Picking The Right Juice For Every Season
Contents
Juice for Every Season
When it comes to juicing, many people are under the impression that it is meant for the months only, such as spring and summer.
But as long as you can get your hands on fresh, preferably organic, produce, then you can make juice!
Benefits of Juicing
There are many benefits to having freshly-squeezed juice on a regular basis, including:
Increasing your daily fruits and vegetables – It is safe to say that more than half of adults and children are not consuming the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables each day.
Even food sensitivities aside, there are many alternatives when it comes to cutting sugar, carbs, or avoiding certain types of produce.
Juicing allows you to have all your required produce without ever having to make a salad or choose a side dish at dinnertime.
Getting all the nutrients you need – In addition to the general requirements for eating fruits and vegetables, the vitamins and minerals you get from them are amazing.
Antioxidants from berries, vitamin C from oranges, fiber from apples, zinc from spinach and kale, and so many more are waiting for you when you start juicing.
Alternative to solid food – If there is a time when your teeth are sensitive, or you can’t eat solid food, juicing can be a great alternative.
While it shouldn’t replace entire meals, you can use it to supplement any nutrients you aren’t getting while on a liquid diet.
Fun, healthy activity for the kids – Lastly, don’t underestimate how enjoyable this can be for your kids.
If you are looking to get them more involved in health and cooking, juicing is a good place to start.
You chop up the fruits, veggies, and herbs, and the kids can carefully guide them into the juicer.
Supervision is important of course, but they have fun with this and will enjoy drinking the juice – even the green stuff.
The following sections are going to show you the produce that is in season throughout the year, and give you some great options for seasonal juices in spring, summer, fall, and winter.
1. Spring
Let’s start with spring, which is often the first season when people start wanting to make a fresh start.
There is something about spring that screams ‘new beginning’.
Many people who fell behind on their New Years’ resolutions in January, will pick those healthy habits back up again in the springtime.
Why Juice in the Spring?
Juicing is amazing this time of year, whether you are looking to detox your body, or just want to add in more healthy ingredients.
You can start adding in more healthy ingredients this season, and even use some of the produce you have cropping up in your backyard vegetable garden.
Spring Produce and Herbs
For the spring season, depending on where you live, you can find a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
Many climates will allow for repeating these fruits and veggies throughout multiple seasons, but when you get produce that is meant for that season, it often tastes better and is more affordable.
It also becomes easier to find it from local farmers and organic.
Some of the spring produce for juicing includes:
Apricots
Beets
Carrots
Broccoli
Celery
Kale
Lemons and Limes
Kiwi
Pineapples
Spinach
Strawberries
Herbs include:
Mint
Rosemary
Lemongrass
Spring Juicing Ideas
Now for the fun part – the actual juicing! You can usually put together any ingredients you want, whether you want to use herbs from your garden, or happen to have strawberries and spinach in your refrigerator.
Experimenting with different fruits and vegetables is always a good idea.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are some ideas for juicing with spring produce:
Celery, Cucumber, and Lime – This is a simple juice that is great for detoxing your body, increasing your hydration, and clearing up your skin.
The celery and cucumber have a high water content, so it is very refreshing, and the lime gives it a little kick.
You can also add some fresh mint to this juice.
Kale, Lemon, and Berries – While you want to be careful not to use kale too much in your juice, it is good to add greens as often as possible.
You don’t want too many juices with just fruits, as it will have a high sugar content, and you miss out on the vitamins from veggies.
This juice uses kale, with some berries to sweeten it up, and lemon or lime for a boost of vitamins.
Carrots, Ginger, Pineapple – For a vegetable-laden juice in the springtime, why not use carrots?
You can combine them with ginger and any fruit of your choice.
Pineapple is great, or if you prefer, try berries, apricots, or apple if you can get your hands on it.
2. Summer
The next season for juicing is summertime!
Most people love to juice and make smoothies in the summer, since it’s refreshing, light, and helps you use all those beautiful fruits and vegetables that are in season this time of year.
Why Juice in the Summer?
Summer is the perfect time for juicing.
You have probably noticed that during this season, you go through a lot more produce.
You might spend more time at local farmers’ markets, enjoy bringing fresh fruit and veggies to the beach or on your summer camping trips.
In the summer, the weather gets warm, you have more free time, and you just want to eat healthier.
Juicing is a wonderful way to use up all those beautiful, organic fruits and veggies you picked up at the farmers’ market, and have fresh juice for everyone in your family.
