Green Cleanse: Turmeric and Wheatgrass Juice

A twist on green juice cleansing: Turmeric and Wheatgrass Juice.

If there is an ingredient in the produce section, it’s only a matter of time before I buy it on a whim and then figure out how to use it. Tumeric root was only slightly different in that I’ve used the powdered version many times in Indian-inspired soups and rice dishes. After reading Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life by Claduia Welch (MSOM)*, I knew it was more that just a beautiful spice.

A cousin of ginger, turmeric is also anti-inflammatory. Curcumin, the flavonoid present in turmeric, is a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent the formation of new blood cells associated with cancer growth. Turmeric is also a blood cleanser, meaning that it keeps red blood cells from clumping, thereby improving circulation. Better circulation means more efficient tissue healing, resulting in a healthier (more glowing!) body. It’s no surprise that turmeric is often recommended for acne and other skin issues.

Juicing turmeric was one way I figured I could consume a healthy serving of turmeric without denaturing its enzymes with heat. (Read more about the health benefits of juicing.) The downside of juicing turmeric, however, is that the raw flavor is somewhat lost among the other juices. I think I may try making a tea with turmeric next—instead of steeping grated ginger in hot water with lemon, I’ll try turmeric instead.

Do you know any creative uses for turmeric root?

Turmeric and Wheatgrass Juice

Ingredients:

1 cup kale (I used the dinosaur variety)

2 stalks of celery

1 cucumber

1 small apple or pear

1” knob of turmeric (or more!), peeled

1 lime, rind removed

¼-½ cup wheatgrass, roots removed and grass rinsed

Directions:

Run each ingredient through the juicer, pressing the tamper down slowly so the maximum amount of juice is extracted from the produce. Drink within 20 minutes of juicing to get the full benefit of the living enzymes and nutrients.

*I highly recommend this book for any woman interested in incorporating Ayurvedic practices into her sometimes-hectic modern life. Dr. Welch emphasizes how important it is to slow down:

“What really takes courage is to stop—stop running, stop pushing, stop trying to please everyone, stop outspending our reserves. Just stop. Stop and begin to live the life we really want to be living.”

I’m still working on that one 😉