What did Jay Kordich eat?

Jay Kordich, also known as the “Father of Juicing”, was famous for his raw, plant-based diet and juicing lifestyle. Kordich believed that juicing fresh fruits and vegetables was the key to optimal health, and he credited his diet with helping him recover from bladder cancer in his 20s. So what exactly did Jay Kordich’s diet consist of? Let’s take a closer look at what this juicing pioneer ate on a regular basis.

A Diet of Fresh, Raw Fruits and Vegetables

The foundation of Jay Kordich’s diet was raw fruits and vegetables. He advocated eating a wide variety of produce in their natural, uncooked form. Some of his go-to fruits included apples, oranges, grapes, melons, and berries. For vegetables, he recommended things like carrots, celery, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash.

Kordich spoke of the importance of eating fruits and veggies of all colors to get a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. He was known for saying “the rainbow colors in fruits and vegetables are the phytochemicals your body needs.” He avoided cooked and processed varieties, insisting that raw produce contained higher levels of enzymes and nutrients.

Green Leafy Vegetables

One food group Kordich emphasized in particular was dark, leafy greens. He considered greens like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and romaine lettuce to be nutrition powerhouses. Kordich would start every morning with a big fresh green salad or green smoothie packed with these veggies. He believed greens provided chlorophyll to cleanse and rebuild the blood, as well as antioxidants and phytonutrients to fight disease.

Sprouts

Another staple in Kordich’s diet was sprouts – the germinated form of beans, grains, seeds, or nuts. Some sprouts he commonly ate included alfalfa, mung bean, lentil, radish, broccoli, and clover. Kordich saw sprouts as being highly nutritious given their vitamin, mineral, and enzyme content. He would add sprouts to salads, sandwiches, juices, and other dishes.

Nuts and Seeds

For healthy fats and plant-based protein, Kordich relied on nuts and seeds. Some of his preferred choices were almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. He emphasized eating only raw, unsalted varieties. Kordich would incorporate nuts and seeds into smoothies, nut milks, salads, and raw snacks.

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass was another cornerstone of Kordich’s diet. He grew and juiced wheatgrass himself and called it “nature’s greatest healer.” Wheatgrass is the young grass shoots of the wheat plant, harvested before they reach full maturity. Kordich touted it as being incredibly nutrient-dense, with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll. He recommended taking 1-2 ounces of wheatgrass juice each day.

Sea Vegetables

Kordich also consumed sea vegetables like kelp, nori, dulse, and Irish moss. He praised sea veggies for their high mineral content and for being cleansing and detoxifying. He would add them to salads, soups, juices, smoothies, and other creations. Kordich saw sea vegetables as helping provide trace minerals largely lacking in modern diets.

Fermented Foods

Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha were another component of Kordich’s plant-based diet. He saw the probiotics in fermented foods as essential for healthy digestion and immunity. Kordich would enjoy items like raw sauerkraut as a side dish or kombucha as a beverage. He recommended choosing unpasteurized varieties for the highest probiotic content.

Sprouted Breads and Crackers

Though wheat was not a major part of his diet, Kordich did occasionally enjoy sprouted breads and crackers. These are made from whole grains that have been sprouted, which increases nutrient and enzyme levels. Kordich saw sprouted varieties as healthier than conventional flour products. He recommended brands like Food for Life for high-quality sprouted baking.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Of course, fresh juices were the star of Kordich’s diet. He consumed 8-16 ounces of straight vegetable and fruit juices each day. Some of his favorite juice combinations included carrot-apple-ginger, celery-cucumber-kale, and orange-grapefruit-strawberry. Kordich believed juicing enabled you to ingest far more produce than you could eat whole. He saw juicing as a powerful way to flood your body with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.

Smoothies and Nut Milks

In addition to straight juices, Kordich also blended up smoothies and nut milks. For smoothies, he would use ingredients like bananas, berries, mangoes, spinach, and avocados. For nut milks, he soaked and blended nuts like almonds and Brazil nuts with water. Kordich saw these blended beverages as more filling and sustaining than juice alone.

Herbal Teas

Kordich recommended having teas made with fresh or dried herbs. Some of his favorites were parsley, dandelion, nettle, fennel, mint, chamomile, and green tea. He saw herbals teas as promoting detoxification and providing antioxidants. Kordich would sip these hot or iced throughout the day.

Water

Lastly, Kordich emphasized staying well hydrated by drinking plenty of pure water. He recommended drinking half your body weight in ounces each day from spring or filtered sources. Kordich saw water as essential for every bodily function and for keeping the system flushed of toxins.

Foods Jay Kordich Avoided

Just as important as the foods Kordich consumed was what he avoided. Here are the major food groups he excluded from his diet:

• Processed and refined foods
• Meat, fish, eggs, and dairy
• Cooked foods
• Packaged and canned produce
• Refined grains, flours, and baked goods
• Refined sugars
• Hydrogenated oils
• Caffeine and alcohol

Kordich saw these items as toxic, destructive, and devoid of nutrients. He maintained that sticking to a diet of raw, plant-based foods was key to gaining and preserving health. Kordich believed the standard American diet of cooked animal products and processed foods was at the root of most disease.

Sample 1-Day Menu

Here is what a typical day on Jay Kordich’s diet might have looked like:

Breakfast

• 16 oz green juice made with celery, kale, parsley, spinach, cucumber, and lemon
• Green smoothie with banana, mango, spinach, and almond milk

Morning Snack

• Sliced apple with almond butter
• Handful of pumpkin seeds

Lunch

• Large garden salad with lettuce, tomato, avocado, beets, sprouts, and hemp seeds
• 8 oz carrot-ginger juice

Afternoon Snack

• Fresh grapes and berries
• 8 oz kombucha

Dinner

• Raw zucchini noodles with pesto and cherry tomatoes
• Steamed kale and carrots
• Green salad with romaine, cucumber, and radish
• 16 oz orange juice

Evening Snack

• Banana strawberry smoothie
• Dried figs and apricots

The Benefits Kordich Experienced

According to Kordich, switching to his plant-based, high-produce diet yielded tremendous improvements to his health and vitality. He said this lifestyle gave him:

• Increased energy and stamina
• A sharp mind and positive mood
• Weight control and loss
• Clear skin and healthy complexion
• Improved digestion and elimination
• A sense of purpose and fulfillment

Kordich spoke of being in excellent health well into old age thanks to his natural diet and juicing habit. He encouraged others to discover the benefits by making produce the focus of their eating.

Adopting a Kordich-Inspired Diet

Jay Kordich set an ambitious example of raw, plant-based eating. For many people, adhering to a 100% raw diet is unrealistic. However, we can still be inspired by Kordich’s principles of focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables and avoiding processed fare. Some simple ways to eat more “Kordich-style” include:

• Having a fresh juice or smoothie daily
• Eating salads or veggies with each meal
• Snacking on fresh or dried fruits and nuts
• Limiting refined carbs, sugars, oils, and animal products
• Drinking herbal tea instead of coffee
• Adding sprouts to sandwiches and salads
• Having raw vegetables and hummus as a snack

Any steps you can make toward increasing your intake of fresh, unprocessed plant foods can boost your nutrition and vitality. Kordich was ahead of his time in promoting the life-giving power of plants. While it may seem strict, his diet contains timeless wisdom for harnessing food’s healing properties. In Kordich’s words, “Make each day the dawn of a new age with good nutrition and right living as your goals.”