February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than 2 million Americans age 50 and older. But, you can take action to fight AMD with healthy food and beverage choices. This month’s healthy eye recipe is both healthful and delicious. With just three simple ingredients, it’s a tasty juice loaded with the super-duo power of vitamin A and antioxidants which are known to decrease the risk of AMD.
Recipe:
Carrot-Orange-Grapefruit Juice (with or without a fancy juicer)
There’s just something extra satisfying about freshly-made juice. Sure, you could buy any number of pre-packaged juices at your local grocer, but they often include added sugars or preservatives. Even if you find juice that doesn’t contain such additives, store-bought juice never tastes quite as refreshing as juice made right before your eyes. And guess what? You don’t need a fancy juicing machine to create healthful, delicious juices in your kitchen!
Note: depending on the size of the ingredients, this recipe should yield about four 8-oz. cups, or one quart*
INGREDIENTS
- 6-8 Medium-sized Raw Carrots
- 3 Raw Oranges of Any Variety
- 1 Raw Grapefruit, Red or White
- Peel the grapefruit and oranges; get rid of as much pith (the white part left after peeling) as you desire. Divide into sections and don’t worry about the seeds.
- Wash, peel and chop carrots into small chunks.
- Combine all three prepared ingredients in either a blender or a food processor and puree until the mixture becomes a liquid pulp.
- Over a large bowl, pour the entire mixture into a fine-mesh strainer until only pulp solids remain in the strainer, and there’s as much juice as possible is in the bowl. (About 15-20 minutes.)
- Discard pulp (or add it to a compost pile if you wish)
- Using a kitchen funnel, transfer the juice to a pitcher. Chill in refrigerator or serve in glasses over ice.
IF YOU HAVE A JUICER:
Great! Proceed as usual for citrus and carrots according to your juicer’s manufacturer.
*Hint: double this recipe to make a half-gallon and enjoy a healthy glass of fresh, eye-healthy, homemade juice every day, or as long as it lasts.