For the human body to stay healthy when you work from home and produce consistent and robust energy, a person needs to consume enough minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. Fortunately, all these can be obtained from fresh fruits and vegetables. But how can someone manage to take different types of fruits in a single sitting? Unless the various fruits and veggies are blended into one drink, consuming them all separately can be unmanageable for some, which is where juicing recipes come in handy for a quick and healthy energy boost.

When working from home it can be tempting to reach for a sugary biscuit or an instant coffee for a quick boost of energy, but there’s a much healthier way.  Why not make a juice or two first thing to give you a natural and healthy energy boost in the morning and save the second juice for when you need more energy in the day, instead of reaching for those unhealthy snacks.  A carefully picked juice recipe can potentially help someone to attain enough energy for the working day naturally and healthily.

I love to juice and to make smoothies on a regular basis when working from home.  I will often prepare one in the morning when I’m making the kids breakfast and packed lunches and have lots of the ingredients out already.  Then I’ll pop it in the fridge until lunch time or until I’m peckish.  Not only does this save me reaching for an unhealthy snack, but it also saves me time when I’m stacked with work in my working hours and would rather not spend time making a snack or meal.

 

Tips to get started with juicing

If possible I recommend choosing organic fruits and vegetables for the best health benefits.  There have been studies that show organic produce to have more antioxidants as these are produced when they have to naturally defend themselves from pests in the wild, whereas those sprayed with pesticides don’t have to fend for themselves so produce less.  Organic means they are not sprayed with chemical pesticides or grown in artificial fertilizer, so you’ll not be consuming any traces of these toxic chemicals.   

Even if they are organic, and especially if not, make sure you clean the fruits and vegetables before placing them into a juicer.  Give them a good rinse under some cold water.

Also, investing in a suitable juicer is a good idea, especially if you plan on making juicing a regular part of your diet.  A good juicer will last longer and will ensure you get the smoothest juice with the most nutrients retained.   It pays to read the various juicer reviews before buying any type of juicer to make some juice – you may be disappointed if you buy cheap, as the saying goes ‘buy cheap, buy twice’.

We use a Sage juicer which was around £150 and is of high quality.  We are able to put the fruit and veg in whole to its wide chute, and it removes all the pulp, seeds, cores and so on for us.  This saves a great deal of time when preparing a juice as there’s no chopping involved unless we have to make the food smaller to fit down the chute.

Another great tip is to make sure you are loading your juice with vegetables.  A ratio of around 80/20 of vegetables to fruit is recommended.  Though it is natural sugar, purely fruit juices are much higher in sugar in a concentration that you wouldn’t normally eat, as you’d never be able to eat all the fruit in one juice in one sitting, so this high sugar content can affect your blood sugar levels and cause a spike.  Therefore for optimum nutrients and less sugar, you need your juices to be mostly vegetables with some fruit to sweeten.  I mostly use a lot of leaves such as spinach or kale with lots of celery and cucumber, then just one apple or pear to sweeten, for example.

Here are some juicing recipes with the potential to help you attain incredible health and energy for your working day.  They make random amounts and you can adjust the recipes to suit your own taste preferences and also quantity preferences.  Don’t be afraid to make too much though as you can always refrigerate your leftovers for a day or two.

Green gusto juice

One great benefit of consuming a glass of green gusto juice in the morning is obtaining healthy skin. The glow on the skin is triggered by antioxidants present in the juice, which include vitamins A, E and C. These antioxidants serve to eliminate harmful toxins that may otherwise lead to sun damage or acne. Vitamin A, in particular, is vital for cell regeneration and growth.  Additionally, the green gusto juice is incredibly hydrating which is essential for skin upkeep.  

