What is the fizzy morning juice made of?

Morning juice, sometimes referred to as breakfast juice or fizzy morning juice, has become an increasingly popular beverage choice to start the day. With claims of providing an energy boost and packing in essential vitamins and nutrients, juice seems like an ideal on-the-go breakfast option.

The Origin of Morning Juice

The concept of drinking fruit and vegetable juices for their health benefits dates back centuries, with origins tracing to ancient Chinese and Indian medicine. Drinking raw, pressed juices was thought to provide concentrated sources of nutrients and enzymes. In the early 20th century, juice fasting became a popular detoxification diet and health fad in America. With the rise of juicing machines in the 1970s, freshly squeezed juices became more accessible. The morning juice trend as we know it today became popular in the 1990s and 2000s, with juice bars and bottled juices promoting juice as an easy, nutritious breakfast choice.

Common Morning Juice Ingredients

There are endless combinations of fruits, vegetables, and other add-ins that can go into morning juice. However, some typical and popular ingredients include:

• Fruits: oranges, apples, grapes, pineapples, kiwi, berries, mangoes, etc.
• Vegetables: spinach, kale, cucumbers, carrots, beets, celery, etc.
• Herbs and spices: ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, etc.
• Liquid base: water, coconut water, almond milk, etc.
• Extras: protein powders, superfood powders, nut butters, seeds, ice, etc.

The fruits and veggies provide the bulk of the nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. Herbs and spices boost the flavor and health value. The liquid bases dilute and bind the ingredients. Extras like powders, nuts, and seeds add protein, healthy fats, and thickness.

Nutritional Breakdown

The specific nutritional value of morning juice depends largely on the combination of ingredients used. However, here is the general nutrition you can expect to get in a typical fruit- and veggie-based juice:

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	100-300
Carbs	15-45g
Sugar	10-35g
Fiber	2-6g
Protein	2-8g
Fat	0-5g
Vitamin C	60-150% DV
Potassium	15-35% DV
Vitamin A	50-100% DV
Iron	5-15% DV

DV = Daily Value

As you can see, morning juices pack in a hefty dose of important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, especially vitamin C, potassium, vitamin A, and iron. They also provide a good amount of natural sugars and carbs for quick energy. They are lower in fiber and protein compared to whole fruits and veggies.

Benefits of Morning Juice

Drinking fruit and vegetable juice in the morning offers several potential perks:

Convenience

Juice is quick and easy to make or pick up on-the-go. It’s a convenient plant-based drink you can take in a to-go cup.

Nutrient Dense

Juice condenses many nutrients from fruits and veggies into one beverage. Ounce for ounce, juice can provide more vitamins and minerals than produce. However, fiber is reduced.

Energy Boost

With plenty of natural sugars and carbs, juice gives you a short energy boost to start the day.

Hydration

The liquid content of juice helps hydrate the body first thing.

Phytonutrients

Compounds like polyphenols and carotenoids in juice may have anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting effects in the body.

Low Prep

No chopping or cooking required! Juice needs minimal prep time compared to other breakfast foods.

Downsides of Juice

Despite some advantages, drinking juice for breakfast also has some potential drawbacks to consider:

Less Filling

The lack of fiber and protein in juice means it may not keep you full. Hunger and energy crashes mid-morning are common.

Blood Sugar Spikes

The natural sugars in juice digest quickly, spiking blood sugar and insulin.

Tooth Decay

The acids and sugars may erode tooth enamel over time, increasing dental health risks.

Fewer Nutrients

Juicing strips away some nutrients, like fiber, versus eating whole produce.

Not a Meal Replacement

Most juices lack balanced nutrition to be a filling, complete breakfast by themselves.

