4 delicious juice cure recipes for a healthy start to the year

"Detoxing" is very trendy. "Juice Cleanse" (juice fasting) is a special form of detox cure and contains fruit and vegetables as healthy energy bombs, packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes. Especially at the beginning of the year we feel the need to free ourselves from old burdens and do something good for our body.

A juice cure promises this and much more, because the vital substances specifically get the body going. The all-rounder is said to have a detoxifying and relieving effect as well as a stimulation of the (energy) metabolism. This is especially important in winter to get us through the cold season in good health. At the same time, juice cures are a more digestible and pleasant way of detoxification. In contrast to other cures, which do without important vitamins and minerals, there is no risk of deficiency symptoms.

But what exactly is a juice cure and what do I have to consider?

A juice cure - also called juice diet or juice fasting - describes a cure that is limited in time. Most fasters follow a 3, 5 or 10-day programme. During this time, only raw fruit and vegetables in the form of fresh juices are consumed and no solid food is eaten.

A particular advantage of this cure is that it is easy to integrate into everyday life. Moreover, we can let off steam creatively and discover new tastes and combinations with each juice. Thanks to the naturally given variety of fruit and vegetables, there is always plenty of variety. All we need is a lot of fruit and vegetables and of course a juicer.

Prepare juice cure

If you are doing a juice cure for the first time, you should always start a few days in advance with relief days. These will help you to start the cure more easily and to reach the desired cure goal without feeling very hungry. During this phase, certain foods such as caffeine, nicotine, sugar, animal products and artificial additives should be gradually reduced. During this time you should eat lots of fruit and vegetables, but you may also enjoy small amounts of solid food such as nuts, legumes and natural rice. By consciously enjoying every bite you take, you will find it easier to avoid solid food.

Juice fasting with fruit and vegetables

During the cure phase you should drink six 500 ml juices at intervals of about two hours throughout the day. This ensures that the stomach is always full and that there is no feeling of hunger at all. The juices can be prepared and bottled in the morning for the whole day or, depending on the ingredients, for several days. During the cure it is advisable to drink a lot of water and herbal tea in addition to the juices.

After the juice cure

For the days after the juice cure: do not stuff yourself directly with sweets and junk food. In this way you avoid a yo-yo effect. Give your body time and make sure to return to your usual diet very slowly. The body must first get used to solid food again. You can support it by continuing to eat lots of fruit and vegetables in liquid form and increasing the quantities every day. You can also enjoy other foods that are easy to digest.

For many people, a juice cure is the ideal opportunity to change their diet. Since you did not consume industrial sugar and unhealthy fats during the cure, the body has adjusted to it and the ravenous appetite has subsided. This makes it easier to switch to a healthy and balanced diet.

Do it yourself or buy it?

Of course, many companies have followed the trend and developed concepts and ready-made juices for a juice cure. This is of course practical, but if you really want to do something good for your body and have time, you can make your own juice. This is not only cheaper, but also fresher and often better for the environment. With homemade juices you can let off steam creatively, discover new favourite recipes again and again and know exactly what's in your juice.

Our juice favourites

To help you with your juice cure, the Vitamaze Team has tried out various recipes. We have compiled our favourites for you:

Juice cure with berry-rich vitamins (approx. 1 litre)

• 4 pears
• 300 g raspberries
• 300 g watermelon
• 200 g beetroot
• Parsley to taste
  
  

Juice cure with orange vitamin kick (approx. 1 liter)

• 5 carrots
• 4 apples
• 5 oranges
• 1 handful of basil
• Ginger at will
• Turmeric at will
  
  

Juice cure with green vitamins (approx. 1 liter)

• 10 leaves Romaine lettuce
• 1 handful of spinach
• 30 green grapes
• 1 celery stalk
• 2 apples
• ½ Head White or red cabbage
  
  

Juice cure with sweet vitamin note (approx. 1 litre)

• 4 oranges
• 8 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 2 pears
• 4 carrots
• 1 pinch of cinnamon