Lookit, if you are are models or familiar with what they do, it’s way more moisturizer and creams than the standard adult. In addition, they are more refined and expensive. So if you want your skin to last longer, pay attention to those who really really care about looking young for as long as possible. Also, stay out of the sun.

Similarly, if you pay attention to athletes and former athletes, and see how they train and continue to train post-career, you are going to see how the best in the world remain in good shape. There’s going to be a lot of yoga and flexibility stuff, just like the creams for models.

So if we look at these two blunt instruments above, face and body, we can pick up patterns and replicate what the pros are doing. We certainly need to be careful that we don’t get duped by scams and other celebrity endorsements. Instead, use what they use. Don’t use what they promote. That may be hard, but it is attainable. The importance of the face and body point is that this is where we mainly see age presenting itself. There are certainly other places, such as the mind and general dexterity.

Where I’m getting to is that there is a healthy amount of overlap between these face and body folks, and while I could writer forever on each of them, obviously here I’m going to talk about juicing. Juicing is very common and promoted within both industries as a way to stay healthy longer and stay younger longer. You can find lots of content that says the same, such as this from Emerald Retirement Residence and this from The Fit Indian.

Juicing helps deliver a lot of nutrients that are often difficult to eat or digest in other ways. They keep you full during a meal that could normally be processed foods or meats or the like. You’re essentially mixing up the earth in a vibrant beverage. While our global health knowledge has extended our life spans by more than 20 years over the last 100, that was mainly from not dying for specific diseases. It hasn’t necessarily added life to our years, just years to our lives. In order to be younger longer and be able to do the things that younger people do for longer and look younger longer, we need to do the things that keep our bodies in good shape. Juicing is not the only thing, but it is one of the things we need to employ.

Lastly, here are some shout outs to other good aging resources as well as people and companies who helped us come up with the substance for this blog:

CDC

Aging in Place

Interestingly, one of these rumors concerns juice – specifically, a glass of green juice shared several thousand times. The post, published March 8, 2020, writes: 

Friends, the treatment of Coronavirus has been found by Indian scientists, bitter gourd juice will cure within two hours of its consumption. Send this message across all India, this is a matter of life, thank you Bihar Health department. 

Bitter gourd, the vegetable mentioned in the post, is commonly used in traditional medicine across Asia. The vegetable, also called “bitter melon,” is green and spiky, resembling okra or a spiny cucumber. It has a crunchy husk like a green pepper, but the texture is watery, similar to that of a cucumber. The taste is alkaline and unlike any other fruit and vegetable, which means most cook the gourd down to eliminate the bitterness.  

The post that gained the most attention originated from India, but there have been dozens of other, widely circulated posts about bitter gourd’s healing properties when given to COVID-19 patients. In response to the original post, Dr. Naveen Chandra Prasad, the Director in Chief of the Disease Control and Public Health section of Bihar’s Department in India, said: “This message is false, there is no such information issued by Bihar health department, nor is there any evidence that bitter gourd juice can cure COVID-19.” 

Staying Realistic in a Global Pandemic 

While most of us wish the novel coronavirus responded to juice, this is simply not the case. Juices have various health and nutrition benefits – there is no doubt there. However, if you see posts claiming that a run-of-the-mill organic juice blend can cure this virus, be aware that this is false information. 

Still, now is a great time to drink up. With millions around the globe on lockdown, take the time to experiment, try new juices, and see what combinations make you feel good – both physically and emotionally. Just remember: If you see false claims of juice’s healing powers, shut it down as quickly as possible.  

Luckily, there are a handful of fruits and vegetables that can last in your refrigerator for weeks. There is no need to run to your local juicer every other day. Instead, limit your shopping trips to once every week or two, and stock up on the following items to ensure you have what you need to stay healthy and happy.  

Beets 

Beets can last for several months when stored in a cool, dark, and humid space – like the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Before storing, remove the beet tops. This will prevent them from shriveling too much. Leave around a half of an inch of the step to prevent the juices from bleeding out. When you’re ready to make a drink, you can either juice raw or boil the roots to make them easier to blend.  

Cabbage 

While not the tastiest vegetable out there, cabbage has an extremely long shelf life – around six months if stored correctly. If you notice the outer leaves of your cabbage head beginning to spoil, don’t worry. Simply remove the outer shell to reveal fresh leaves underneath.  

Carrots 

Carrots can last between four and five weeks in the refrigerator. Even pre-processed baby carrots can last for nearly a month when stored in the crisper drawer. If you have an old bunch in your refrigerator and are unsure whether they’re still edible, look for a flimsy texture and white dots. These are signs that the vegetable has gone bad.  

