These vegetables are among nature’s most nutritious foods and should not be omitted from our diet. The truth is, carrots are in the low glycemic index category of foods and beets are in the moderate category. They are higher in sugar than a number of other vegetables, but lower in sugar conversion than a lot of the foods many people eat every day such as bagels or baked potatoes. If you juice carrots and beets with green vegetables it will cut down on the sugar and increase the antioxidants.

From scientific research we know that carotenes (also called carotenoids) are among the most effective antioxidants; they are known to protect our body from free radical damage and ward off everything from cancer to aging. We know that brightly colored vegetables offer a cornucopia of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and enzymes, and they are especially rich in antioxidants. They should be the center of our meal, not the garnish on the side.

But many of us just don’t have the time to eat them as often as we should. Frankly, most of us don’t have an hour to chew up five to six carrots or a couple of raw beets with leaves, for example, but we could juice them in less than five minutes. Carrots are one of the best sources of beta-carotene and carrot juice is loaded with this valuable nutrient. Beets are also a good source of carotenes and are an excellent food for the liver.

I'm often asked if a significant amount of nutrients remain in the fiber when produce is juiced. No one knew the answer to this question until 1996 when the U.S. Department of Agriculture published a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. They analyzed twelve fruits and found that 90 percent of the antioxidant activity was in the juice rather than the fiber. This is one reason why fresh juice makes such a great supplement to a high-fiber diet.

Another question I often hear is why can’t I just buy juice that is frozen or in bottles? Won't I get the same effect? The answer is no. These juices have been pasteurized (heated) and most of the vitamins and enzymes are destroyed. You mainly get sugar and water. Fresh juice on the other hand is replete with nutrients.

Fresh juice helps us increase energy, strengthen our immune system, and facilitate healing by supplying the raw materials that help our body heal, repair, and renew more quickly and completely. If you want to prevent disease, juicing offers one of the surest paths to a disease-free life.

Fresh juice provides the nutritional advantages of plant foods in a concentrated form that is easy for the body to absorb. It is rich not only in water, which we all need plenty of, but also in easy-to-absorb amino acids, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytochemicals.

I'm often asked if it isn’t better just to eat the whole fruit or vegetable for the fiber rather than juice it. Of course we need whole fruits and vegetables for fiber as well as the nutrients they richly provide. We can get fiber by eating not only fruits and vegetables, but also by eating whole grains, legumes (beans, lentils, split peas), and sprouts.