A lot of people have cringed when I tell them I love drinking green juice, and I can totally empathize. When I was a child growing up, my mom used to juice greens for me and my sister. She would juice entire cups of pure beet juice, kale juice, or carrot juice. There were no added fruits to cut the flavors. I can still remember the horror of hearing the juicer start buzzing in the kitchen. 

Funny enough, but now I absolutely love juicing. While I still abhor beets (I don't think that will ever change), I absolutely adore kale and carrots and so many new fruits and veggies I've since come across. It's partially due to the fact that my taste buds have since matured from my peewee years, but mainly because I've learned to create juices that aren't 1-ingredient recipes (imagine drinking an entire cup of JUST kale).

This is my Pineapple Green Juice, which I think is a perfect introductory green juice for all of you still on the fence with the idea of drinking vegetables. The sweetness of tropical pineapple and apples really balances out the kale and cucumber, while the lemon and ginger adds a nice zing to the flavor. It's absolutely refreshing and a healthy way to get added nutrients and antioxidants into your diet!

Some of the numerous health benefits of pineapple:

• Boosts the immune system
• Great source of antioxidants and contains 130% of the daily dose of Vitamin C
• Protects against macular degeneration (promotes eye health)
• Reduces inflammation (especially associated with arthritis)
• Promotes tissue and cellular health
• Promotes good digestion
• Great source of manganese, for strong bones

Some of the numerous health benefits of kale:

• Great source of antioxidants (quercetin, kaempferol, beta-carotene)
• Excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K
• Helps lower cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease
• Cancer fighting
• Promotes weight loss
• Great for detoxification
• Promotes eye health
   

PINEAPPLE GREEN JUICE

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Easy Peasy

TIME: 10 Minutes

SERVINGS: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Cups Pineapple Chunks
• 6 Kale Leaves
• 1/2 Cucumber
• 1 Green Apple
• 1/2 Lemon
• 1 Inch Piece of Ginger

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Wash all fruits and veggies. 
2. Press all ingredients through your juicer and serve.

NOTES:

• Serve immediately for best health benefits. You can also store the juice in the refrigerator for up to two days.
• If you're new to drinking green juice, I suggest increasing the fruit to vegetable ratio. This makes the juice sweeter and easier to drink. You can always add more veggies as you get used to the flavors and develop a taste for it.

CREDITS:
Styling & Photography: Annie Cho