Bananas 

Bananas spoil quickly on the counter top, but when frozen, they can last for months. Cut your bananas into smaller pieces and store inside airtight Tupperware containers. When you’re ready to make a juice or smoothly, simply chip out the amount you want to use and return the container to the freezer.  

Lemons 

When stored correctly, lemons can last for up to a month. Instead of leaving them on your counter top, place them in a sealed plastic bag inside your refrigerator. This is a great way to add a kick of flavor to otherwise boring or dull juices. You can also pre-juice lemons and store the liquid in airtight jars in the refrigerator or freezer.  

Seafood juice is available to order from most seafood retailers, both online and in person. Unfortunately, mass-produced seafood juice, like their sweeter, more fruit-centric cousins, often have additives and stabilizers, like salt, sugar, and chemicals. If you have an interest in pressing your own juices, a do-it-yourself option might be a more promising option.

Below, we’ve included a simple recipe for clam juice, one of the more popular seafood juices on the market. While it doesn’t involve a juicer, the process doesn’t take much time. If you want to give it a shot, you don’t have much to lose!

1. Wash your clams (as many as you would like, but consider getting more than you think you need, about 8 pounds) by scrubbing off any remaining sand. Be on the lookout for dead clams, whose shells will remain slightly open even when handled.
2. Pour 2 cups of distilled water into a heavy-duty pot and bring to boil over high heat. Using distilled water means a lower TDS count, or “Total Dissolved Solids,” to start out with, leaving more room to infuse the liquid with clam flavor.
3. Add the clams and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the lid and stir. As the clams pop open, transfer them to a large bowl. Discard any clams that have not popped open after 20 minutes.
5. When cool enough to handle, take each clam from its shell over the bowl of cooking water. Squeeze the clams gently over the water to capture as much broth as possible, then transfer the meat to a small bowl.
6. Strain the cooking liquid using a fine sieve. For a more diluted juice, add water to taste.

Making Seafood Stock

Stock is the more common option for a high-flavor seafood meal addition, but it’s just as easy to make. Also known as fish stock, this is a slightly heavier liquid used in common dishes. Usually made from fish bones, heads, mirepoix, or shellfish shells, this is a great ingredient to have in your refrigerator if you like to cook with fish flavors.

Lobster stock is among the most popular types of seafood stock, and it’s surprisingly easy to make. Plus, you can store it for quite a long time. We’ve included a simple recipe below if you’d like to try it at home.

1. In a large skillet, heat 1/3 cup of olive oil over medium-high heat. When it begins to simmer, add lobster shells and legs. For added flavor, consider adding onions, garlic, bay leaf, hot pepper, and/or thyme.
2. Sauté the mixture, stirring often, for between 6 and 8 minutes.
3. Add white wine, around 2 cups, and return the mixture to a simmer.
4. Cook for another 5 minutes, then add enough cold water to completely cover the shells.
5. Return to a simmer again, then reduce the heat to medium-low for another 30-40 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste, then remove from the heat. When the broth is cooled, pour the liquid through a fine strainer. Allow the liquid to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.

If you don’t live close to the coast, though, you might be wondering how can you make your own lobster or other seafood stock from all natural, wild-caught fish? The seafood industry is a lot bigger than most think, and you can now order seafood online straight from Maine or Alaska, and it will be as fresh as the day it’s caught – usually because it’s shipped out straight from the dock.

Seafood juice and stock is a great addition to any home chef’s refrigerator. If you like to make your own juice, making a seafood liquid requires a similar set of skills and interests – some patients, an interest in health, and a passion for wholesome ingredients.

According to a study by the University of Seville in Spain, freezing juice before thawing it out again increases the bioaccessibility of compounds called carotenoids, allowing them to be more easily absorbed into the blood stream. That’s a lot of jargon, but we’ll break it down. 

Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that help prevent the breakdown of muscle and reduce oxidative stress, according to research published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Importantly, carotenoids have a protective effect against heart disease. Studies have also suggested that two of these compounds, phytoene and phytofluene, may aid in the prevention of prostate cancer, breast cancer, and atherosclerosis. Carotenoids have been gaining more attention in the scientific community due to the variety of health benefits they offer.  

Basically, freezing your orange juice and thawing before drinking allows your body to more easily absorb these antioxidants. We like the sound of that. 

Unfortunately, this research is new and fairly limited – only orange juice was included in the study. Plus, freezing and thawing store-bought juice doesn’t decrease the amount of sugar and preservatives. You can always offset the sugar rush with a high-fiber breakfast, like plain oatmeal, but the fact remains you’ll probably be consuming more sugar than you’d like to. 

