Juicing Is Good For Your Vanity

A clear complexion, bright eyes, lustrous hair and strong, healthy nails can be yours in just a few gulps with a home juicing.

Juicing involves the extracting all the nutrients and vitamins from fresh fruits and vegetables, either by hand or machine. Remember to use fresh fruits and vegetables.  All juices can be diluted with water and stored in the fridge.

For Skin

A bad diet of junk food and not enough fresh food and vegetables, will make your skin suffer. Your kidneys will not be able to cope with what you are consuming causing toxins to be released into the skin causing spots and blemishes.

Fresh juices help to detoxify the body, flushing out the waste, and stimulate the kidneys. Vitamins A, C, E, betacarotene and the mineral selenium (antioxidant nutrients) have the ability to feed the unstable molecules which are responsible for the ageing process, thus delaying the onset of wrinkles and fine lines.

These nutrients also feed collage, the main protein that keeps the skin’s elasticity.

If you suffer with acne, a rich consumption of betacarotene and zinc can help relieve the condition on the face, neck, shoulders and back.

Juicing Recipes: Wrinkle-Buster – 3 large carrots, 2oz parsley or 1 medium sized grapefruit and 1 small orange.

Acne-Buster – 3 large carrots4oz/ 125g watercress or 3 apricots. 6oz/ 175g cherries and 1 nectarine.

For Hair

Chemically processed hair can look dull and lifeless. The same can be said of natural afro hair that is lacking in vital vitamins and minerals. The external hair that is on show is actually dead but the root is alive and is fed by the blood stream.

The most important vitamins for strong healthy hair come from the vitamin B complex group combined with iron, iodine and sulphur minerals.

Dandruff sufferers would benefit from juices rich in B vitamins, vitamin E and betacarotene which will improve the condition of the scalp.

Juicing Recipes: Healthy Hair – Small bunch of grapes, 2 passion fruits, 2 thick slices of pineapple or 4oz/ 125g mangetout, 3 kale leaves, 2 large carrots and 1/2 parsnips.

Dandruff-Buster – 1/2 lettuce, 2 small apples or 1 mango, 1 peach and 1 apple.

For Nails

Nails grow beneath the skin of the finger, but are dead once they emerge from the cuticle. Nails are a good way of showing that we may be lacking in nutrients.

Brittle nails often indicate a lack of iron and white spots on the nails may mean you need to increase your intake of zinc.

Healthy nails  require a consumption of the trace minerals sulphur and iodine along with B2 (riboflavin).

Juicing Recipe: 4oz/ 125g bean sprouts, 4oz/ 125g chunky white cabbage, 2 large carrots or 4oz/ 125g blackberries, 4oz/ 125g strawberries and 1 apple.

For Eyes

Whilst there is not much truth in the fact that carrots will help you see in the dark but the betacarotene in them, combined with vitamin B, C and E complex can help keep your eyes clear and well functioning.

Recipe: 2 large carrots, 4 broccoli florets, 4 cauliflower florets or 4 tangerine and 1 pear.

Main Photo: Anastasia Zhenina