The best green juice ingredients for weight loss, according to nutritionists

The basic ingredients of a green juice usually include spinach, cucumber, and celery, but it is a fact that various add-ins can be added to this base to enhance its flavor or even to specifically benefit a body function, for example, digestion.Green juice enthusiasts claim that this drink offers numerous health benefits, including better digestion, weight loss, reduced inflammation, and increased immunity.This drink made from green vegetable juices doesn't have an official recipe, but among the most common ingredients we can also count kale, Swiss chard, wheatgrass, parsley, and mint. This can make green juice taste bitter, so small amounts of fruit, which can be green or not, are added to sweeten it and improve its flavor, such as apples, blackberries, kiwi, lemons, oranges, and grapefruit.As part of a balanced and healthy diet, green juice is not a substitute but can have many of the benefits that come from eating more fruits and vegetables. Mainly because green vegetables and their juices are very good sources of various essential vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds.Research suggests that eating leafy green vegetables daily may help reduce inflammation, the risk of heart disease, and the risk of age-related cognitive decline. There is also evidence that certain compounds in fresh juice may function as prebiotics, which feed and support the growth of beneficial bacteria living in your digestive tract.What ingredients to add to green juice for weight loss?Green juice can be a nutritious component of a diet when consumed in moderation and not used to replace whole fruits and vegetables. As part of a diet reviewed by a professional, it can indeed be an ally for weight loss.It's important to note that if it will be part of your diet, as in our detox challenge, it’s best to prepare fresh green juice at home, so you can use quality ingredients and have control over added sugars.The home nutritionists gave us some tips to improve our juice, so if you already have your reliable green juice recipe, consider trying to add some of these options when you prepare it.According to Mayte Martín del Campo, adding ginger not only gives it a special flavor but this ingredient “helps a lot with digestion; cactus is also commonly used and can help stabilize blood glucose, and since it has a lot of fiber, it keeps you feeling full,” she recommends.If you want to add a touch of sweetness, she suggests using fruits like orange, blackberries, or a teaspoon of honey and always remembering “not to exceed the allowed amount of sugar, which is why it is recommended to use 1/2 fruit + 1 teaspoon of honey, or just use the fruit.”Nutritionist Jennifer Ascencio is also a proponent of ginger and indicates that it should be a small piece, as it helps a lot with inflammation, “one day it can be with ginger and another, with turmeric, just a tip of a spoon, so it doesn't taste too strong; you could even add the juice of a couple of lemons to increase the vitamin C.”Gina Rangel uses apple, pineapple, cucumber, spinach, celery, and cilantro in her green juice and told us that the secret ingredient is cilantro. “If you add apple, it aids digestion and helps maintain a healthy microbiota because it is a prebiotic.” Routine intake of prebiotics is associated with numerous benefits, including reduction of constipation, weight maintenance, and improvement of immune function.“If you add pineapple, it helps give a touch of sweetness, natural sugar, that gives us a lot of energy, while cucumber gives you a feeling of fullness and is pure water, so it’s super hydrating. Spinach provides a lot of iron, celery adds fiber, and cilantro is an amazing natural diuretic.”Green juice, combined with a balanced diet suitable for your needs, along with regular physical activity, can indeed help you lose weight or maintain your weight, so consult a professional and try these ingredients that you can add to your green juices for weight loss.