Simply place all these ingredients in your juicer and enjoy:

• A big handful of spinach
• Two green apples
• A big handful of kale
• Two celery stalks
• Half a large cucumber
• Half a handful of parsley
• Half a lemon
• An inch of ginger root

If it needs to be sweeter for you then add an extra apple.  If you’re not used to the green juice taste then you may need to make sweeter ones at first and then reduce the amount of fruit as you get used to them.  To water it down more and weaken the overall flavour, then simply use more celery and/or cucumber.  You might want to use more watery vegetables to soften the taste until you are used to drinking vegetables!

The best thing about juicing is you can adapt it to suit your own taste preferences.  For example, you can swap the lemon for kiwi or remove the ginger if you don’t like the taste.

You can also alter the quantities of ingredients to make more or less, depending on whether you want a more intense shot or cup of juice, a pint or a larger drink to sip on.  I do quite often up my ingredients to make more than one drink and I store them in the fridge for later in the day.  They simply need a shake or stir when ready to drink.

If you have a high quality juicer then you can simply put all the ingredients in whole and it will remove all the seeds and pulp for you!  We use a Sage juicer at the moment.

Purple power juice

The purple power juice gets its name from the main ingredient, the purple cabbage. Equipped with vitamin K and C, this juice is a superior immunity booster that also contains phytonutrients, which aid in fighting inflammation. This cabbage also contains a pigment that is packed with flavonoids including resveratrol. The flavonoid is tasked with protecting the user from certain cancers in addition to controlling blood pressure. This juice also improves the brain, eye and heart health, to name a few – there are really so many benefits to red cabbage!  Just Google and you will see.   As most of us won’t like the taste of the red cabbage juiced, the carrots and additional ingredients will disguise the cabbage taste.

• One green apple
• One beetroot
• One quarter of a large red cabbage, or half a small
• Two carrots
• Three celery stalks
• Half a large cucumber

Again, the best thing about juicing is you can taste your creation and amend if you don’t like it!  Add more fruit to sweeten if needed or some ginger root for a kick if needed.

Spicy stamina juice

By consuming a glass of spicy stamina juice in the morning, you are guaranteed to spend the whole day feeling invigorated and ready for whatever the working day throws at you! This juice can open blood vessels which will increase oxygen flow, allowing you to stay active while feeling lively. If you are looking for a healthy and energetic drink, read on!

• 25g fresh wheatgrass or 1 ounce readymade wheatgrass juice
• Two carrots
• Three celery stalks
• Half a large cucumber
• One green apple
• A chunk of jalapeno to suit your taste buds (start small if you’re not sure!)
• Half a handful spinach
• Half a handful parsley

Fruit fervor juice

The fruit fervor Juice is probably one of the healthiest juices available and for a good reason; it contains a wide range of health properties. Such benefits include boosting energy, cellular repair, enhanced metabolism, and improved immunity. It also prevents the formation of cancer cells, detoxifies the body, reduces aging signs, diminishes inflammation, as well as lowering cholesterolslevels. This juice is easy to digest, has a sweet flavour and every single glass comes with numerous benefits.  It’s a very fruity juice, so great as a morning energy boost or once in a while treat!

• One orange
• Three green apples
• Half a pineapple
• A cup of blueberries
• A handful of spinach

A veggie vitality juice

The last recipe was almost all fruit, so here’s an all veg to balance things out!  This juice is an excellent afternoon refresher or wake-up tonic.  It’s also delicious and energising. It contains live enzymes and nutrients that serve to feed every cell in the body. This juice also boasts hydrating powers and will keep you active and alert during the day.

• One tomato
• Two large carrots
• One handful of spinach
• Two celery stalks
• Half a handful of parsley

Each of the above recipes has vital components that are both healthy and delicious. The vegetables are loaded with phytonutrients that energize the body cells, keeping an individual rejuvenated all day long. These natural juices are a superior contrast to the sugar and caffeine ridden store concentrates, and they can be consumed in the morning, lunchtime, in the afternoon or even after work. The most important thing is to make a glass of fresh homemade juice part of the daily diet for a fantastic boost of vitamins and minerals straight into your system.

You can also find more inspiration in some juicing books such as the ones here: https://juicerkings.com/best-juicing-books