That said, we like the sound of making store-bought options a bit healthier. Additionally, while the study was only conducted on commercial juice, we’re interested in the implications of using it on fresh-pressed juice.  

While we’re all for creating home-made juices, it can be difficult to juice every time you get thirsty. Between preparing the ingredients and cleaning the juicer, some mornings just don’t have the time required to make a daily blend. When that happens, we’ll now be turning to the frozen store-bought cartons in our freezers, thank you very much.  

As storm severity increases worldwide, tropical storms threaten some of the globe’s most fruitful citrus and vegetable producers – no pun intended.  

We know what happens to homes and communities when hurricanes blow through towns, but when disaster strikes, what happens to the fruit and vegetable supply chains? We’re not worried about the juice here. What we’re interested in are the ingredients themselves. 

In late August, the Wall Street Journal reported orange juice futures spiraled as Hurricane Dorian headed toward Florida, which is a major provider of the citrus fruit. Frozen concentrated orange juice, often manufactured in the state, ended down 3.9% at $1.0375 per pound. 

Hurricane Dorian poses a significant threat to the orange crop yield. Oranges, which are often harvested in October, are currently in a vulnerable stage of development. While farmers are doing what they can to protect their homes and production, little can be done to protect the groves themselves.  

So, why is this important? About half of the orange juice sold in the United States comes from oranges grown in Florida. If you’ve made orange juice in your home juicing machine, the fruit has most likely come from Florida.  

This got us thinking: as intense tropical storms become more common (as they already have), what will happen to the fresh fruits and vegetables we need for the juice we love so much?  

We have to look to the past to figure that out. Let’s stick with oranges as the example. The last major storm to hit Florida’s orange groves was Hurricane Irma, which hit land in 2017. Irma was a Category 4 storm, and it ended up reducing orange production by nearly 40 percent that year. Fruit and juice prices skyrocketed to account for scarcity and make up some cost of labor.  

Hurricane season also collides infelicitously with the orange harvest, adding further damage to production yield. This means autumn-harvested fruits and vegetables will continue to suffer from the storms.  

Ultimately, tropical storms will continue to wreak havoc on citrus production in the lower United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, driving production into the ground while prices see a precipitous rise. For all who love juice – whether you make it at home or prefer the ease of store-bought – this will put added pressure on your wallet.  

If you’re looking for a way to beat these inevitable price hikes, consider freezing the fruit in advance. Oranges will last in your freezer for around a year, meaning you can buy when the prices are lowest and enjoy fresh juice year-round.  

Soluble Fiber vs Insoluble Fiber

Soluble fiber dissolves easily in water as well as gastrointestinal fluids. As it makes its way through the digestive system this absorption slowly transforms the fibrous material into a gel which can then be digested in the large intestine, where it also works to form and release gas from the GI system. In addition to this cleansing effect, the gel-like substance created by soluble fiber gives you a feeling of fullness for longer periods of time, which is beneficial in weight management.

Insoluble fiber passes through your gut mostly undigested and increases the pace with which other foods pass through digestive system. Nevertheless, this type of fiber also cleans the gut and provides other health benefits that does, indeed, make it an essential nutrient. However, insoluble fiber is still only one nutrient, and more than that, many people find that they already do a fair-to-good job of getting enough insoluble fiber in their diet. If not, they can often do so by making minor changes to their diet.

Increasing the amount of soluble fiber in your diet is often a different story that requires a concerted effort to add more items from the list of foods high in soluble fiber. Many of these foods are popular raw ingredients for juicing. In fact, the desire to add more soluble fiber in one’s diet is often the impetus for starting a juicing habit. It doesn’t help when these people hear, without sufficient context, that fiber is actually removed when juicing.

If you like drinking your meals, but also like to get lots of insoluble fiber, you can swap out the juicer for a regular blender known for its smoothie blend setting. You can also take the leftover pulp from the juicer and put all or some portion of this pulp back into your juice. Read more about soluble vs insoluble fiber.

Fruits and Vegetable, Deconstructed

Our recommendation, which is also the recommendation of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is that instead of adding the fibrous pulp from your fruits and vegetables back into your juice, you should use it for other recipes. The pulp from your produce makes for a delicious and nutritious additive to many of your favorite baked goods, especially bread and muffins. Soups and stews are another under-the-radar possibility. After all, it’s better to help food pass through your digestive quickly and partially digested when that food is full of gluten and sugar, as well as smaller amounts of salt and fat.

