The 5 juices and smoothies you need to drink this season

Let’s raise a drink to your health this fall and winter. Do you want better skin, liver cleansing, an immunity boost, improved eye health, better digestion, and healthier heart? These are the recipes you need to make. Whip out the juicer and blender, and get sipping on something delicious that will do your body a lot of good.

Alkalizing green juice: for skin health and hydration

Keep your skin from getting dry in the arid, cold winter months by hydrating it from the inside out. In a juicer, combine 2 green apples, one cucumber, 1 cup spinach, and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Cucumber hydrates while spinach provides energizing iron. Lightly sweet and antioxidant-rich green apple helps fight wrinkles and aging, while the citric acid in lemon helps improve kidney function.

Beet apple carrot juice: for detoxification and liver cleansing

In a juicer, combine 1 beetroot, 1 large carrot, 1 apple, and 1 lemon. Beets, which are seasonal during the end of year months, are known for their liver cleansing properties. You can make the juice a bit sweeter with a little apple, while you also getting a boost of detoxifying antioxidants and polyphenols. Carrots are high in alpha-carotene, which plays a role in inhibiting the development of liver cancer, while lemon gives you immune-boosting vitamin C. All in all, this relatively low sugar juice makes it the perfect cleansing and detoxifying winter drink.

Carrot apple ginger juice: for eye health and digestion

In a juicer, combine 3 carrots, 2 small apples, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and a 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger. Carrots provide your body with a high concentration of vitamin A, which enhances vision, protects eye health, and helps fight inflammation. Lemon stimulates the digestive system, apple helps relieve indigestion and constipation, and ginger helps banish nausea.

Spiced fall smoothie: the sneaky immune booster

Think of this as an autumn spin on the classic Orange Julius. In a blender, blend 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen orange chunks, 1 tbsp nut and seed butter, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 date, and 2/3 cup almond milk. Orange provides immune boosting vitamin C, banana a high concentration of potassium, and dates fiber and a significant concentration of iron. Ginger boosts your immune system with its antimicrobial properties, and your choice of nuts and seeds provide blood sugar-stabilizing protein and unsaturated fats. Your taste buds will be celebrating the season while you fight against the flu.

Mayan Mocha Smoothie: for heart health

In a blender, combine 1 frozen banana, 2 dates, 1 tbsp cacao, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp almond butter, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, and 2/3 cup almond milk. Blend until creamy. Cacao provides a powerful punch of antioxidants, dates offer natural sweetness with heart-healthy fiber, almonds a burst of heart-healthy fats and vitamin E. Cinnamon and ginger give you a boost of anti-inflammatory and blood sugar stabilizing properties. Ditch the banana and blend the rest together, and heat up over the stove for a spicy hot chocolate.

Author: Maggie Harriman