Healthiest Morning Juice Ingredients

To maximize nutrition in juice, some of the best ingredients to use include:

• Leafy greens – kale, spinach, chard, parsley
• Cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cabbage, bok choy
• Citrus fruits – oranges, grapefruit, lemon
• Berries – blueberries, raspberries, strawberries
• Pomegranate – rich in antioxidants
• Beets – great source of nitrates and folate
• Carrots – contain beta-carotene
• Tomatoes – provide lycopene
• Ginger – aids digestion and adds zing
• Chia or flaxseeds – boost fiber and omega-3s

Aim for a mix of fruits and vegetables. Rotate what produce you juice to get a variety of nutrients.

Recipes for Nutritious Morning Juices

Here are some tasty, nutritious juice recipes to try for breakfast:

Green Machine Juice

• 1 cucumber
• 5 stalks celery
• 1 green apple
• 1 cup kale
• 1 lemon
• 1 inch ginger

Beet Orange Juice

• 3 oranges
• 1 beetroot
• 1 carrot
• 1 inch turmeric

Blueberry Pom Juice

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 pomegranate
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 lime

Tropical Fruit Juice

• 1 cup pineapple
• 1 banana
• 1 cup mango
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Get creative and try out juice combinations with your favorite fruits and veggies!

Making Juice Taste Better

Don’t like the taste of straight vegetable juice? Here are some tips to improve flavor:

• Add lemon, lime, ginger or mint to add zing
• Include sweeter fruits like apples, grapes, pineapple
• Use half water and half coconut water for electrolytes
• Add a dash of cinnamon or cardamom
• Include a small amount of fresh herbs
• Blend instead of juicing to keep fiber and texture
• Drink juice over ice to chill it
• Store juice in fridge up to 3 days to allow flavors to blend

Should You Juice or Blend?

Juicing extracts the liquid from fruits and veggies, leaving behind fiber and pulp. Blending liquefies the entire produce into a smoother drink. Here’s how they compare:

Juicing	Blending
Extracts only juice	Contains whole produce
Leaves behind fiber	Keeps all fiber
Vitamins may be more concentrated	Provides complete nutrition
Produces a thinner, clearer drink	Makes a thicker, pulpy drink
Doesn’t remove compounds that inhibit nutrient absorption	Can better absorb some nutrients
Doesn’t retain texture	Preserves some texture
Juicer machine required	Only needs blender

For the highest nutrient retention and fiber benefits, blending may have a slight edge over juicing. But both provide nutritious options!

Storing Morning Juice

To retain nutrients and flavor of freshly made juice, follow these storage tips:

• Drink juice immediately, or within 24 hours
• Store in air-tight container in fridge
• Pour into ice cube trays and freeze for popsicles
• Fill ice cube trays 3/4 full and freeze into juice cubes
• Leave 1/2 inch space at the top of containers before sealing
• Minimize light and air exposure by using opaque, airtight lids
• Drink within 3 days for best quality

Juice Detoxes

Some “juice cleanses” involve drinking only juice for days or weeks as a detox diet. But there is little evidence that juice-only detoxes remove toxins or benefit health, and they may pose risks like:

• Hunger from inadequate calories/protein
• Loss of muscle mass
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Fatigue and low energy
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Dizziness

For these reasons, extended juice-only fasts are not recommended. Moderation is a better approach.

Is Juice Healthy?

Used properly alongside a balanced diet and active lifestyle, fresh juice can be part of a healthy regimen and provide a boost of fruits and veggies. But juice is not a nutritional panacea or cure-all. For sustainable energy, juice is best accompanied by fiber-rich foods, protein, and healthy fats.

Conclusion

When it comes to morning juice, moderation and variety are key. Including too much juice can spike blood sugar and undermine nutrition long-term. But used in combination with other whole foods, juices can liven up breakfast routines and offer concentrated nutrition in one refreshing glass.

Aim for a mix of fiber-rich produce like leafy greens, berries, citrus fruits, beets, tomatoes, and spices like ginger. Store juice properly to retain nutrients and freshness. And rather than extended juice cleanses, incorporate fresh juices into a balanced diet for optimal energy and health.