A Guide to Fall Juicing

There’s nothing better than a refreshing green juice on a hot summer day, but for many, healthy juicing habits trail off come Fall. After all, as the temperature cools we seek warming foods that will keep us nourished through the long winter months. As well, many of our favourite fresh fruits and veggies for juicing aren’t in season any more.

Luckily, Fall brings a wealth of fruits and veggies that will reinvigorate your juices – and your health! Here are our top picks for fall juicing:

Yams or Sweet Potatoes

These are pretty good roasted (okay, they’re amazing roasted), but would you have thought to add them to juice? When paired with the right spices, you get a juice that’s both healthy and tastes like dessert. What’s not to love about that combination!

These root veggies are packed with nutrients, from vitamin A to potassium. Because some nutrients, especially antioxidants, are lost in the cooking process, juicing yams is a fantastic way to optimize your intake.

Favourite Yam Juice Recipe: Juice two yams, half a pear, a lemon, and a half inch of ginger. Add a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of clove, and a pinch of nutmeg to the juice and stir. Enjoy!

Beets

Beets are full of antioxidants that give them their rich purple hue – but not just the anthocyanins we’re used to hearing about, the ones found in berries and purple cabbage.

Beets contain a unique antioxidant known as betalain that is mostly responsible for their vibrant colour. This antioxidant supports the liver’s natural detoxification process. They’re also a great source of folate. These ruby red gems are grounding and create an earthy juice balanced with a touch of sweetness. We recommend juicing them with the next item on this list!

Ginger

Adding an inch of ginger root to your fall juices adds a warming zing that can balance hearty roots. This spicy favorite has long been used to support digestion– it’s a carminative, which helps with passing gas, and an intestinal spasmolytic, so it helps relax the intestinal tract.

Pumpkin

Craving pumpkin spice everything? We feel you! Juices made with pumpkin will help you get your fix without knocking you off track.

Pumpkin offers up plenty of B-complex vitamins, as well as vitamins A, C and E, carotenoids, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and fibre. It’s quite the list! Be sure to choose pie pumpkins or another edible variety, and remove the rind before juicing. Pumpkin would be a fantastic addition to the yam juice recipe above!

Pears

Apples seem to be the star fruit when it comes to juicing – and they’ve earned that spot! But don’t forget about another fall fruit, pears. They’re mild, sweet, and contain vitamin K, vitamin C, and copper, among other essential nutrients. Pears compliment just about anything – try them with cranberries and greens!

Cranberries

If you’ve only experienced these tart berries in a sauce, you’ve been missing out! Paired with a sweeter fruit, like apples or pears, they create a balanced flavour profile, and offer up lots of vitamins C and A, and they’re also beneficial for urinary tract health. You can juice them frozen – just be sure there’s no sugar added.

Kale

It’s important to keep some greens in your fall juices. Many of the fruits and veggies above are higher in sugar than, say, cucumber and celery. That’s not to say you should steer clear – just consume in moderation and make sure you’re pairing them with complimentary greens, such as kale and spinach.

Did this list spark some ideas? Have any favourite fall juice combos to share? We’d love to hear from you over on Facebook and Twitter!