Green Juice Benefits + Best Recipes

Many people struggle to include enough leafy greens in their daily diet - research shows that only 20% of Canadians consume at least one serving of dark green vegetables daily. Green juice offers a simple and effective solution. 

Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, green juices can support better health, improve energy levels, and promote overall well-being. 

At Hurom, we’re committed to making nutritious living more accessible. In this article, we’ll explore the health benefits of green juice and share our favorite recipes to help you get started.

What Is Green Juice?

Green juice is primarily made from green vegetables. However, many green juice recipes also call for fruits, which may not strictly be green in colour. That said, the green juice gets its name from its colour, which is typically a dark hue of green.

Green juices are incredibly popular – you can find them in grocery stores and juice bars everywhere. However, you can also make them fresh at home (which is actually cheaper than buying them from a store, bar, or restaurant). 

Here are the most common ingredients in green juices: 

• Spinach

• Kale

• Celery

• Green apples

• Kiwi

• Cucumber

• Parsley

Is Green Juice Good for You? 5 Green Juice Benefits

Green veggies and fruits in green juice provide many health benefits. That’s why green juice is hailed as one of the healthiest juices. 

Here are the key benefits of drinking green juice:

1. Green Juice Is an Excellent Source of Vitamins and Antioxidants

There’s a reason why doctors and nutrition experts emphasise the importance of ‘eating your greens.’ They provide a myriad of nutrients, including essential vitamins and antioxidants. You can also get these through fresh juice, especially cold-pressed green juices. 

Here are the natural vitamins and minerals you get from green drinks:

• Vitamin A (beta-carotene): It’s found in kale, spinach, and collard greens. It's an antioxidant that supports vision, immune function, and cell growth. Vitamin A is also essential for brain health.

• Vitamin C: This vitamin is also a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system, increases collagen production, and protects against cell damage. It’s present in kale, broccoli leaves, and apples.

• Vitamin E: You can get this vitamin from spinach and turnip greens. As an antioxidant, it fights free radicals. But it also protects your skin from UV damage. 

• Vitamin K: This vitamin is found in spinach, kale, and Swiss chard. It’s essential for blood clotting and bone health.

• Folate (Vitamin B9): Primarily found in spinach and collard greens, it’s important for cell growth and development and helps prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy.

• Lutein and zeaxanthin: Spinach, kale, and collard greens are concentrated sources of these two carotenoid antioxidants. Both are known to support eye health and may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

• Flavonoids: These are a group of antioxidant compounds present in many green leafy vegetables. They have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties and can contribute to heart health. 

And since you're getting all these beneficial nutrients in liquid form, they'll be absorbed faster in your bloodstream. And faster nutrient absorption also means you’ll feel the effects faster.

2. Green Juice Has a Low Glycemic Index (Helps with Weight Loss)

Green juices are generally low in natural sugars and, by extension, calories, so they can be a good addition to a weight loss diet or juice cleanse. Basically, you get the essential nutrients without the excessive calorie load and sugar. 

One study looked at the effect of vegetable juice on postprandial (after a meal) insulin and blood sugar levels. It found that those who consumed vegetable juice before meals didn’t experience insulin or blood sugar spikes.

It’s safe to say that green juices, with their low glycemic effect, are also ideal for people with diabetes, unlike juices made purely from fruits.

3. Green Juice Is an Immunity Booster

Green juices are essentially antioxidant drinks that provide an immunity boost. The flavonoids and polyphenols in these juices react with free radicals that cause cell damage and increase the risk of chronic diseases, like heart disease or cancer. But there’s more to this particular benefit!

Researchers have discovered that leafy greens are a source of a chemical signal necessary for a full-functioning immune system. 

Since so many of us struggle to get our fix of leafy greens with food, juicing them provides an easy way to tap into these immunity benefits. 

4. Green Juice Acts as a Prebiotic

Prebiotics are a type of fiber that helps the bacteria in your gut thrive. There’s some evidence that juices provide the prebiotic benefit despite a relatively low dietary fiber makeup. Green drinks, particularly, are a good source of fiber because of their vegetable content. 

For instance, a study looked at the effect of a juice diet on gut microbiota. It found that the juices caused important changes in the bacteria in the digestive tract, which led to weight loss. More importantly, the participants’ well-being scores also increased.. 

The prebiotics and digestive enzymes in green juice keep your gut health good, which, in turn, also boosts immunity, prevents digestive issues, and helps with weight maintenance. 