Summer Produce and Herbs
Here is a look at the delicious, healthy, and nutrition-packed summer produce you can use for juicing:
Cucumbers
Celery
Carrots
Honeydew melon
Mango
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Apples
Apricots
Lemons
Limes
Peaches and Plums
Cherries
Watermelon
Strawberries
Spinach
Passion Fruit
Herbs Include:
Bay
Basil
Cilantro
Oregano
Mint
Rosemary
Summer Juicing Ideas
One thing to remember in the summer is that while you might feel like juice with mostly fruit, you should try to add greens and veggies whenever possible.
This helps to balance out the nutrients in your juice, and keep the sugar content lower.
Some summer juice ideas include:
Cucumber, Celery, Carrots, and Cherries – You’re getting all the C’s in this juice.
Lots of veggies are included with the cucumber, carrots, and celery, with cherries for added sweetness.
Passion Fruit, Honeydew, Cantaloupe, and Mango – For those days when you just want fruit, make it tropical in the summertime!
Combine all your favorite tropical fruits, then you can choose whether you want to add in some veggies as well.
3. Fall
There is no reason you can’t continue juicing in the fall season!
Using produce like pumpkin, apples, cranberries, and pears is wonderful, plus the many other fruits and vegetables you can find this time of year.
It is fun to mix things up and try different ingredients in your daily juice.
Why Juice in the Fall?
In the fall season, a lot of produce at your disposal begins to change.
While you will still have some of the basics available to you, like apples and broccoli, you also get some great new additions, like cranberries, sweet potatoes, and even pumpkin.
Juicing in the fall allows you to mix it up and have more inspiration for trying new things.
This helps to keep juicing interesting, while still maintaining all of the other benefits you get from juicing throughout the year.
Fall Produce and Herbs
Keep in mind that many of these fruits, vegetables, and herbs are available year-round. But you might also notice some new additions, with the change in the climate and what’s available near the end of the year.
Some fall produce and herbs that you can use for juicing include:
Spinach
Raspberries
Pineapple
Celery
Apples
Broccoli
Carrots
Cranberries
Mango
Pears
Lemon and Lime
Pumpkin
Grapes
Swiss Chard
The fall herbs include:
Sage
Rosemary
Parsley
Thyme
Cilantro
Fall Juicing Ideas
This is the time to start making juice that reminds you of the Autumn season and all the wonderful flavors there are to choose from.
Here are a few ideas to help get you started:
Apples, Cranberries, Pears, and Spinach – This is an excellent green juice for the season.
Use spinach or any other green vegetable, then add in some apples, cranberries, and pears to sweeten it up.
Blueberry, Lemon, and Mint – For a juice that is more like a tonic, you can combine simple fruits with herbs.
Blueberries and lemons go amazing together, combined with some mint to add in herbs.
Apples, Carrots, and Ginger – When you’re looking for a good combination of ingredients in the fall, start with carrots for your veggie, as well as some broccoli for more greens.
You can then sweeten it with apples, and add in a little ginger.
4. Winter
Last, but certainly not least, is the winter season.
For this season, it might be when you think of juicing the least as it is colder and you often turn to hot drinks.
However, there are still all the same health benefits with juicing in the winter, plus you can try some fun new flavor combinations with all the excellent winter product.
Why Juice in the Winter?
Many of the health benefits are in the same in the winter as the other seasons, with one exception.
The way you eat and the foods you crave in the winter can often be different than other times of the year.
Winter continues the holiday season, when you might be eating more pastries and sweets.
This is completely normal and a great way to celebrate these occasions.
However, it might also mean you don’t have as much room in your belly and your meal plan for the same amount of fruits and vegetables as other seasons.
This makes it even more important to add juicing to your daily routine during this season.
Winter Produce and Herbs
For the winter season, many of the produce options are similar to summer and fall, but this is an even better time to get winter veggies like carrots, kale, cabbage, and beets.
Winter produce and herbs include:
Cabbage
Celery
Kale
Lemons and Limes
Kiwi
Apples
Sweet Potato
Beets
Pumpkin
Grapefruit
Oranges
Pears
For herbs, consider adding:
Thyme
Rosemary
Mint
Parsley
Winter Juicing Ideas
For this final season, let’s go over a few ideas for making your winter juice:
Pumpkin, Apple, Orange, and Greens – To make a green juice in the winter, start with spinach or kale, or even cabbage if you prefer.
Add in another veggie like pumpkin, then go for a fruit with a high water content, like oranges or apples.
The apples also help to sweeten up this winter juice.
Orange, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Pear, Apples – Typically, you don’t want to add too many different ingredients to a single juice, but this is one exception.
You don’t have to use all of these, but it is a good way to combine citrus with sweetness, in a fruits-only juice in the winter.
Kale, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Celery – For a veggie-loaded juice, try juicing some sweet potatoes with kale, carrots, and celery.
Then add in a fruit of your choice for sweetness, like berries or apples.