Arguably, the most important thing is to make sure you get a healthy amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet, and if there aren’t many whole, steamed, baked, or fried produce sides that you’re crazy about, it can helpful to concentrate the bulk of one’s daily produce in an easy to consume, easy to digest juice. The one thing you really need to watch out for is loading up your juicing recipes with a bunch of high-sugar fruits. Look to make juices that aren’t overly sweet. Lean toward adding more vegetables and less fruit. And if it’s the sweetness of the juice that makes it palatable to you in the first place, at least try to shoot for as little sugar as possible.

Benefits that are Specific to Juicing

Beyond these fundamentals, there is also some nuance in terms of how your body processes these fruits and vegetables in juice form.

1. A regular juicing habit can cover up your bad chewing habits. It’s recommended that soft foods should be chewed about 20-30 times; tougher food items may require 30-40 times. Just because you want to be healthy doesn’t mean you suddenly have more time in your schedule, and of all the things one might change about their lifestyle, chewing your food up more fully is a hard one to prioritize. An easier solution may be to take one of your meals in the form of a juice that gives your mandible and your gut a break.
2. In some ways, your digestive system is a special kind of juicer. Solid foods must be broken down and have trouble passing through the tiny holes which lead to the liver where the digested nutrients can work to detoxify the body. Again, some of this difference can be mitigated by chewing up your solid foods really well with each bite. The downside to this efficiency is that it means your body will also readily absorb all the calories in your high-sugar fruit juices.
3. By far, the most controversial benefit is the consumption of live enzymes that comes with eating your foods raw. The argument essentially boils down to the fact that heat damages or kills these live enzymes before they can be used by the body. These enzymes do seem to add as a catalyst in repairing cells in the body. However, there is not yet any persuasive scientific research that suggests consuming raw foods is a healthier option overall.

We also encourage you to read more about the benefits and drawbacks that comes with removing the pulp and nutrient loss when juicing your fruits and vegetables.

It’s just the days of easy, delicious, and guilt-free juicing really are dead for the most part. Put another way, if you haven’t already, it’s time to decide what type of juice fan you will be. Accept the fact that sweet, delicious-tasting juice is an indulgence, or focus on low-sugar health juices that may not pack the same taste? Admit that pulling a bottle of juice from the beverage cooler is a convenience that lacks the nutritional promise of freshly-pressed juice, pay a premium price for health brand juices, or invest in your own homemade juicer and personalized juicing recipes that can strike the perfect balance between nutrition, taste, and cost.

The Future of Juice and Health Beverage Culture

Maybe you’ve already determined the juicing approach that fits your personal preference, but what about your friends and family? What lies ahead for the juicing industry, and how likely is it that the juicing trend makes a comeback? The recent industry report from Market Watch offers some clues, “Demand for cold pressed juice made from mixed fruits and vegetables has been increasing significantly owing to growing concerns regarding various health issues as well as the health benefits associated with consuming these juices.”

In other words, the only part of the juice industry that’s been experiencing growth is the health-conscious method of using a cold-press (or hydraulic press) for pure 100% extraction of mixed fruits and vegetables, implying a high-nutrient, low-sugar juicing recipe and product. If you want to make fresh juice a regular part of your diet, this is the way to do it.

Plus, for most people, it’s a good thing that you don’t get a ton of broccoli juice. Juice recipes that are dominated by broccoli tend to taste very grassy, which isn’t for everybody. Still, it’s not the strongest taste, either, which means that even if you’re not a huge broccoli fan, you won’t even notice when adding other mixed fruits and vegetables to the recipe.

Don’t Forget: Broccoli is a Superfood

It’s not just the Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Broccoli is also chock full of calcium, iron, and other nutrients. Plus, the stalks are every bit as nutritious as the florets. The dark green color of the florets is only indicative of a higher Vitamin A content. If anything, the stalks have more of the other nutrients.

Floret with a Smoothie

If you are serious about broccoli as a superfood, you might also think about eating the high-fiber pulp as well. Rather than juicing, you can blend broccoli in your next smoothie recipe. The florets may be best as part of providing texture to your smoothie without making it too thick, but in smaller quantities, there’s no wrong answer. Again, the key is to think twice about throwing away scraps of broccoli. It’s also a great hack for people who don’t like the taste of steamed, baked, grilled, or sautéed broccoli, to still get the nutrients of this superfood into their diet.

Stalk or floret, if you’re looking for a complimentary way to consume the entire vegetable, My Recipes has a great list of cooking recipes for this superfood.