5. Green Juice Has an Alkalising Effect

The vegetables in green juices are mineral-rich. This makes them more alkaline than fruits, which are usually acidic. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are also rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

So why does this matter?

While the body has its way of maintaining pH balance, the concentrated nutrients in green juice can support this process. But if your pH is off-kilter, you can experience lots of negative symptoms, including headaches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.

That brings us to the next point:

How to Make Green Juice: 7 Green Juice Recipes

If you want to reap all the benefits above, here are seven of the most delicious green juice recipes.

1. Green Power Fusion – Best Green Juice

This ultimate green juice recipe, loved by NFL’s Nick Bosa, includes multiple green vegetables, apples, and cucumber. Try it – it’ll give you quick energy, essential nutrients, and lots of other health benefits.

Estimated calories per serving: 210 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of celery

• 2 cups of kale

• 1 cucumber

• 2 limes

• 1 apple, cored

• ¼ cup parsley

Instructions:

1. Wash and cut ingredients into suitable-sized pieces.

2. Add the ingredients into the hopper of your Hurom juicer.

3. Run the juicer and extract. 

4. Add ice cubes, and enjoy. 

2. Leafy Greens Juice – Best for Increasing Mineral Intake

Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables dominate this nutrient-rich detoxifying blend. It can help you get those essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. This one is purely vegetables, so it’s not sweet. You may add honey or lemon to improve the taste. 

Estimated calories per serving: 58 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh spinach
  

• 1 cup chopped kale
  

• 1 cup chopped Swiss chard
  

• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
  

Instructions:

1. Wash all greens thoroughly.
   

2. Chop the kale and Swiss chard into manageable pieces.
   

3. Feed the spinach, kale, chard, and parsley into the Hurom juicer.
   

4. Once the juicing is complete, stir well.
   

5. Serve immediately for optimal freshness.

3. White Grapes, Spinach, Basil, & Pineapple - Rich in Antioxidants

This recipe from Hurom uses antioxidant-rich green veggies and vitamin-C-rich fruits like grapes and pineapples. It’s the perfect blend for tapping into the disease-fighting benefits of polyphenols. Also, unlike traditional veggie-only green juices, it’s quite delicious. 

Estimated calories per serving: 200 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white grapes

• 1 cup fresh spinach

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

• 1 cup chopped pineapple

Instructions:

1. Wash all produce thoroughly.
   

2. Remove stems from basil leaves.
   

3. Cut the pineapple into chunks suitable for juicing.
   

4. Add grapes, spinach, basil, and pineapple into the hopper of your Hurom juicer.
   

5. Stir the juice well before serving.

4. Wheatgrass Pear - Sweet Low-Calorie Green Juice

This is an excellent low-calorie juice recipe made from wheatgrass. To have a sweet taste, it uses pears. Drink it as part of your weight loss regimen. 

Estimated calories per serving: 105 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 oz fresh wheatgrass 

• 1 medium pear, cored

Instructions:

1. Rinse wheatgrass and pear thoroughly.
   

2. Cut the pear into pieces suitable for juicing.
   

3. Feed wheatgrass and pear into the juicer.
   

4. Chill and serve.

5. Tropical Green Juice – Healthy Refresher

This green juice recipe uses water-rich cucumbers, which provide plenty of hydration. It can be your go-to healthy summer drink with a tropical flavour (thanks to the pineapple and mint). 

Estimated calories per serving: 133 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped kale

• 1/2 cucumber

• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

• 1 cup chopped pineapple 

• 1/2 lemon

Instructions:

1. Wash all ingredients thoroughly.
   

2. Chop the kale and cucumber into manageable pieces.
   

3. Feed kale, cucumber, mint, lemon, and pineapple into the juicer.
   

4. Serve chilled for a refreshing experience.

6. Kiwi Green Juice - Good for Digestive Health

This one is a tangy, vibrant juice, packed with Vitamin C. The leafy greens and ginger in it help aid healthy digestion, while the kiwis give you the antioxidant effect of Vitamin C, like fighting disease-causing free radicals. 

Estimated calories per serving: 80 calories

Ingredients:

• 2 kiwis, peeled 

• 1 cup fresh spinach or kale

• 1 medium green apple, cored

• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger 

Instructions: 

1. Wash all produce thoroughly.
   

2. Peel kiwis and ginger; chop the apple and greens into suitable pieces.
   

3. Feed all ingredients into your Hurom juicer.
   

4. Stir the juice well and serve immediately.

7. Spirulina Green Juice - Great Detox Juice

Spirulina is a blue-green algae (cyanobacterium) and a rich source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It comes in a green powder form. It has an earthy, fishy taste, which may be unbearable for some. This green juice recipe with spirulina supercharges its benefits and makes it go down easily. 

