On the hunt for the gentlest green juice recipes for beginners? We feel you. Sure, the world is full of incredibly leafy greens – from kale to spinach, from collard to mustard greens – but until your tastebuds get used to the taste of greens, you want to go slow.
Starting with a hardcore green juice that’s full of bitter greens is a surefire way to turn yourself off before you start. And nobody wants that, especially since green juicing is one of the nicest things you can do for your body.
Why Green Juice?
It’s no secret that green juice is good for you. But why exactly is it all the rage? We all know that vegetable juices are great for us, but why single out the greens?
For starters, green juices come with all the health benefits that fruits and veggies in general provide: ample antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, and the diverse array of nutrients found in nature’s foods – and then some.
Here’s why you should be drinking a daily dose of salad in a glass…
Simply…Easy
Green juices are convenient and healthy. Green juices are a quick and convenient way to ensure that we consume enough greens on a daily basis. In fact, just 16 oz of organic green juice is equivalent to the five daily recommended servings of fruit and vegetables. That’s a lot of vitamins, nutrients and fiber in one glass.
Natural Detox
Green keeps things clean. The green pigment, chlorophyll, is a powerful antioxidant that detoxifies your body, even removing certain heavy metals. It combats toxins that are stored in the body, as well as air pollution that is inhaled. It recycles nutrients and even repairs DNA.
Alikalizer
Green juices are highly alkaline. By helping to maintain a slight alkalinity in your body, green juices help to fight parasites, viruses, harmful bacteria, and degenerative diseases. They also help to prevent health issues that are associated with an acidic system, such as allergies, joint pain, and digestive problems.
Boost of Energy
Greens energize.The chlorophyll in green juices boosts your blood’s hemoglobin count, which aids blood circulation and in turn provides you with a lot more energy. Green juices make it that much quicker and easier for your cells to get the nutrients they need, to provide you with the energy that you need.
So let’s get you started on with the easiest, most friendly greens. And we won’t just give you some green juice recipes for beginners, either – we’re going to show you exactly how to make your own. And that starts with choosing the gentlest greens for your juices.
The Best Greens for Green Juice Recipes for Beginners
Lucky for you, there are so many beginner-friendly greens out there. Some, like spinach, lettuce and celery are so unobtrusive that you won’t even notice they’re there. They just blend right in, giving your palate a chance to get used to them. And there are a lot more than those when it comes to gentle greens to juice…
Microgreens
Microgreens are basically the baby versions of herbs and leafy greens. The reason they get their own little section is because these tiny greens have 4 to 40 times the nutritional density of their full-grown counterparts.
The nutritional facts and health benefits vary depending on the type of microgreen, but some like red cabbage, cilantro, and radish have been shown to contain 40 times the vital nutrients than their mature counterparts!
Bok Choy
Bok choy is a crucifer and as such, is rich in glucosinolates which have been shown to lower the risk of developing certain forms of cancer by inactivating carcinogens and protecting our cells from DNA damage.
This Chinese cabbage also has brassinin, a phytoalexin also linked to cancer prevention
Lettuce
Considering lettuce is the “least nutritious leafy green” – it really does not do so badly.
For starters, just 100g of lettuce provides 148% of your daily requirement of vitamin A, 30% of vitamin C, 217% of vitamin K, 10% of folate, and 13% of manganese.
It’s also got a bunch of other vitamins and minerals, too – including calcium, iron, vitamin B6, and even protein.
Interestingly, lettuce leaves have a milky fluid called lactucarium which is also known as “lettuce opium” for its analgesic and sedative properties. A lettuce-y green juice might be just the thing if you’re struggling with insomnia.
Spinach
Ah, good old spinach. Where would we be without it? Spinach is one of the most palate-able leafy green out there and the perfect beginner leafy green for those new to green juicing.
It’s also ideal for those looking to lose weight as 100g contain only 7 calories while being rich in vitamins and minerals.
Rapini
Broccoli rabe, aka Rapini, is a lesser-known leafy green worth checking out. It’s rich in protein, vitamins and minerals while being very low in calories.
Its phytochemicals have been linked to protecting brain health and some compounds in rapini have even been shown to help fight off alopecia.
Sprouts
Sprouts are small, but they are without a doubt a SUPER food.
Per calorie, sprouts have the highest concentration of phytonutrients of any known food in our world.
They’re also a great source of vegetarian protein, chock full of potent antioxidants that boost your immune system, improve cardiovascular health, boost bone strenth, and even protect our bodies from cancer.
