Health

Daily Greens’ Juice Guru Explains Exactly Which Ingredients Offer the Biggest Benefits

Now that farmers markets are opening up and the onslaught of fresh fruits and vegetables—like rainbow chard, strawberries, mango, and Meyer lemons—are filling up the stalls, it’s time to break out your juicer. While some traditional fruit juices contain as much sugar as a candy bar (beware!), the right mix of high-fiber greens, citrus, and herbs can produce a vitamin-rich concoction that doesn’t taste like lawn clippings.

We chatted with Shauna Martin, author of Daily Greens 4-Day Cleanse and the CEO of Daily Greens, a cold-pressed green juice company that just launched in D.C.’s Whole Foods, for her recommendations. Check out her advice on how to avoid summer colds, get the most out of your workout and reduce acne—all using juice!

I just finished a crazy exercise routine. Which veggies and fruits should I juice to complement my workout?

“Dark greens in particular contain surprisingly high levels of protein,” Martin explains. “Thirty minutes post-workout the body absorbs more protein than at other times during the day, so this is a great time to consume a green juice prepared with dark greens like kale, spinach, watercress, dandelion greens and chard. Veggies like cucumber, celery and romaine contain high levels of electrolyte minerals and will help replenish the bodies electrolytes post-workout.”

My coworkers are all sick, and I don’t want to catch anything. What’s the best juice recipe to help me stay healthy?

“Orange will provide a big shot of vitamin C which should boost your immune system and help keep you healthy,” Martin explains. “Combining orange with your greens offers a healthy boost to the traditional orange juice. It adds loads of vitamin C to your green juice, which is already packed with vitamin A and B vitamins, making this recipe a nutritious (and delicious!) powerhouse.”

ORANGE-ROMAINE GREEN JUICE

Ingredients: 

4-5 kale leaves

2-3 romain (cos) leaves

Handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves (from 3-4 stems)

1 orange

Directions:

1. Wash the kale, romaine and cilantro

2. Peel the orange and cut into pieces that will fit in your juicer

3. Run all ingredients through your juicer, scrape off foam and enjoy.

I’m constantly tired in the morning. What’s a good recipe that’ll add some pep to my step?

“Try adding a spice to your juice such as cayenne, which will will boost the metabolism and give you some pep. A little spice can be a big pick-me-up. I’ve found that tiredness is no match for a hot kick of cayenne in my green juice—it wakes up my taste buds and offers a jolt to my body and mind.”

SPICY GREEN JUICE

Ingredients: 

3 to 4 celery stalks, bottoms removed

Big handful of spinach

1/3 pineapple or ¾ cup pineapple chunks

1/8 tsp sea salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper (1/8 tsp or less)

Directions:

1. Wash the celery and spinach

2. Top and tail the pineapple, peel it and cut into pieces that will fit through your juice.

3. Run the vegetables and pineapple through your juicer and scrape off foam

4. Season with salt and cayenne and enjoy!

My skin is breaking out. What’s a good juice that’ll help detox my face?

“Cucumber juice is particularly soothing to the skin and will assist in clearing it up and making it glow.”

Mollie Bloudoff-Indelicato

Mollie Bloudoff-Indelicato is a freelance science, health, and environment reporter based in Washington, DC, whose work has appeared in National Geographic, NPR, Scientific American, The Atlantic, Newsweek, and Nature.