Green glory juice is a nutritious blended vegetable and fruit juice that has become popular in recent years. It typically contains leafy greens like kale or spinach as well as fruits like apples, lemons, and bananas. Green glory juice is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can provide many health benefits. Some of the key questions people have about green glory juice include what’s in it, how it’s made, its potential health benefits, and how to incorporate it into a healthy diet. This article will provide an in-depth look at what exactly green glory juice is all about.
What ingredients are in green glory juice?
While recipes can vary, green glory juices often contain a base of leafy greens like:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Collard greens
- Swiss chard
These greens are packed with nutrients like vitamins A, C, and K, antioxidants, and minerals like calcium and magnesium. They provide the bulk of the nutrients in the juice.
In addition to greens, green glory juices typically contain fruits and vegetables like:
- Apples
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Lemon
- Ginger
- Parsley
- Banana
Fruits add natural sweetness and additional nutrients like vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium. Cucumber and celery provide hydration. Lemon juice helps cut through the earthy flavors of the greens and ginger adds a spicy kick.
Some variations may also include extras like:
- Chia or flax seeds
- Spirulina or wheatgrass
- Nut butters
- Protein powders
These can help bump up the nutrition content even more. But the basic formula focuses on leafy greens + fruits + veggies for a nutrient packed beverage.
How is green glory juice made?
Green glory juice is made by blending all the ingredients together into a drinkable liquid. The steps include:
- Wash and prep all produce.
- Chop greens, fruits, and veggies into pieces small enough to blend.
- Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender.
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour into glasses and enjoy immediately.
A high speed blender like a Vitamix or Ninja is ideal for making green glory juice. It pulverizes the greens and breaks down the plant fiber to extract the maximum amount of nutrients. This makes the end result smooth, not chunky or gritty.
The juice should be consumed immediately after blending for the best flavor and nutritional quality. Like most fresh juices it does not store well.
Some tips for the best tasting green glory juice include:
- Use ripe fruits and vibrant greens.
- Add a squeeze of lemon to help cut bitterness.
- Use ginger sparingly as it has a strong flavor.
- Sweeten with banana or apple if needed.
- Add ice to chill it if desired.
- Garnish with mint, berries, or citrus.
Experiment with different ingredient combos and ratios to find your perfect green glory juice recipe.
What are the health benefits of drinking green glory juice?
As a concentrated source of phytonutrients, green glory juice offers many impressive benefits:
Boosts immunity
The greens provide antioxidants like vitamin C plus beta carotene and vitamin E to neutralize free radicals and inflammation. This helps boost immune function.
Supports detoxification
The compounds in leafy greens increase production of enzymes for detoxification. They help the liver purge toxins and function optimally.
Aids digestion
With its enzymes and fiber, green glory juice helps promote digestion and can reduce issues like bloating or constipation. The nutrients also heal and seal the gut lining.
Lowers cholesterol
The fiber pectin in fruits like apples binds to cholesterol and removes it from the body. Greens provide antioxidants that inhibit oxidation of cholesterol.
Helps alkalize the body
The abundance of chlorophyll from the greens can help balance the body’s pH levels. This fights against chronic acidosis linked to inflammation and disease.
Provides energy
With carbohydrates from the fruits plus vitamins and minerals, green glory juice gives sustained energy without caffeine or stimulants.
Promotes weight loss
The low glycemic load allows for gentle detoxification that can aid weight loss. The juice also provides satiety and curbs cravings.
Drinking green glory juice regularly provides a mega-dose of nutrition to support whole body health and wellness. It???s a smart way to get your servings of fruits and veggies in an easy to digest form.
Example recipe for green glory juice
Here is one recipe for an antioxidant-rich green glory juice:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups chopped kale leaves
- 1 cucumber, peeled
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 green apple, cored
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 1 inch knob ginger, peeled
- 1 cup coconut water or ice
Instructions:
- Wash all produce thoroughly. Chop into pieces that will fit through juicer feed tube.
- Run all ingredients through a juicer starting with the greens and ending with the coconut water/ice.
- Alternately, add all ingredients to a high speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Pour into two glasses over ice and enjoy immediately.
This green glory juice packs in two servings of leafy greens plus antioxidant rich fruits. Feel free to tweak the amounts of each ingredient to your preferences. It can be enjoyed for breakfast, a pick-me-up snack, or post workout recovery.
Tips for incorporating green glory juice into your diet
Here are some simple tips to enjoy green glory juice as part of a healthy lifestyle:
- Drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach to energize your day.
- Use it as a meal replacement for breakfast or lunch to give your digestion a rest.
- Have it for an afternoon snack between meals to curb cravings.
- Drink it post workout to help muscles recover and rebuild.
- Try it any time you feel sluggish or need an immunity boost.
- Get the whole family drinking it to increase daily nutrient intake.
- Batch prepare juice and store in individual airtight containers to grab and go.
- Dilute with water or coconut water if the flavor is too intense.
- Mix up the ingredient combo to create different flavors and variety.
Aim to incorporate 8-16 oz of green glory juice into your routine 2-3 times per day. Combining it with whole foods like protein, healthy fats, and fiber helps create balanced nutrition.
Some people choose to do short 3-5 day green glory juice cleanses. This floods the body with phytonutrients to stimulate detoxification and weight loss. But long term, it???s ideal to enjoy green glory juice as part of a healthy diet, not a replacement for eating whole foods.
Potential downsides of green glory juice
While nutritious, green glory juice does have some drawbacks to consider:
- Without fiber, it can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar when fruit-heavy.
- It’s quick to consume but doesn’t provide lasting fullness like eating produce would.
- The high oxalate content may be problematic for those prone to kidney stones.
- Juicing strips away pulp and skins which contain beneficial compounds.
- The process oxidizes nutrients and degrades heat-sensitive ones like vitamin C.
- Fresh juice only keeps for up to 72 hours so some nutrition is lost with storage.
- It’s easy to over-consume natural sugars and calories if drinking large amounts.
For these reasons, green glory juice is best enjoyed in moderation as part of an overall healthy eating pattern focused on whole foods. Alternating it with smoothies that retain fiber can help mitigate potential downsides. Tracking portion sizes is also important.
The bottom line
Green glory juice provides a major dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals from leafy greens and fruits. Drinking it regularly can help boost immunity, support detoxification, aid digestion, and provide sustained energy. While no food or drink is a magic bullet for health, incorporating green glory juice can be a tasty way to hydrate and flood your body with phytonutrients. Focus on balancing it with whole foods and tracking portion sizes to experience the benefits without drawbacks.