Want more ideas? Keep in mind that many greens are herbs that you already know and love, like mint, basil and cilantro. These provide a lovely opportunity for you to get a great green dose of chlorophyll as well as the familiar taste of yummy herbs.
5 Perfect Green Juice Recipes for Beginners
You know by now exactly how to craft your very own gentle green juice recipes for beginners but in case you need a little inspiration to get you started, here are some of our favorites.
A Sweet and Savory Green Juice Recipe
This is a refreshingly sweet juice recipe for weight loss that’s perfect for the hot summer months. Both blood-sugar controlling cilantro and digestion-boosting mint offer a dose of cleansing, energy-giving chlorophyll while the high acidity of lemons help balance your internal pH levels.
Watermelon adds a natural sweetness while being wonderfully low in calories. As for ginger, this nausea-easing, circulation-boosting, warming root helps speed up metabolism and energy levels while adding a zesty kick to this yummy juice recipe!
Tropical Green Juice Recipe
If you’re in the mood for something delicious tropical, this is the green juice to go for. Despite the kale, it doesn’t taste very “green” – it’s sweet deliciousness all the way.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cup fresh pineapple
- 2 cups chopped mango
- 1 cup of kale
- handful of basil
A Zesty, Zingy Energizing Green Juice Recipe
What do you do when you’ve only got so much time but you’ve got an insatiable craving for a variety of greens? This green juice recipe, of course 🙂
I love, love, love this gentle green juice as all the green stuff in this recipe is more-than-friendly for beginners. Lettuce, cukes and celery all serve as deliciously subtle base, watercress adds a slight peppery-ness and cilantro contributes mucho flavor while ginger and lemon make sure this green juice recipe is far from bland.
Not to mention the crazy dose of detox-aiding, nutrient-boosting, skin-and-hair-health-promoting, energy-giving benefits you get from a simple cup of this lovely green juice.
Get the Juices Flowing Green Juice
Just because you’re new to green juice doesn’t mean you need to juice the same old ingredients all the time. If you’ve already had a green juice or two, you know exactly what we mean. Most green juice recipe for beginners are the same: Add one watery, tasteless leafy green. Add an apple. Maybe sneak in a lemon or a bit of ginger for excitement.
And we’re totally guilty of this, too. But let’s mix things up a bit. Here’s something different for your bored tastebuds!
What you’ll need:
- 1 medium fennel bulb
- 1 ruby red grapefruit (peeled)
- 1 small apple
- 1 lemon (peeled)
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 cup spinach
Despite the greens, this juice won’t taste like your average green juice. But it’ll be a delight for your tastebuds – especially if you like the taste of licorice – and for your tummy. Both grapefruit and fennel are excellent for digestion so this is one great juice recipe to sip on if you’re feeling, ahem, clogged.
Soothing Green Juice Recipe for Beginners
This is one of the gentlest – yet wonderfully well-rounded – green juice recipes I’ve tried. It’s the perfect juice recipe for beginners and those who’ve been juicing for awhile but remain wary of green juices.
Well, worry no more and round up the above ingredients for your juicer. This juice recipe contains just a tad of nutrient-laden kale and the romaine lettuce is basically vitamin-rich green water (lettuce is one of the least intimidating, best greens for newbies). Apples add a delicious, flavonoid-rich sweetness and the zesty lemon and spicy ginger gives it all a lovely KICK!
Want more yummy green juice recipes?
A Final Note on Green Juicing for Beginners
It’s easy to become super enthusiastic when you start juicing greens and jump the gun but trust us on this – go slow. Juicing greens is a little different than juicing other veggies or fruits.
Greens are very, very nutrient dense and have detoxifying effects, especially when taken in large doses (which juicing easily allows you to do).
Sure, green juice is crazy good for you, but suddenly giving your body an overload of strong, cleansing greens could lead to an intense detox that can make you feel dizzy and nauseous – which is not fun at all.
This is especially something to watch out for if you haven’t been eating all too healthy in the recent past. If you suddenly go from eating fried, processed foods to feeding your body powerful live nutrients – it’s likely to freak out a bit.
So you need to watch yourself and listen to your body. Start light and easy, with the gentlest green veggies to give your body a chance to get used to green juice.
Juice light, water-y greens like cucumber, celery, lettuce, endives, and even a water-y herb like fennel. And then move up the ladder to the stronger greens like dandelion greens, kale, and mustard greens a little later.
