The Fundamentals of Ayurvedic Juicing
What is Ayurvedic Juicing?
Juicing is the process of extracting all the juice from fresh fruits and vegetables and removing the seeds and pulp. The extracted juice contains high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients containing antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
Ayurvedic Juicing Has Two Purposes
- Health and Nutrition: Juicing is done once per day along with a healthy diet of plant based foods. The fresh juice is supplemented into substantially increase the amount of nutrients.
- Cleansing and Detoxification: Juicing is done twice per day along with a light diet of kichari and spices. Ayurveda recommends plant juices to cleanse and detoxify the body.
Organic Juicing and Your Health
According to Ayurveda, swarasa is the juice extracted from fresh organic fruits and vegetables for specific healing purposes. Swarasa is a sanskrit word: “swa” means self and “rasa” means juice. Traditionally, the extraction was done by cutting the plants into small pieces, which are then pounded, and the pulp is squeezed through a cloth to extract the juice.
According to the Ayurvedic texts there are five ways to process plants for therapeutic purposes. There is swarasa (extracted juice), kalka (herbal paste), kwatha (decoction), hima (cold infusion) and phanta (hot infusion). The five processes are listed in the order of potency. Swarasa is the most potent form. Swarasa is a pure plant extract containing all the natural constituents without any adulteration. This is why juicing with organic fruits and vegetables is so important!
Our digestive system is also a process of extracting nutrients from the foods we eat, much like juicing. Our strength and immunity depend on how well our digestive system works. Chronic problems with digestion are the main cause for weak immunity.
Swarasa is preenana (concentrated nutrition) that nourishes our bodies rasa (fluid or lymph), and rakta (plasma or blood). When our bodies’ circulating fluids are full of nutrients it provides the excess to the five remaining tissues of muscle, fat, bone, nerve, and reproductive organs.
Boost Health and Nutrition
The Health Booster juice recipe is designed to bring balance among the three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha. The main goal of Ayurveda is to improve and maintain health by balancing the three doshas and nourishing the seven dhatus.
Health Booster Juice Recipe (300 - 400 ml)
- Ash gourd - 3 oz.
- Bottle gourd - 3 oz.
- Carrot - 2 medium
- Celery - 2 medium
- Beet - 1 medium
- Green apple - 1 medium
- 1 Orange - 1 medium
- Ginger - 1 inch piece
- Turmeric - 1 inch piece
Preparing the Juice
Using a slow juicer is the best way to make nutritious juice. Simply wash and cut all the produce and run them through a slow juicer (also known as a cold press juicer). Slow juicers extract the most juice and do not create heat which destroys the nutrients. Ayurveda recommends drinking the juice on an empty stomach either before breakfast or dinner.
Why Ayurveda Juices Use Ash Gourd
Ayurveda considers ash gourd, also known as winter melon, as one of the most medicinal fruits due to its special ability to boost digestive power and balance all three doshas.
- Rasa (taste) is sweet - pacifies vata and pitta
- Guna (qualities) are light to digest - pacifies kapha
- Vipaka (post digestive effect) is sweet - pacifies vata and pitta
- Virya (potency) is cold - pacifies pitta
- Tridosha - balances vata, pitta, kapha
- Prabhava (special effect) is medhya - improves mental cognition
Ayurvedic Health Benefits
- Balances all three doshas
- Improves digestion and energy levels
- Cleanses the liver and kidneys
- Boost immunity, energy and endurance
- Greater mental focus and positive feeling
- Reduce stress levels and gain better quality sleep
- Gain a positive shift in your relationship to plant foods
- Increases motivation to exercise on a regular basis
Even More Benefits
- Hydration: Plant juices consist mostly of water and help to hydrate and nourish the body. Staying hydrated is vital for your body, and helps maintain blood pressure, body temperature, brain function, nutrient absorption, elimination of waste, and promotes healthy kidneys.
- Low in Sugar: Plant juices are low in sugar. A single cup (240 ml) has only 5 grams of naturally occurring sugar.
- Anti-inflammatory: Plant juice is high in plant nutrients which help reduce inflammation throughout the body. Plant juice contains luteolin and pyrroloquinoline quinone, two plant compounds known to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract.
- Antioxidant: Plant juice is high in antioxidants which help reduce rates of chronic ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer. It also gives you glowing skin.
General Precaution
As always, we recommend consulting your medical doctor if you are taking any prescribed medications for chronic illness. We recommend asking your doctor if taking a high concentration of juice from fruits and vegetables is right for you.
To learn more about Ayurvedic Juice Cleansing, read part two: The Fundamentals of Ayurvedic Juicing: Part Two
Where to Purchase Indian Heirloom Vegetables for Juicing
Gopal Farm is Kottakkal’s sister organization, and they grow many varieties of Indian heirloom fruits and vegetables. They ship juice boxes that are freshly grown without chemicals to many locations throughout the US.
New this season they are shipping individually sized farm boxes designed for Ayurvedic Juice Cleansing. Gopal Farm offers flexible 8 - 20 week juice boxes delivered weekly to your home between early June - late October. To learn more about Gopal Farm Juice Boxes click here.
Why Is It Important to Consult With an Ayurvedic Doctor?
It’s important to consult with Ayurvedic practitioners when any health problem becomes chronic. An Ayurvedic doctor will help you understand the root cause of your symptoms and your specific body constitution or dosha.
We recommend consulting with our Ayurvedic doctor, Vishwanath Guddadar. Following the advice from a personalized Ayurvedic consultation will change your life and give you the knowledge required to maintain your best health. You will receive a personalized food plan, juice cleanse, lifestyle and herbal recommendations.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Kottakkal Ayurveda products and this information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. If you have serious, acute, or chronic health problems, please consult a trained health professional. If you are seeking the medical advice of a trained Ayurvedic practitioner or doctor, call (800) 215-9934 or email us at contact@kottakkal.shop and we will provide you with one of our affiliated Ayurvedic professionals. Check with your doctor before taking herbs when pregnant.
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Vaidya Vishwanath
Vaidya Vishwanath grew up in Pune, India which is hub of traditional Ayurvedic gurukul teachings, following the principles of Ayurveda as part of his culture. He has dedicated his career over the past 1 ½ decades to the science of Ayurveda.