Green juices can be a great way to work more nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits, and herbs into your diet — if they’re made right. To temper an otherwise bitter taste, many store-bought green juices are heavy in fruits (some are even made with puree or processed juice instead of actual fruit), sacking you with way more sugar than you should get from one beverage.
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Your healthiest bet is to juice at home. “Green juices can be very healthy when they’re made mostly of leafy and cruciferous vegetables,” says Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet. He also suggests beets, celery, and carrots and adding a little lemon for flavor. “If you add other fruit, stick with lower-sugar options like berries instead of higher-sugar choices such as bananas and grapes,” says Hyman. Use organic produce whenever possible, he advises, and when you can’t, consult the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list to avoid the most pesticide-ridden produce.
