Healthy juices are a great way to stay hydrated throughout the day whilst enjoying a boost of vitamins and other important nutrients. The vitamins and minerals found in freshly made fruit juices act as catalysts to the enzymes that fuel our body processes. Every single chemical reaction inside our body requires enzymes and without the vitamins and minerals we eat, our general health would suffer. Fresh healthy juices can provide even more vitamins and minerals that you would get from eating the vegetables and fruits whole. This is because the juicing process helps to break down the fiber, which in turn releases many of the vitamins and minerals that would otherwise have stayed trapped.

Fruit juice is an ideal addition to a healthy diet. It is also an excellent way of making sure you get your five-a-day portions of fruit and vegetables, since a glass of pure fruit juice is the equivalent of one portion. Pure fruit juice can also be used to make smoothies. These not only taste wonderful, they are almost a meal in a glass!

Fruit juice smoothies make great post-exercise recovery drinks. If you have finished a hard workout, your body needs to take fuel on board within thirty minutes of the end of your workout in order to replenish the glycogen you have used. Thick smoothies packed with a variety of tasty fruits will help your body recover sufficiently to be able to cope with another workout the following day.

Many supermarkets sell pure fruit juices, but the best way to enjoy the full flavor of the fruits you love is to make your own juices. Inexpensive juicing machines can be bought from most home stores and they are very easy to use. Fruits do not need to be pre-cooked in order to make juices, but any fruit that is not organically grown should be peeled first as the peel is where most of the chemical residues can be found. Some varieties of fruit will still need peeling even when they are organically grown, and these include pineapple, oranges, kiwis, grapefruits, and papaya.

Always choose fresh fruit and chop it into small pieces before you push it into the juicer. Once you have collected enough juice, make sure you clean the juicer thoroughly as left-over residue will soon turn sour and attract flies. Fresh juices should be consumed within one day.

Any fruits can be used to make tasty juices; simply pick the ones you enjoy eating and experiment with different combinations to make some interesting juices and smoothies. Ice cubes can be added to your healthy juices for a chilled drink that you can enjoy on hot summer days. You can also add some ice cream for a sweet treat.

Fresh fruit juices are a great way of encouraging children to eat a greater quantity of fruit. Many children turn their noses up at fruit as they tend to prefer sweets and junk food, but by making the suggestion that they might like to make their own juices, eating healthy fruit will soon become fun rather than a chore. They can pick the fruit they like the look of and try some fun combinations of healthy juices and smoothies. Turn healthy eating into a game and it is amazing how many kids will suddenly enjoy eating bigger quantities of fruit!