While juice is by no means a replacement for whole fruits and veg, it’s still a great way to fit in the ones you might not otherwise eat.

Before you turn your nose up, consider this: people who eat at least five servings of vegetables every day live almost three years longer than people who avoid veg at all costs. Upping your intake can also help you drop weight and protect you against cancer.

The Health Benefits of Juicing

According to studies, drinking fresh juices allows your body to better absorb nutrients compared to when you eat your greens. It also gives the digestive system a rest from having to work on that fiber.

Besides that, juicing gives your immune system a powerful boost, removing toxins, aiding digestion, and generally giving you the power boost you need to get through the day.

Best of all, you don’t need to spend a small fortune on a fancy juicer to drink your fruit and veg. Get the best personal blender out and try these easy springtime juices right now!

Homemade V8 Juice

This is a versatile recipe that you can have fun with. You can add other veg or herbs, too. If you like a spicy kick, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper!

You need:
  • Half a cup of diced carrots
  • 4 cups of diced tomatoes
  • A ¼ cup of spinach
  • 1 cup of water, divided
  • A tiny sliver of beet
  • A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • Half a teaspoon of sea salt
  • A tablespoon of parsley
What to do:
  • Combine your beet, carrots, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, half a cup of water and salt and pepper in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.
  • Add the parsley along with the spinach and simmer for 5 minutes, keeping the lid on.
  • Remove from the heat and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
  • Pour your juice in the blender along with the rest of the water and puree for about 2 minutes.
  • Strain using a fine-mesh sieve and serve icy cold!
Hot Pink Juice

This juice doesn’t just look cool, it also gives your immune system a whopping springtime boost.

You need:
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 beets
  • A lemon
  • An apple
  • 4 stalks of celery
  • 5 kale leaves
  • An inch of ginger
What to do:
  • Stick everything in the blender and blitz until smooth!
The Golden Glow Elixir

Has your skin taken a beating during the winter months? Add some sparkle and shine with this delicious juice.

You need:
  • 2 large oranges, peeled
  • 2 apples
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled
  • 2 inches of fresh turmeric, peeled
  • 2 cups of water and a handful of ice
What to do:
  • Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Add more water if needed.
Tomato Vegetable Juice

No need for the Bloody Mary in favor of this delicious homemade juice that contains all the ingredients of a delicious salad. Best of all, you don’t need a juicer.

You need:
  • One cup of romaine lettuce, chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped chives
  • ¼ fresh jalapeno, seeded and stemmed
  • 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • Medium carrot, peeled
  • 2 large celery stalks, trimmed
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • Ice cubes
What to do:
  • Coarsely chop up all your ingredients
  • Place the softer ingredients in your blender first and process until smooth.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
  • Cut up 2 × 24-inch long pieces of cheesecloth and unfold each piece, stacking them on top of each other.
  • Fold the double stack in half to create a 4-layer stack of the cloth.
  • Line a large bowl with the cloth and pour the juice into the center.
  • Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth in one hand and use your other hand to twist and squeeze the mixture, extracting all the juice and leaving the pulp behind.
  • If you don’t want the juice to stain your hands, be sure to wear rubber gloves!
Mixing up quick and super-healthy juices this springtime isn’t just a great way to get your system back on track, but an excellent way to make sure you’re getting your fruits and veg.

Don’t worry about expensive juicers, just get the blender out from the back of the kitchen cupboard and try the above recipes for refreshing, health-inducing deliciousness!

Find more springtime health tips and marksalinas.com.

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