Many people enjoy drinking fresh juices as a way to improve their health, and there is a good reason why. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices are loaded with essential nutrients which makes them an ideal tool for everyone who wants to boost immunity, improve the diet and keep the overall health in tip-top shape.

The vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals found in plants are essential to all cells and tissues in the body. Besides keeping your entire system in its most optimal functioning condition, the nourishing essentials you get from fresh produce may help to cleanse and detoxify the body and counterbalance the negative effects of free radicals, or the by-products of all metabolic functions in the body.

Next time you go shopping, make the fresh fruit and vegetable isle or outlet your first stop reminding yourself and your family that fresh juices can repair, protect, and improve the function of both body and mind, as well as energise the spirit. But before you do, find out more about juicing from these common questions and answers.

How can juices benefit my overall health?

Juices from fresh fruit and vegetables are rich in minerals, such as Potassium, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium and Manganese. Naturally, human bodies cannot make minerals, so you need to get them from the diet. Minerals regulate blood pressure, keep teeth and bones strong, maintain heartbeat, keep electrolytes and fluid balance, and prevent any kidney, digestive and nervous function disorders.

Vitamins C, A and E found in fresh produce are vital to fundamental processes such as growth, reproduction and tissue repair, and are excellent antioxidants which may help your body to slow down the aging process. You can also get a reasonable amount of Folate from fresh juices which is important for brain and hormonal function. Other natural hormones, phytochemicals and natural antibiotics found in nature's bounty have shown a promising effect in lowering the risk of osteoporosis, cancer and inflammatory diseases.

What are the benefits of drinking juice instead of eating fresh produce?

You can get the same amount of almost all the nutrients of the plant, but from a much smaller volume of juice. This is because the crop has a lot of fibre found in its cell walls. Fibre's main function is to hold the crop together in one piece. The more fibre the plant has, the more of it you need to eat in order to get the same amount of starches, sugars, vitamins, minerals and other essentials. For example, you can get one glass of juice from four soft tomatoes or ten solid carrots. So, juices provide you with a much more concentrated energy source. What's more, liquid nutrients are also easier to digest and absorb and have better biological availability.

What are the benefits of eating fresh fruit and vegetables instead of drinking the juice?

Juicing any fruit or vegetable removes its pulp, or fibre, unless you puree your chosen crop and consume the finely processed fibre with your juice. Typical juicing extracts the fluid and separates the pulp. In this process, some nutrient value is lost, although vitamins, minerals and sugars remain in the glass of clear juice. There are many reasons your body needs fibre, such as providing bulk for your digestive tract which helps to attract and remove all the by-products of metabolism from the body. Clear juices cannot be used as a substitute for whole fruits or vegetables, but only as a supplement to a balanced diet.

What is the difference between carbohydrates in fruit and carbohydrates in sugar or grains?

Fruit juices contain mostly sugars from fructose, the simplest type of sugar which is different from carbohydrates found in other foods. Fructose is a monosaccharide composed of one sugar molecule which is absorbed quickly as it doesn't need further digestion. On the other hand, sucrose or regular white sugar, is a disaccharide composed of two sugars. This means that before your body can absorb white sugar, your digestive enzymes have to break it down into two smaller sugar molecules, known as glucose and fructose. This takes longer to get to the blood stream. The longer the digestive process – the less hungry you remain after eating. Complex carbohydrates contain many more sugar molecules, plus beneficial fibre and take the most time to metabolise keeping your appetite at bay for many hours.

Does fast absorption of fructose elevate blood sugar levels too high?

A fascinating fact about fructose is that even though it is absorbed quickly, it has a very low Glycaemic Index and does not raise blood sugar levels. Metabolically, it is goes straight to the liver for processing without burdening Pancreas or other organs, and does not need the release of the blood-glucose lowering hormone Insulin. There are benefits and downfalls for this. The negative side is that unless your blood sugar and Insulin levels go up, your brain may still 'feel' hungry. The benefit of this interesting phenomenon is that you can get nourishing energy of juices without sending your blood-glucose levels on a roller-coaster ride which happens when you eat too many sweets at once.

Can juices be used for medical conditions?

Juice therapy is also used to lower blood pressure, heal skin disorders, and relieve digestive problems, though the evidence for these benefits is less than conclusive. While juice can boost overall health and resistance, it can't cure any serious chronic disease. For example, cabbage juice may relieve the symptoms of an ulcer, but it won't cure one and you may need a course of antibiotics to kill the bacteria.

Are there any contra-indications for drinking fruit and vegetable juices?

Avoid the juice of any fruit or vegetable to which you may have an allergy. If you have a problem with metabolizing sugar, you may need to dilute sugary juices such as carrot and beetroot with low-sugar juices such as celery or cabbage. If you have diabetes or suffer from hypoglycaemia - you should always take fruit juices with food.

Is it OK to mix fruit and vegetable juices?

Almost all fruits and most vegetables can be juiced and the combinations are limited only to your imagination. Mixing fruits and vegetables is very popular and extremely beneficial as these types of juices provide a wider range of nutrients. However, note that mixing acidic juices, such as lemon or orange, with other types of juice can curdle some liquids, so may be best when juiced and consumed alone.

How long can the juices be stored?