Yet Another Juice Recipe, Also How to Open a Pomegranate The Right Way!

I bought a pomegranate about a week ago and I have been dreading pulling that baby apart to get the seeds out. I figured I could do a photo tutorial on the right way to open up a pomegranate in case some of you don't know how. I didn't grow up with pomegranates so when I first saw one.. I was scared, and rather interested. Also something interesting I just found out is a pomegranate will last 3 months in the fridge!.. I had no idea.

Step 1. Put that baby on a plate. Pomegranates stain everything! Wear clothes you don't care much about, and do not use a cutting board.
Step 2. Cut a hole around the crown- top is shown in the first picture. Don't cut across- cut downwards into a circle.
Step 3. Once the top is off slice 3 slits down the sides along the pith to reduce cutting the seeds.
Step 4. Pull the pomegranate apart- pick off some of the large pieces of pith and membrane.
Step 5. Put cold water into a larger bowl for the pomegaranate to sit in. While pulling apart the pomegranate face it downwards or into the water, it reduces the amount of juice that will spray out while you pick them off of the piths. As you pull the seeds off they will sink to the bottom of the bowl, making it easy for you to skim the water and throw out any pith floating.
Step 5. Drain the water using the back side of the plate you previously used to cut the pomegranate. Hold it together with your bowl and let only the water out.

Next you can either eat the seeds/ put them in a blender with other fruits, or juice it!

By juicing the pomegranate and 2 apples it came out to about a full glass and a half. The health benefits to this juice recipe are impressive! Pomegranates are proven to prevent breast cancer/destroy breast cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. Prevents lung cancer, Slows the growth of prostate cancer, Prevents osteoarthritis, Protects arteries, Prevents alzheimer's disease, Lowers cholesterol, Lowers blood pressure, Also prevents dental plaque. That is a tiny list of just one of the ingredients in this juice! Plus because it is juiced, you absorb all of the nutrients right away. Your body doesn't have to do any of the work!

I Am Juicing For Better Health!

I have been juicing! There are so many health benefits to juicing. Here are a few: "The body can quickly absorb larger amounts of nutrients from juices than from solid foods because the process of digestion that is necessary when you eat whole foods is bypassed. Another one of the major health benefits of juicing is that it is an easy way to get beneficial enzymes, which are primarily found in raw foods, into the body. Enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables have the vital role of converting food into body tissue and energy. Enzymes are also involved in metabolism, so one of the more valuable health benefits of juicing is that it can increase metabolic rate. Juicing also ensures that the body is getting sufficient amounts of phytochemicals, substances in plants that are considered among the most powerful ways to fight disease. While most people do not eat enough raw fruits and vegetables to obtain the amount of phytochemicals that would make a difference, it is relatively easy to drink enough juice to obtain sufficient amounts of these powerful nutrients. In addition, antioxidants and other immune enhancing properties are concentrated in juices. Juicing can therefore help to accelerate recovery from illness. In fact, juicing with specific combinations of fruits or vegetables can target particular conditions and improve or alleviate symptoms."(Source- link)

The Health Benefits to This Recipe Are:
Grapefruit-
Grapefruit contains citric acid, natural sugars, essential oils like limonene, pinene and citral.  It has high amounts of vitamin C, and smaller amounts of vitamin A, B complex, E and K.  In the minerals it has larger amounts of calcium, folic acid, phosphorus, and potassium.  The nutritive phytonutrients of this voluptuous fruit- liminoids, flavonoids, lycopene and glucarates- help fight cancer and various diseases.
Carrots-
Carrot is one of the most healing foods that provides the finest and highest quality in nutrients, especially from its juice.  It is an excellent source of pro-vitamin A, vitamins C, D, E, K, B1 and B6. It is rich with biotin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, organic sodium and some trace minerals. The known phytonutrients in carrots are lutein, lycopene, anti-oxidants alpha, beta and gamma carotenes, zeaxanthin and xanthophyll.  You don't need to remember these fancy names, but just remember that phytonutrients are nature's marvelous provision for healing of various diseases.
Ginger-
Ginger is known to have more than twelve types of anti-oxidants, making it useful for treatment of many disorders.  Like other spices, it has aphrodisiac properties and is used widely for medicinal purposes. This herb contains essential oils, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin C, choline, folic acid, inositol, manganese, panthotenic acid, silicon, and a small amount of vitamin B3.
Apples-
Apples are known for their excellent source of pectin and fibers.  They are high in vitamin A and C and a good source of potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus.  Most of an apple's nutrients are stored on the skin or just under the skin.  There are the phytonutrients: ellagic acid, malic acid, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin.  There are many more phytonutrients in an apple, some yet to be discovered and named.  These compounds are high in anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.
(Source- link-type in each fruit/veg/spice)

The only issue I had with my beverage is I added wayyyy too much ginger. That baby tates like a spicy grapefruit gin concoction. My advice is keeping the ginger to a very minimal amount. Although it is worth drinking knowing how many amazing nutrients I am absorbing. I hope I can inspire you to get a juicer and start experimenting!