • 1 1/2-inch slice fresh ginger
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 cup or 3 leaves kale (stems included)

Instructions:

  1. Wash and weigh all ingredients.
  2. Remove the top ends of the beets
  3. Remove the base of the kale
  4. Run ingredients through your juicer.
  5. Chill in the fridge or freezer.

8. Ginger Turmeric and Chia Seeds

Ginger and Turmeric are very healthy vegetables to include in your diet, both have anti-inflammatory properties, lime juice gives you a perfect acid hit while the chia seeds help you meet your daily fiber requirement. This is certainly one of the best and popular fresh juices. Chia seeds are commonly thought of as a superfood, being very rich in fiber and offering many benefits especially to those trying to maintain a caloric deficit.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (4-inch) piece peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
  • 1 4-inch piece peeled turmeric, coarsely chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • Club soda (for serving)
  • Thyme sprigs (for serving; optional

Instructions:

  1. Wash and weigh all ingredients.
  2. Peel your ginger and Tumeric
  3. Remove the base of the kale
  4. Run ingredients through your juicer.
  5. Chill in the fridge or freezer.

9. Beet, Carrot, and Apple Juice with Ginger

In need of a healthy fruit juice? This drink is for you! Rich in Vitamin A and Potassium from the Carrots and the Beets. (11)

This is a rather large serving so you can halve if you are only serving for one. Otherwise, this juice keeps very well in the refrigerator and could even serve as a nice cold slushy on a hot afternoon. Beet juice can be really helpful in achieving caloric deficits while still staying satiated and not feeling like you’re starving yourself. It has been combined with High-intensity workouts to make sure you have enough energy to exercise and continue with your weight loss journey (12). Apples have a rich diversity of nutrients as well (13).

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds beets (about 6 medium), trimmed, peeled, cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 pound carrots (about 4 large), trimmed, peeled, cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 Gala or Empire apple (about 8 ounces), cored, cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 Granny Smith apple (about 8 ounces), cored, cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 3" piece fresh ginger, peeled, chopped into 1" pieces
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Wash and weigh all ingredients.
  2. Remove the top ends of the beets
  3. Remove the base of the kale
  4. Run ingredients through your juicer.
  5. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl
  6. Stir in lemon juice. 
  7. Pour into glasses.
  8. Chill in the fridge or freezer.

10. Cucumber Coconut and Lime Juice

You can use whatever type of cucumber you like, including English or Persian. You also do not have to peel the cucumbers before juicing them.

You can substitute lemons instead of limes for a simple cucumber lemonade (add some lemon zest to pump up the lemon flavor even more). Cucumbers have such a high water content that it is great for staying hydrated. Coconut water is similar in that it is used to aid in staying hydrated. It is rich in antioxidants (14) and is helpful for diabetics (15). Its very simple to make, not to mention, very delicious. 

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 pounds of cucumbers (about 3 medium cucumbers or 2 large cucumbers)
  • 1 cup Coconut Water
  • 1 lime, peeled and sliced into quarters

Instructions:

  1. Wash and chop the cucumbers so they will fit through the feeding tube of your juicer. 
  2. Then, feed the cucumbers and lime slices through the juicer.
  3. Serve immediately.

11. Moringa Coconut and Pineapple Juice

Another healthy juice recipe! Moringa is commonly known as drumstick leaves. It is popular in South Asian and South East Asian cuisine where it grows naturally. If not available fresh, you can easily buy moringa powder to mix in with your pineapple and coconut water.

Moringa has many important vitamins and minerals. Moringa leaves are rich in Vitamin C, and Vitamin A, Potassium. It also has calcium, protein, magnesium, copper, iron, and amino acids. (16) It is a superfood that has cancer-fighting properties as well as weight loss benefits.(17)

It's also packed with antioxidants, substances that can protect cells from damage and may boost your immune system. There's some evidence that some of these antioxidants can also lower blood pressure and reduce fat in the blood and body. (18)

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Cup Pineapple Cubes
  • 1 Teaspoon Moringa Powder
  • 1 Cup Coconut Water

Instructions:

  1. Juice the Pineapple Cubes
  2. Mix with Coconut Water
  3. Mix the Moringa powder
  4. Chill and Enjoy

References:

  1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2018.1427044
  2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996920307006
  3. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-662/turmeric
  4. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169231/nutrients
  5. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167747/nutrients
  6. https://web.s.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=13412051&AN=103400502&h=d%2bZKIfWLtGw9Li5SlcG7eEJ1viIB6Ni%2fABoj%2f8qIVpRiha8fNg3k7q757G4KrWzr%2f2OSXnoQ9riQzjojOUd%2blA%3d%3d&crl=c&resultNs=AdminWebAuth&resultLocal=ErrCrlNotAuth&crlhashurl=login.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26profile%3dehost%26scope%3dsite%26authtype%3dcrawler%26jrnl%3d13412051%26AN%3d103400502
  7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0753332217333085
  8. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1475-2891-9-8
  9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5756374/
  10. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169145/nutrients
  11. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169145/nutrients
  12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5756374/
  13. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1750341/nutrients
  14. https://www.walshmedicalmedia.com/open-access/effect-of-shelf-stable-concentrates-of-tender-coconut-water-and-testa-phenolics-on-lipid-profile-and-liver-antioxidant-e.pdf
  15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26146124/
  16. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168416/nutrients
  17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27943649/
  18. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-moringa
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