Day 29: 

Juice: Prime Cooler

Prime Cooler:
3 Apples
1/2 Cucumber
1 Inch Ginger Root
1 Small Bunch of Fresh Mint

Sorry for the lack of posting friends...I have been continuing on the 400 Days without you. The busy holiday season has stolen all of my weeks away. But, now I'm on vacation and now...I have some time.

 
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) a gourd from the Cucurbitaceae family and the fourth most cultivated vegetable after tomatoes, cabbage and onions. Cucumbers are the in the same botanical club as melons and squashes.

Though not well publicized, cucumbers are rich in phytonutrients, especially in cucurbitacins, lignans, and flavonoid.  Lignans: "any of a class of propyl phenolic dimers including many found in plants and noted for having antioxidant and estrogenic activity". www.merriam-webster.com Basically, Lignans can have some compounds that act like natural estrogen in the body and in doing so can help the reduce or prevent cancers - especially hormone related cancers - lower cholesterol and atherosclerosis. They have also been shown to help reduce symptoms of menopause.

*Remember estrogen is present in both men and women, so this is beneficial for all.*

Cucumbers are known to have a good amount of polyphenols (a branch on the lignans tree). Polyphenols: "a polyhydroxy phenol; especially : an antioxidant phytochemical (as chlorogenic acid) that tends to prevent or neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals." www.merriam-webster.com Antioxidants, especially polyphenols, have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers, including breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers. According to World's Healthiest Foods:

"...fresh extracts from cucumber have been shown to provide specific antioxidant benefits, including increased scavenging of free radicals and increased overall antioxidant capacity. Fresh cucumber extracts have also been shown to reduce unwanted inflammation..." (www.whfoods.com)

So, juicing them is a fantastic idea! It is good for the heart, cells, metabolism and your taste buds!

Being a part of the melon family it may not surprise you to learn that cucumbers are incredibly hydrating - 95% water. So, a juice drink of cucumber and celery is like a homemade sports drink.
See Entry 7 of this blog for more about the hydrating components of Celery.

A bulk of the nutrition in cucumbers actually resides in the skin and seeds, so when possible consume both. However, something to be cautious of is that most commercially grown cucumbers, both organic and non-organic, are waxed to protect them from bruising during transit. Organically grown cucumbers - in order to get the label 'organic' - have to used non-synthetic waxes, which are free of all chemical contaminants. Non-organic, however, may be waxed with synthetic waxes that contain unwanted chemical contaminants.

So, it is suggested that you buy only organic cucumbers, but I am realistic and I have a budget, so if you purchase non-organics just peel before juicing. No need to ingest harmful chemicals and carcinogens along with the nutrients to cleanse the body of such things.

Emotional Lifestyle: 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!!!