How "Reverse Juicing" Can Amp Up Your Antioxidants
If you're looking to boost your heart health, protect your cells from damage, and reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases, you may want to try increasing your intake of antioxidants. These powerful molecules prevent an excess of free radicals, which your body can absorb from alcohol, air pollution, and excessive sun exposure (via Healthline). An overabundance of free radicals in your system causes oxidative stress, which can lead to DNA and cell damage, cancer, and heart disease, per Healthline.
While there are many different types of antioxidants, a subgroup called polyphenols can pack a powerful punch if you decide to add them to your diet. Polyphenols are naturally found in plants and may help you to decrease high blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and maintain a healthy body weight, per Medical News Today. They may help you live longer as well. A 2014 study published in BMC Medicine found during a five-year study that there was a significant decrease in mortality rates in participants with higher intake levels of polyphenols. While there are many ways to boost your polyphenol and antioxidant consumption, a technique called reverse juicing may help you get the most bang for your buck.
The benefits of reverse juicing
If you have already heard of or even tried traditional juicing, you know that this process involves extracting and then drinking the liquid from fruits and vegetables. While there are a variety of differing opinions about the pros and cons of juicing, they can be a helpful way to get nutrients from fruits and vegetables you may not otherwise eat (via WebMD).
After you are done expressing or straining out the juice, there is usually excess pulp leftover. If you usually end up throwing this part out, you're not alone, but it turns out that you may be missing out on some nutrient-rich goodness. Cardiologist Dr. Steven Gundry explained to MindBodyGreen that by popping this pulp into an ice cube tray and freezing it for later, a process he calls reverse juicing, you'll be able to benefit even more from those fruits and veggies, thanks to a concentration of polyphenols found in the pulp. You can add your customized pulp cubes to yogurt or smoothies to enjoy a boost of polyphenols and antioxidants, per MindBodyGreen.