Cool down and stock up on vitamins in the world of juices!

I bet you know that you should have five helpings of fruit and vegetables a day.

You hear constantly hearing that so you are fully aware of its importance.

You also know that you should always have a piece of fruit or natural fruit juice for breakfast, and that, for mid-morning and mid-afternoon, the healthiest choice is undoubtedly fruit.

Juices are a good choice for taking your fruit in a different way. They should not replace the whole fruit, as you will be missing out on fibre and some vitamins which oxidise quickly, but they are refreshing and help hydrate you and revitalise you, especially in hot weather.

Remember that:

• A blend and a juice are different. The blend consists in beating or blending the whole fruit, it is usually thicker and can be combined with vegetables to make shakes. Juice is more liquid because it does not contain pulp.
• A juice and a nectar are not the same thing either. The former only contains sugar as fructose in the fruit, and the nectar has added sugar.
• The best choices are always natural juices NOT containing added sugar.

Look how appetising they are!

1. Diuretic to prevent bloating: Pineapple and grape juice. Pineapple is a great diuretic and improves the metabolism of proteins, and the grapes reduce acidity and contain anti-oxidants.
2. To prepare your skin before sunbathing: Peach, carrot and orange juice. The orange contains vitamin C and, together with the peach and carrots, protects the skin with carotenes or provitamin A.

They can never be a substitute for a sun cream and remember that they only help you prepare for a tan and never accelerate tanning.

3. Energetic, revitalising: Strawberry and banana juice. It fills you with vitamin C and potassium. Ideal just before sports.
4. To sleep well: Kiwi and banana juice. Bananas have tryptophan which helps you sleep. At night a whole banana can repeat on you but in a fruit juice with a citrus fruit full of vitamin C it will help in digestion and help you sleep.
5. To avoid constipation and regulate bowel transit: pineapple and apple juice. Apples prevent the loss of water from the colon, thus preventing constipation, and pineapples help in your digestion.
6. Full of vitamins and refreshing: Mango, kiwi and grapefruit juice. They provide vitamin C and carotenes. They help keep the skin young and they quench your thirst.
7. Cleansing, as they cleanse the inside: apple, lemon, grapefruit juice. These are antioxidant fruits, with vitamin C, of the B group, vitamin A and minerals like potassium, calcium or magnesium. They help cleanse the digestive tract and protect it from aggressive bacteria. Sweeten it up a little if it tastes too acidic.
8. Detoxifying, for removing toxins: Cranberry, pear and apple juice. The cranberries protect the urinary tract, they are antioxidants and help look after your sight. The apple and pear help your digestive tract and are diuretic.

Add crushed ice if it is hot and you want to cool down even more, and take them as soon as you make them so that you do not miss out on the vitamins.

Do you remember why fruit is so good for you?

1. Because it provides water.
2. It contains fibre, which regulates transit.
3. It provides vitamins, especially Vitamin A, B, C and E.
4. It is rich in minerals, which is important for cell functioning.
5. It helps prevent cell ageing, due to its antioxidants.
6. It protects your heart, and the nervous system and helps in digestion.
7. It satiates, and so helps combat excess weight.
8. It is rich and sweet.

Now you see how easy it is to make a rich fruit juice full of beneficial properties for your health. Try it.