Estimated Calories per Serving: 149–175 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon spirulina powder 

• 1 medium green apple, cored 

• 1 cup fresh spinach or kale

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1 teaspoon honey

Instructions:

1. Wash all produce thoroughly.
   

2. Prepare the apple and greens.
   

3. Place the apple and greens into the hopper of your Hurom juicer.
   

4. Mix spirulina powder with a small amount of juice in a separate glass to dissolve.
   

5. Combine the spirulina mixture with the rest of the juice, add lemon juice and honey, and stir well.
   

6. Serve immediately for maximum benefits.

Tips for Green Juicing

Here are some tips to make your green juicing even better:

• Go easy on fruits: Not that fruits aren’t great, but green juices are supposed to be veggie-dominant, so follow the 80/ 20 rule of juicing, with 80% of ingredients being green vegetables. That’s how you reap all those benefits we just listed!

• Make it sweet naturally: Green juices aren’t always the tastiest, and if you’re using mostly veggies, they might not be sweet. Use a bit of natural sweeteners like honey or monk fruit to make your taste buds happier without increasing their calorie count too much. 

• Rotate your greens: Consuming green juices multiple times a week is highly recommended. However, drinking the same glass of juice every day can be boring. So, rotate your ingredients to get the nutritional and health benefits of all. 

• Thoroughly wash the leafy greens: Make sure to wash your leafy greens, even if they come washed and packed from the market. Here’s a video showing how to clean leafy greens!

• For more calories, add healthy fats: Not everyone is on a journey to lose weight. So, if you want to tap the benefits of green juices but also want more calories, consider adding healthy fats with avocado or olive oil. This can be ideal for people trying to gain weight healthily. 

• Reuse the pulp: Don’t let the pulp go to waste. There’s so much you can do with it! 

• Use a slow juicer: Get the most nutrients out of your greens by using the best slow juicer. This will help you preserve more nutrients and soluble fiber.  

Get Green Juicing!

Green juices are great for your health, with their nutrient-rich, low-calorie profile. From inflammation to anti-aging, green juices offer a wealth of benefits. If you haven’t yet been green juicing, it’s high time you did, using the best masticating juicers from Hurom. 

Our juicers are perfect for juicing green veggies and fruits as they safely squeeze out every last drop without damaging those precious vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Explore Hurom’s slow juicers for green juices!

FAQs

What does green juice do to the body?

Green juice provides a concentrated dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support overall health. It can boost your immune system, improve digestion, and increase energy levels due to its high nutrient density. 

The chlorophyll from leafy greens may also help detoxify the body and support liver function. Drinking green juice regularly can complement a balanced, healthy diet and promote better hydration.

How long does green juice last in the fridge?

Green juice should ideally be consumed within 72 hours when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The sooner you drink it, the more nutrients you retain, as oxidation reduces vitamin content. 

Which vitamins does green juice provide?

Depending on the ingredients, a green fresh juice may be rich in vitamins A, C, and K. Green juices with leafy greens also contain B vitamins for energy and folate for cellular health. Some also contain vitamin E, which is commonly found in skincare products. 

Is green juice made just from vegetables?

No, green juice typically includes a mix of vegetables and fruits. However, there are more vegetables than fruits. Green apples, kiwis, and grapes are usually added for flavor. Some recipes also include lemon, ginger, or herbs for flavor and added health benefits.

Does green juice burn belly fat?

Green juice doesn’t directly burn belly fat, but it may support weight loss as part of a healthy lifestyle. It’s low in calories and high in nutrients, which can help reduce cravings and promote satiety. 

Adding ginger and lemon to your green juice may give it mild metabolism-boosting properties. 

Is green juice good for the skin?

Yes, green juice benefits skin due to its high content of antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and hydration properties. These nutrients support collagen production, fight oxidative stress, and help reduce inflammation. 

Are there any drawbacks to green juice?

Overconsumption of green juices without a balanced diet might lead to nutrient imbalances. People with kidney issues should watch oxalate levels in greens like spinach or chard. 

When not to drink green juice?

If you’re on blood-thinning medications, consult a doctor before adding green juices to your diet. Leafy green vegetables and herbs contain vitamin K, which can interfere with the efficacy of your medication. 

Also, people with kidney disease should drink green juices with leafy greens minimally.