Hamilton - The ultimate juices & smoothies encyclopedia : your essential guide to healthy and delicious drinks

AFTER-DINNER
COFFEE

In recent decades, researchers have developed a solid base of science to back up the mantra that generations of mothers preached to their recalcitrant kids: eat your greens, theyre good for you! According to the World Health Organization, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity are key risk factors for the major noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes.

Like the overwhelming majority of reputable nutrition experts around the world, the World Health Organization comes to the same conclusion as our mothers and grandmothers: the best way to ward off the twin evils of fast food and sluggish feet is to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables.

The now ubiquitous 5a-day campaign seen on food packaging, along produce aisles in supermarkets, and in schools everywhere is based on the World Health Organizations recommendation that we should all consume a minimum of 14 oz of fruit and vegetables each day as part of an average, healthy, balanced diet. By improving our diet, we increase our energy levels and are more likely to perform and enjoy physical activitykicking off a virtuous cycle of ever-improving health and fitness. Its that simple! And thats where juices and smoothies come into the picture. They are healthy, quick to make, and deliciousa great way to get those greens (and reds, yellows, purples, and pinks!) inside ourselves and our kids. We all know that food is our bodys fuel, but many of us dont realize that certain foods, such as acid-promoting refined carbs, some grains, and refined sugars, are actually energy draining.

Fatty foods have similar energy-sapping effects as the digestive system works overtime to process fats. Foods that energize are the high-alkaline foods such as fruits and vegetables that are packed with nutrientsespecially antioxidants. Start off each day with a high-power fruit juice and you will feel instantly energized. Its worth noting that overindulgence of any food will make you feel sluggish, and more and more experts are recommending that we take our fuel on board in smaller quantities at more regular intervals. A green smoothie, perhaps made with an energy-packed green-leaf vegetable such as spinach or kale, will provide a perfect energy boost at any time of day so that we need never, well, run out of juice!

Juices and smoothies are incredibly easy to make (no recipe should take longer than ten minutes to prepare). The ever-rising tide of health consciousness has led to a raft of super-efficient food processors, blenders, and juicers that make the production of deliciously tempting health drinks easier than ever.

Energy-boosting berriesand other fruits and vegetables suitable for juices and smoothiescan be bought frozen from the supermarket, so they can be conveniently stored in the freezer with no need to dilute your ingredients with ice to enjoy a refreshingly chilled health drink every morning.

Juices and smoothies are genuinely delicious as well as nutritious. Fruit juices are naturally sweet so few children need coaxing to enjoy a fruit juiceespecially if strawberries or raspberries are involved in the mix. Even the dreaded green vegetables can be made more appetizing when combined with naturally sweet carrot juice. Presented in a sparkling glass with a suitable garnish, juices and smoothies can be quite beautiful to look at tooa far cry from the sorrowful side portion of spinach that kids of previous generations poked around their plates with expressions of loathing. They are fun creations to be positively relished!