Eating asparagus means the production of a strong odour in the urine may be detected, which is completely normal. During digestion, the vegetable’s sulfurous amino acids break down into smelly chemical components. And because those components are “volatile,” meaning airborne, the odour wafts upward as the urine leaves the body, and can be detected as soon as 15 minutes after you eat this spring delicacy. It’s a popular belief that this happens in only 50% of people, but actually it happens in everyone – it’s just that not everyone can smell it. About one-quarter of the population appears to have the special gene that allows them to smell these compounds*.
This great, green juice is good for your waterworks!
Don’t worry if you don’t own a juicer – use a blender, and a sieve to strain the juice.
Serving size: makes 1 large glass or 2 small ones
Ingredients
½ cucumber ¦ 1 courgette ¦ handful of parsley ¦ 6 asparagus spears ¦ 1 large tomato ¦ 1 apple
Preparation
1. Wash all ingredients ¦ 2. Slice length ways and quarter cucumber and courgette ¦ 3. Snap off woody base from asparagus ¦ 4. Half and quarter tomato and apple ¦ 5. Juice all ingredients alternating between each one, adding parsley ¦ 6. Pour into a glass, stir and enjoy!
Top tips
As soon as you’ve sliced the cucumber and courgette juice it, as Vitamin C loss is high on exposure to air
If you buy organic and want to save money consider ‘the dirty dozen’ and ‘the clean 15’ see www.pan-uk.org and look for the study “Pesticides on a Plate”
Use the pulp from your juicer or blender as compost for your garden
Happy juicing!
Why are we using these ingredients?
All of these ingredients have been chosen to help support a healthy lifestyle.
Cucumber contains an anti-inflammatory called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health, improving memory and protecting nerve cells from age-related decline. They also contain phytonutrients called cucurbitacins, which have anti-cancer properties.
Courgettes are a good source of potassium which is a heart-friendly electrolyte helping to reduce blood pressure and heart rates by countering the effect of sodium aka salt.
Asparagus treats urinary tract infections, joint pain, female hormone imbalances, constipation and nerve pain. It is also used to prevent stones in the kidneys and bladder and can increase urine production.
* A Compound is a substance formed when two or more elements are chemically joined, water, salt and sugar are examples of compounds.
Recipe from ‘The Reboot with Joe Juice Diet’
If you’re enjoying Bev’s juice series and feel like taking the next step on your juicing journey, you could try one of her Love Your Belly juicing workshops in Brighton. Click here to read about her latest workshops.
