Volunteers recruited for a study at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London were asked to drink approximately one British pint, equivalent to about 20 ounces in U.S. measurements, of beetroot juice or water. Those who had the beetroot juice started to show reductions in blood pressure after an hour. At about 2.5 hours, participants who had the juice began to show significant reductions in both their systolic and diastolic readings. The effect was linked to the nitrate found in the beetroot, which reacted with bacteria in the mouth and resulted in blood vessels dilating. Nitrates are also found in spinach and lettuce. Andrew J. Webb, et al. “Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective and anti-platelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite” Hypertension—Journal of the American Heart Association Published online ahead of print 4 February 2008, doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.103523

Dr. Garnet Chaney from Stanford University’s School of Medicine performed several studies with cabbage juice, and found it was very effective in treating peptic ulcers. (Cheney, G, et al. “Anti-Peptic Ulcer Dietary Factor (Vitamin “U”) in the Treatment of Peptic Ulcers,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 25:668-672, 1950.)

Cherry juice and cherries (whole) have been shown to be effective in easing attacks of gout and gouty arthritis, with patients reporting greater freedom of movement in their fingers and toes. Keracyanin, the pigment found in cherries, is believed to be the beneficial agent. (Blau, LW. “Cherry Diet Control for Gout and Arthritis,” Texas Report on Biology and Medicine 8:309-312, 1950.)

One study showed that drinking citrus juices regularly, along with reducing dietary sodium, helped prevent kidney stones. (“Keeping Kidneys Stone-Free: Hold the Salt and Pass the OJ,” Modern Medicine 63:15, January 1995.)

Cranberry juice has been shown to be very effective in the treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections. (Kuzminskik, LN. “Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections: Is There a Beneficial Relationship?” Nutrition News II:S87-S90, November 1996.)

A Harvard study showed that men who eat at least ten servings a week of tomato-based foods are up to 45 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer, while men who eat four to seven servings a week show a 20 % reduction in prostate cancer rates. Tomatoes and tomato juice contain large amounts of lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant. (“Cancer and Tomatoes,” Nutrition Week 7, 15 December 1995; taken from 6 December 1995 issue of Journal of the National Cancer Institute.)

Another study showed that feeding tomato juice to mice kept them from developing emphysema after cigarette smoke exposure that was long enough to induce emphysema in a control group. (“Tomato Juice Keeps Emphysema From Developing In New Model; Lycopene” American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology in Science Daily Jan. 25, 2006)

In a study conducted at Norway’s Oslo Rheumatism Hospital, rheumatoid arthritis patients drank fresh carrot, celery, and beet juices as part of a special dietary program. Doctors found a substantial reduction in disease activity among these patients. (Kjeldsen-Kragh, J. et al. “Controlled Trial of Fasting and One Year Vegetarian Diet in Rheumatoid Arthritis” The Lancet 338:899-902, 12 October, 1991)

The Kame Project showed that those who drank juices more than three times per week compared to less than once a week were 76 % less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. (Dai Q, Borenstein, et al “Fruit and vegetable juices and Alzheimer’s disease: the Kame Project.” Am J Med 119 (9): 751-9. PMID 16945610, 2006).

A team of researchers at Neurodegeneration Research University of Massachusetts found that drinking apple juice helped mice perform better than normal in maze trials and prevented the decline in performance observed in aged mice. The researchers observed that mice drinking the human equivalent of two glasses of apple juice per day for one month produced less of a small protein fragment called “beta-amyloid,” which is responsible for forming senile plaques that are commonly found in the brains of individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers concluded that regular consumption of apple juice can not only help to keep one’s mind functioning at its best but may delay Alzheimer’s disease.

Spring Tonic

 

1 vine-ripened tomato

1 cucumber, peeled

8 asparagus stems

1/2 lemon, peeled

Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube.  Juice all ingredients and stir.  Pour into a glass and drink as soon as possible.

Serves 1-2

Note: Asparagus is a natural diuretic, which helps flush toxins from the body and promotes kidney cleansing.

Super Green Drink

 

1 cucumber, peeled

1 large handful spinach

1 large handful sunflower sprouts

1 small handful buckwheat sprouts

1 small handful clover sprouts

Cut the cucumber to fit your juicer’s feed tube.  Juice part of the cucumber first.  Bunch up the sprouts and wrap in spinach leaves, turn off the machine and add them.  Turn the machine back on and tap with the rest of the cucumber to gently push the sprouts and spinach through, and then juice the remaining part of the cucumber.  Stir ingredients, pour into a glass, and drink as soon as possible.

Serves 1