Juicer Recipes Now

There are many benefits of juicing. Whether its vegetables or fruit, the juicing process is a great way to get the health benefits from a variety of foods while avoiding some of the mild irritants those foods can engender. Blackberries, which are a source of powerful antioxidants, are one fruit that falls in that category.

Blackberries are an excellent source of vitamins K, B, C, and manganese. They are a great source of polyphenolic anitoxidants, such as ellagic acid, tannins, quercetin, and anthocyanins. These compounds come together to give blackberries one of the highest oxygen radical scavenging capacities of any fruit. And if you’re interested in learning more about how to boost your metabolism, the antioxidants in blackberries have been proven to boost beneficial metabolic processes.

While blackberries are, in an of themselves, one of the best healthy snacks for weight loss, there are two common complaints many people (especially kids) make about eating blackberries. The first is seeds, and the second is bitterness. Blackberries are loaded with seeds, which anyone can be objectionable, as the numerous, tiny seeds get lodged in-between teeth and gums. The second is the bitter taste associated with the healthiest of blackberries, which is a by-product of the high concentration of antioxidant compounds. Although sweeter varieties are available, the trade-off is a reduction in those same beneficial antioxidants. These come together to make blackberries a prime candidate for juicing, which can eliminate the complaints about seeds altogether. Chosen properly, other juices can be used to counteract the bitterness, allowing consumers to reap the greatest benefits possible from blackberries.

Juices that complement blackberries nicely are mango, pear, and cranberry. Mangos and pears are both sweet, which nicely balances the tannic acid in the healthiest varieties of blackberries. By contrast, cranberries offer a combination of sweet and sour that, if anything, enhances the “pucker factor.” Other options include locally harvested honey, and for the more adventurous, wheatgrass. In addition to providing sweetness, locally harvested honey offers a natural long-term solution for allergy sufferers, while wheatgrass provides all the benefits expected from chlorophyll. Taken together, these give the maximum antioxidant punch, as well as give you a great all-natural energy boost.

Fortunately, there are only a handful of tips necessary to get the most from blackberry juicing. Blackberries contain many nooks and crannies in which pesticides and bacteria can reside. With this in mind, always remember to wash the berries well before juicing, as well as to disinfect, either with a solution of vinegar or a commercially available food disinfectant. Soaking works best.

When possible, make the juice using freshly picked berries that are soft and juicy. After the peak of ripeness, the beneficial compounds in berries deteriorate quickly. If fresh, locally harvested berries aren’t available, frozen generally offers the next best thing, as frozen berries are picked at the peak of ripeness and frozen to preserve nutrients.

Blackberries are an oft-overlooked choice to use in juicing recipes, but with just a handful of tips, they can be one of the most versatile additions to your arsenal to develop the healthiest, tastiest juicing recipes around.

Bio: Greg Hayes is the author of Live Fit Blog, where he writes about fitting fitness into busy lives.