Jugos Para Salud (Juices for Health)

As well as being enjoyed simply for their juicy sweetness, fruits have also been embraced as health foods at certain time periods. During the 1990s, “juicing” became something of a fad, promising cures for chronic diseases, greater beauty, and longer life based on drinking fresh-squeezed fruit-and-vegetable juice. In recent years, one hears less about juicing, but UTSA’s Mexican Cookbook Collection includes five books dating from when juicing was a hot topic.

In general, these juicing cookbooks emphasize the mind-body connection, with statements such as “a alimentar sanamente nuestro cuerpo…pero más importante alimentar nuestro espíritu” (we must nourish our bodies, but it is more important to nourish our spirits)[1] and often place juicing within a larger context of lifestyle changes like eating less processed food and exercising [2].

Dieters following the full range of recommendations given in these books’ introductions likely would see improvements to their health, but one might question whether this is because of juicing or despite it. Dietitians and physicians tend to be skeptical of juicing, pointing to the lack of scientific evidence of its efficacy[3] and noting that because it often strains out fiber, the juicing process concentrates sugar and actually makes fruits and vegetables less healthy [4]. And certainly the promise in Salud con Jugos that, “un jugo puede ser la solucion a tus males…transformar tu vida and sentirte tan bien como lo deseas” (a juice could be the solution to your ailments…transform your life and feel as well as you wish to) [5] seems like it might be over-stating the case for juice.

I won’t promise that the following recipes will solve any health problems, but you might enjoy trying them out just for the gastronomic pleasure of drinking them:

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Mas de 100 Recetas para Preparar: Jugos y Bebidas Nutritivos y Sabrosos (1997) by Patricia Peña de Alduenda. P. 13. [TX815 .P46 1997]

Jugo de Zapote Negro / Black Sapote Juice:

Ingredientes

• 250 g. de zapote negro / 250 g. black sapote
• 1 taza de jugo de naranja / 1 cup orange juice
• 1 taza de agua / 1 cup water
• 3 cucharadas de azúcar / 3 tablespoons sugar

Modo de Preparación

1. Se colocan en la licuadora: el zapote, el jugo de naranja y el agua. Se licúan, añadiendo el azúcar. / Place in the blender: the sapote, orange juice, and water. Blend, adding the sugar.
2. Se sirve inmediatamente, sin colar. / Serve immediately, without straining.

Rinde 2 vasos. Se sirve frío. / 2 servings. Serve cold.

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Salud con Jugos II (2002) by Abel Cruz. P. 97 [TX815 .C78 2000]

Insomnio 1 / Insomnia 1

Ingredientes:

• 6 hojas de lechuga / 6 lettuce leaves
• 3 zanahorias / 3 carrots
• 1/4 vaso de jugo de naranja / 1/4 cup orange juice

Preparación:

Extraer el jugo por separado y mezclarlos perfectamente, tomar a media tarde y en la noche una hora antes de acostarse. / Extract the juice of each ingredient separately and mix well. Drink in the afternoon and at night, about an hour before going to bed.

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El Poder Curativo de los Jugos (2002) by May Ana. P. 91 [TX397 .A54 2002]

Jugo contra el Sobrepeso / Juice to counteract being overweight

Ingredientes:

• 1/2 toronja / 1/2 grapefruit
• 2 manzanas / 2 apples

Toma la toronja y quítale la cáscara, tratando de dejar la piel blanca de ésta. / Peel the grapefruit, but try to leave the white rind in place.

Córtarla y sepárala en gajos. / Cut and separate into segments

Toma las manzanas y rebánalas finamente. / Take the apples and chop finely.

Pon todo en el extractor y listo. / Put everything into the juicer and it’s ready.

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[1] Patricia Peña de Alduenda, Mas de 100 Recetas para Preparar: Jugos y Bebidas Nutritivos y Sabrosos (México, D.F. : Promexa, 1997): 11. [TX815 .P46 1997]

[2] Alicia Montes, Jugos: Fuente de Juventud y Belleza (Mexico : Editores Mexicanos Unidos, 2003): 5-7. [TX397 .M66 2003]

[3] Loyola Medicine, “Juicing trend is pulp fiction for many, Loyola dietitian says” Loyola Medicine Newswire, April 26, 2013.

[4] American Cancer Society, “Juicing,” www.cancer.org, last modified Nov. 1, 2008.

[5] Abel Cruz, Salud con Jugos (Mexico, D.F. : Selector, 1999): 10. [TX815 .C78 1999]