There's lots of reasons to drink fresh juice, from the flavor to the blast of vitamins. While you're almost always better off eating the whole fruit vs. just the juice, there's a place for juicing in a healthy diet. And since there is no fresher juice than the kind you make yourself, why not experiment with ripe, readily available fruits and vegetables, balancing sweet and tart produce in complementary combinations? Here are some recipes to get you started.
Cantaloupe Agua Fresca
Photo: msheldrake/Shutterstock
Agua fresca means "fresh water" in Spanish. Consisting of fresh fruit, citrus and water, it's the perfect name for a refreshing drink made for hot, muggy weather.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes, plus refrigeration
Yield: 4-6 glasses
Ingredients
- 1 3-pound cantaloupe, cut into sections
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
- 1 lime wheel, optional garnish
Directions
- Rinse produce. Cut cantaloupe to size, juice and pour liquid contents into small pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp.
- Combine with remaining ingredients. Stir and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 one hour. Serve over ice.
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Carrot Orange Wake Up
Photo: Multiart/Shutterstock
A perfect pairing of tart, tangy and sweet that's easy on the eyes and the mood.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 glasses
Ingredients
- 1 pound organic carrots
- 6 Valencia oranges, peeled
- 1 1-inch nub fresh ginger, peeled
- 4 ounces light coconut milk
- 1 orange wheel, optional garnish
Directions
- Rinse produce. Cut to size and juice. Pour liquid contents into small pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp.
- Add coconut milk and stir.
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Watermelon Agua Fresca
Photo: nadianb/Shutterstock
Watermelon is yet another popular variation of agua fresca. Think of it as fruit salad without the bowl or heavy syrup.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes, plus refrigeration
Yield: 4-6 glasses
Ingredients
- 3 cups seedless watermelon, cut into sections
- 1/2 English cucumber, cut into spears
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon citrus seasoning (optional)
- Handful mint, torn
- 1 cucumber wheel, optional garnish
Directions
- Rinse produce. Cut to size and juice. Pour liquid contents into pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp.
- Combine with remaining ingredients. Stir and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Serve over ice.
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Pineapple and Citrus Combo
Photo: Svetlana Lukienko/Shutterstock
A sweet and tart combo that never fails to put smiles on people's faces.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 glasses
Ingredients
- 1/2 pineapple
- 3 tangerines, peeled
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 cup filtered water
Directions
- Rinse produce, cut to size and juice. Pour liquid contents into small pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp. Add lime and water.
- Stir and serve over ice.
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Jicama Pear Juice
Photos: holbox and Larina Natalia/Shutterstock
Jicama resembles a potato and tastes like a cross between kiwi and celery. It's especially good when paired with fresh carrots and ripe pear.
Yield: 2 glasses
Ingredients
- 2 cups jicama, peeled and cut to size
- 2 organic carrots, rinsed
- 1 ripe Bosc pear, rinsed
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 1 sprig mint, optional garnish
Directions
- Rinse produce. Cut jicama in half and remove skin with paring knife.
- Juice with carrots, pear and lemon. Pour liquid contents into small pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp.
