In my previous article, I discussed the high vitamin D deficiency in America.
If you had a chance to read that article, I hope you were inspired to spend more time in the great outdoors. Doesn’t the sun feel great? I love it!
It always just feels so “right” for me to be outdoors.
Once, when I worked in a health food store, I ran outside to the sun whenever I could because inside of the building was so cold.While it was full of natural food and a juice bar (my favorite), the climate wasn’t so “natural” to me.
That’s one of the reasons I do not like to be in grocery stores for a long time. They’re freezing!
Vitamin D Rich Foods
While lingering in the great outdoors is the best way for filling up on vitamin D, there’s also another way to help increase levels of this vitamin: Eat or drink it!
Because I enjoy juicing so much, it’s comforting to know that drinking fresh juices is another way to get this vitamin.
In The Raw Truth: Transform your health with the power of living nutrients, Jordan Rubin says:
“Vitamin D isn’t found in a wide variety of plant foods, but the raw foods you’ll want to include in your diet are citrus fruits and juices (fresh raw juice), green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, turnip greens and other leafy greens, and sweet and white potatoes. (While eating raw potatoes may sound strange, they can be marinated in citrus, which will soften them, or they can be juiced as part of a blend.)”
Some of my favorite “Vitamin D in a glass” recipes are below and are absolutely simple to make.
All you need is a juicer and the ingredients.
This will certainly limit your time in the kitchen and help get you outdoors a lot quicker…
To supplement, I also use Garden of Life’s “Vitamin Code Raw D3™.” It’s a 2,000IU whole food formula full of live probiotics and enzymes and is vegetarian, raw, gluten and dairy-free!
Vitamin D in a Glass Recipes
(1) Simply Oranges:
Peel about 5 or so oranges, leaving as much of the nutritious white pith on as possible, and then juice them!
(2) Orange/Grapefruit:
Peel your citrus — approximately 1 grapefruit to 4 or 5 oranges — and juice! Again, leave as much of the pith on as possible. Optional: Add an apple or two to incorporate a different twist to this vitamin D juice! No need to peel the apple if organic.
(3) Greens/Apple/Lemon for a sunny green lemonade.
Put some handfuls of dark, leafy greens, such as kale (or those on the list above), through your juicer followed by 1/2 lemon (which does not need to be peeled if organic) and then approximately 4 or 5 apples.
Lately, I’ve been really enjoying Parsley/Apple/Lemon juice.
So yummy!
A little parsley goes a long way, so you don’t need much for its flavor or nutrition. I feed the handful of parsley through the juicer at the same time as one of the apples to help push the juice out of it.
Then, I juice the 1/2 lemon followed by more apple. Always put the firmer produce through the juicer last.
(4) Tomato/Herbs/Garlic Juice Soup:
Juice approximately 3 or 4 tomatoes and sprinkle in your favorite seasonings for a soup in a glass type of beverage.
Or, along with the tomatoes, juice a few cloves of garlic and some of your favorite herbs. Taste and then decide if you would like to sprinkle in some extra seasonings.
(5) Create your own Juice Soup or Vitamin D salad from the list of veggies above.
For an added dose of vitamin D, sip your vitamin D in a glass under the sun!
Cheers!