Introduction
Every person who has had the pleasure of tasting my homemade juice, a healthy beverage for children, has expressed their admiration for it. Curiously, despite following the same recipe and using the same ingredients, my sister-in-law and nieces admit that their versions do not rival mine in terms of taste. As for myself, I do not consume juices prepared by others, so I cannot confirm the accuracy of their claims.
Juicing: A Fundamental Component of our Healthy Dietary Routine
Freshly made juice plays an integral role in our daily meals, standing as a significant staple in our diet, much like any other healthy food for children. When I am at home, I personally undertake the task of preparing the juice, ensuring my family enjoys the benefits of natural juice. Even when I am travelling, I make certain to prepare a sufficient quantity of juice that will last for the duration of my absence. To preserve it, I freeze the juice. Pineapple and watermelon, which are also commonly used in many homemade juice recipes, are my primary choices. When mangoes are in season, I add them to the mix. Occasionally, specifically when preparing a fruit salad, I incorporate passion fruit, despite its relative unsuitability for juicing.
Drinking juice was a daily routine for my children, as standard as drinking milk after their dinner. In their formative years and during holidays, they would usually have their juice after lunch. On school days, this routine would take place when they returned home in the evening. It became such a regular practice that I imagine if they were to open the fridge one day and find no juice, they would undoubtedly question the anomaly. However, that is purely hypothetical, as such a day has never come to pass. Our home has always been, and continues to be, stocked with juice.
The Juicer: An Essential Tool in our Daily Practice of Making Homemade Beverages During the initial years of our family life, I would prepare juice daily using a medium-sized pineapple and watermelon. I would set aside a portion of these fruits to consume as is or in a fruit salad, while the rest would be processed into juice. In the early days, I relied on a blender. While effective, it made juicing a bit laborious due to the need for straining. When I discovered the juicer, it marked a significant improvement in my juicing journey, greatly simplifying the process.
Over the past two decades, I have switched between roughly five different juicers. All of them have been from Philips, a brand that, in my experience, offers reliable and high-quality products. These changes were not due to malfunctions; rather, I periodically felt the need for a change, to bring some freshness to the routine. To the best of my knowledge, all my former juicers are still in good working order and being used by the friends and relatives to whom I passed them on. There was one exception a couple of weeks ago, when my juicer stopped working during a gathering I was hosting for my sister. I suspect a power surge might have been the culprit, given the inconsistent power supply we have been experiencing in recent months
The Health and Nutritional Benefits of Homemade Juice for Children
My youngest once noted that our homemade juice far surpassed any commercially available soda in sweetness. This could perhaps be the reason they showed little interest in these sugary drinks. It is possible that our homemade juice helped deter our children from developing a preference for overly sweet foods, though this may not be entirely accurate.
An added advantage of our juicing routine is its positive impact on health. As noted in other posts, our children had smooth skin, lustrous hair and strong nails, outcomes I attribute to our balanced diet that included freshly made juice. Moreover, they rarely fell ill, especially with diet-related ailments. Despite the common saying that too much of a good thing can be detrimental, we did not experience any negative effects from our daily juicing practice. The children would consume just one glass per day.
Conclusion: The Impact and Advantages of Regular Juicing for Children's Health
In summary, this exploration of our family's journey with juicing, from the selection of fruits to the daily routines and the evident health benefits for our children, provides insights into the advantages of natural juice for children. The art of juicing has woven itself into the fabric of our daily life, and it is my hope that our experiences might inspire you to consider homemade juices as a healthy and enjoyable part of your own, or your children's, dietary routines.
Join the Conversation!
I invite you to share your thoughts, experiences, or any favourite homemade juice recipes in the comments section below.
About the Author
Nite Tanzarn is an Independent International Consultant with a fervent interest in advocating for the rights of women and children. As a parent herself, she provides valuable insights into the art of parenting, including the health benefits of juicing for children’s health. Her mission is to assist parents on their journey, aiding them in fostering their children's growth, independence, and love for learning.
Nite, I love your homemade juices.
Juicing is the only way I can get my children to eat fruits they dislike.
Be mindful of the sugar content in juices, even those made from 100% fruit can contain high amounts of sugar.
Yes, juicing can be a beneficial addition to a child’s diet when done correctly.
While juices can be nutritious, they should not replace whole fruits and vegetables in a child’s diet. Whole foods contain fiber and other essential nutrients that are often lost in the juicing process.