How to make a healthy beetroot, carrot and ginger juice

Often fruit juices and smoothies can be really packed full of calories as well as goodness, but this combination isn’t guilty of that.

I always feel healthier just looking at this deep purple glory in a glass, and it could also be called a miracle drink. It checks the boxes of a whole string of health-boosting ingredients.

I like to add in ginger, celery and spinach which add extra vitamins and minerals. They also seem to balance out some of the earthiness of the beetroot flavour which can be overpowering. It’s best made in a juicer, but can also be made in a blender and then sieved to reduce some of the fruit pulp if you like.

Key benefits

The key benefits are for the heart and cancer-fighting cells, as well as blood pressure, cholesterol and your digestive system. It also detoxifies the liver and boosts the production of red blood cells. It’s most effective on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.

Serves 2 | Preparation time 5-10 minutes
Ingredients
1 medium sized beetroot, trimmed, peeled and cut roughly into cubes
1 small apple, cored and cut into cubes
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 stick celery, roughly chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, roughly chopped (I leave it unpeeled)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Water to loosen if necessary (I use up to 1 glass if using a blender)

Optional extras
Handful kale or spinach
Handful raw almonds

Method
Add all of the ingredients to your juicer or smoothie maker and blitz. If using a smoothie maker and you find the juice quite thick with fruit fibers, you can first strain the juice through a sieve, pressing with the pulp with the back of a spoon to squeeze out all the goodness. Serve at room temperature or over crushed ice.

Sarah Graham is author of ‘Bitten’ and blogs with us on Food24.  Follow her on twitter @foodieliveshere.