“My sincerest wish is that this book changes your life,” writes Jay Kordich in the first sentence of his testimonial on the benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables in their liquid form. After reading Kordich’s book, and following many of his juicing recommendations and guidelines, I can’t say it has changed my life. I did, however, learn some useful tidbits about drinking fresh juice, and it did jump-start a dusty goal of mine to add more vegetables to my diet.
The book starts with an overview of why Kordich drinks homemade juices. He says that, at 69, he feels much the same as he did 40 years ago. With a diet consisting mostly of fresh juices, whole grains, legumes and organic fruits and vegetables, Kordich considers himself living proof that what you eat contributes to your overall good health. He says that the need for supplements is obsolete if you’re drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juice on a daily basis. One cup of fresh carrot juice, for example, contains the equivalent nutrition of four cups of raw, chopped carrots. “Made fresh and consumed on the spot, juices, which contain about 95 percent of the food value of the vegetable, instantly release nourishment to the body through the bloodstream. In the process, the body receives the necessary nutrients of vitamins and minerals.”
Always intrigued by the myriad of obscure diet plans, I read with interest the chapter on “Juicing for Weight Loss.” Kordich promises that when you integrate juice into your regular daily diet and lifestyle, you will feel better, look better — and unwanted pounds will just melt away. Why? Fruit and vegetable juices are essentially fat-free, supplying needed minerals that satisfy hunger pains. An eight-ounce glass of fruit juice contains about a hundred calories, a glass of vegetable juice about 50 calories. Kordich also says that the natural sugar in carrots and other sweet vegetables helps take away cravings for more calorie-laden processed sugar items.
What I found to be the pearl in this book was the section on actual juice recipes. Not only does it list more than 100 tonics, but it includes which ailment(s) the specific juices can help cure. Are manicures getting too expensive? Try the Nail Beauty Juice that combines cucumber, carrot, kale and green bell pepper. Tired of coloring your hair? Test the Graying Hair Remedy of cabbage, spinach and carrot. Personally, I liked the Body Cleanser that used carrot, cucumber and beet; it was just sweet enough to take away my afternoon Frappuccino craving.
A few rules do apply to juicing: fruit and vegetable juices do not mix (carrots and apples are exceptions), drink the juice right away, avoid the skin of nonorganic fruits and remember to wash and scrub all produce well. One rule I would add — give your juicing habit some time; I found it to be an acquired taste.