Berries get their deep color from the large amount of phytonutrients packed into them that act as antioxidants.  These antioxidants (as stated before) boost the immune system and fight of dangerous free radicals from the body.  These same nutrients also are commonly linked to fighting many types of cancer.

Berries are great sources for Vitamin C and manganese, both of which aid the bodies’ protective systems that fight free radicals.  Each type has its own unique benefits as well.  Strawberries are great for fighting heart disease and inflammation.  Blueberries have been linked to improving night vision and brain functionality.  Raspberries have antimicrobial properties that fight bacteria growths in the body.

It is always a good idea to go organic when fruit juicing.  Berries usually contain traces of pesticides and chemicals – especially strawberries.  Do yourself a favor and spend the extra money for organic berries to prevent these compounds getting in your juicer recipes.  At the very least, get organic strawberries, as they are the worst offenders when it comes to chemical traces.

A great thing about berries is that if you don’t use them, you can freeze them before they go bad and use them on another day.  They’re small and easy to store in your freezer.  Fortunately, freezing berries does not alter the antioxidant content much, so you still get significant nutritional value.

In the next post, I’ll give a list of some great berry juicer recipes!

Besides vitamin C, grapefruits with a deep pink or red color contain lycopene, the same antioxidant found in tomatoes.  This antioxidant does wonders against harmful free radicals in the body.  Studies have also shown that it can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

In addition, grapefruit juice can aid digestion and constipation.  It also helps to reduce appetite, making it a popular choice in weight loss programs.  Many have probably heard of the “Grapefruit Diet“, which revolves around small meals and eating (or juicing ) a grapefruit for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I’m not quite sure how well it works, but seeing as how you consume so few calories on the diet, it’s hard to believe that you wouldn’t lose weight.  I would rather encourage a healthy diet that incorporates grapefruit juicer recipes as opposed to a full fledged diet based solely on one fruit.  It does not seem healthy to limit yourself to such a little caloric intake.

CAUTION: If you are taking medication, consult a doctor before you add grapefruits to your juicer recipes, as grapefruit juice can mix dangerously with certain meds.  Grapefruit juice will release enzymes that increase the absorption rate of medications and can effectively cause an overdose.  Learn more about grapefruits and medication here.

Try out some of these grapefruit juicer recipes:

Blueberry Grapefruit Juice

• 1 cup of blueberries (a handful will do)
• 1/2 cup of grapes (small handful will do)
• 1 grapefruit

Citrus Juice Recipe

• 1 grapefruit
• 2 oranges
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 inch ginger root

Berry Grapefruit Juice

• 1/2 cup of raspberries (small handful)
• 1 cup of strawberries (about 7-8 strawberries)
• 1 grapefruit

Grapefruit Tang

• 1 large grapefruit
• 1/3 pineapple
• 1 watermelon slice

A lot of orange juice you find at your grocery store are made from concentrate and packed with preservatives.  Processed orange juice can lose some of its nutritional value when it’s made.  Oranges are not expensive fruits, so you certainly won’t have to break the bank to juice oranges.  You could even save some money just using some of your own easy juicer recipes.

Oranges are best known for being an excellent source of vitamin C.  This vitamin is very important for your body’s immune system.  It is also an antioxidant which fights against free radicals in the body responsible for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and several other ailments.  There is also a variety of phytonutrients (mostly in the rind) that also fight against ailments such as high blood pressure.

A citrus juicer is all you’ll need to start juicing oranges.  It can extract much of the juice for a hearty glass of orange juice, or to be used in other drinks.  For juicer recipes that use non-citrus fruits, or if you want to be able to juice the rind as well, you will need to upgrade to either a centrifugal juicer or and auger juicer.  The outside of the orange can’t be eaten (the orange zest), so either grate away the zest, or peel it off, leaving as much white pith as possible.

Try out some of these easy juicer recipes:

Simply Orange Juice

• 2-3 oranges
• For citrus juicers, cut into halves and juice
• For centrifugal/auger juicers, grate away the zest (or just remove the peel completely).
• Remove seeds before juicing.

Orange Carrot Juice

• 2 oranges
• 4 carrots
• 1 red pepper

Orange Ginger Ale

• 3 oranges
• ½ inch fresh ginger root (the amount you use is more about preference)
• Seltzer or sprite
• Juice oranges, then ginger.  Add seltzer or sprite to juice afterwards.

Fruity Delight Juicer Recipes

• 2 oranges
• 1 grapefruit
• A handful of strawberries (about 5-6)
• 1 banana — adding a banana tastes really good, but soft fruits like bananas can’t be juiced.  If you want to add banana, you will have to juice the other ingredients, then put it in a blender with the bananas.  It tastes great, but you may find it to be not worth the trouble.

Watermelon is a great source of vitamin C and vitamin A, both of which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.  It has a high concentration of lycopene, the same antioxidant found in tomatoes that have been linked to reducing the risk of prostate cancer.  Watermelon juice is one of the best natural diuretics around and wonderful for cleansing the body and is also vital keeping the prostate healthy.

When you juice a watermelon, do not cut off the rind.  The exception to this is some juicer recipes rely on the red fleshy part of the watermelon to sweeten the juice, and the rind tastes a little bitter.  However, it is HIGHLY recommended that you always juice the rind.  There are so many nutrients in the rind that would be shame to miss out on.  Also, leave the seeds when juicing the watermelon.

Try out these watermelon juicer recipes:

Watermelon Ade

• 1 lemon
• 1/2 watermelon
• 2tbsp honey (or sugar) – add according to your taste.
• I advise NOT to use sugar since too much is unhealthy.

Watermelon Punch

• 1/4 watermelon
• 2 oranges
• 1/2 pineapple

Apple Melon Juice

• 1/4 watermelon
• 1/2 cantaloupe
• 1 apple (preferably golden delicious)

Ginger Watermelon Juicer Recipes

• 1/2 watermelon
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger root
• 2 tbsp honey
• Try adding sparkling water instead of honey to make a ginger ale