Green Apple, Kiwi, Spinach Juice

Green Apple, Kiwi, and Spinach Juice is a tasty and nutrient-rich spinach juice blend to start your morning with. This green juice isn’t bitter at all thanks to the addition of green apples and kiwi. 

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The Best Green Juice Recipe

We buy spinach nearly every week when we go grocery shopping. It gets used a lot between salads, soups, smoothies and lately green juice, like this Green Apple, Kiwi, and Spinach Juice.

For a couple of weeks, probably due to my desires post-holiday to get the healthy habits back on track, I had been craving something green and fresh, but more liquid than a green smoothie (see my review on the Breville Juice Fountain).

Buying green juice at the store is so expensive that a few years back I decided to try my hand at making it myself using the juicer I already own. I picked up a good mix of green fruits and vegetables — all that were on sale at the grocery store — and got to work with experimenting.

This Spinach Juice recipe is still one of my favorites! I loved the combo of this Green Apple, Kiwi, and Spinach Juice! It was sweet and fresh, but not too sweet. I combined a mix of green apples, kiwi, spinach, celery, cucumber, lemon, and fresh mint.

What is the difference between Green Juice and Green Smoothies?

Green juice and green smoothies are very different from one another.

When green juice is prepared, all of the fiber is removed and discarded from the vegetables (and fruits, if using), leaving behind only liquid. This liquid is full of vitamins and minerals, but has no fiber in it.

A green juice is very liquid-y and somewhat clear when compared with a smoothie. The nutrition in green juice is very concentrated since all of the bulk is removed through the process of juicing. You’ll also end up using a lot more fruits and vegetables to make a small amount of juice when compared to a smoothie.

In a green smoothie, greens and other fruits and/or vegetables are blended together with some liquid and often other ingredients to form a thick drink.

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Is Juicing Healthier than Smoothies?

There is no easy answer the the common debate: which is healthier, green juice or green smoothies? Green Juice and Green Smoothies both have the potential to be incredibly healthy.

Whether or not juicing is healthier than drinking a smoothie depends on a a couple things:

What ingredients are you using in your smoothie or juice? If you’re using a lot of low-quality ingredients or very sugary ingredients in your smoothie, then one might conclude that a green smoothie is not as healthy as a green juice.

Juices can be less healthy if you use too many high sugar fruits and not enough low sugar fruits and vegetables. Because there is no bulk to a juice, you could have a big spike in your blood sugar after consuming a green juice, especially one with a lot of sugar, if you don’t eat within a reasonable amount of time after consuming the juice.

What is the purpose that you are consuming the juice or smoothie for? If you’re consuming a smoothie because you’d like a make a filling, drinkable meal with fiber, calories, vitamins, minerals, and protein, then a green smoothie is perfectly healthy.

One of the main benefits of making a smoothie vs juicing is the ability to add so many additional ingredients in the form of protein, healthy fats, etc. Anything goes as long as you can blend it! On the flip side, you’ll want to be careful that you don’t pack your smoothie too full of calories, healthy fats, and proteins if you plan to consume a smoothie alongside a meal, rather than in place of one!

But, if you’re looking to boost your nutrition with a mega dose of whole food vitamins and minerals without added sugar, fiber, calories, or protein, then a green juice would be ideal or “healthier” in this instance.

Because the green juice doesn’t contain fiber, protein, added sugar, or a lot of calories, the nutrients in a green juice, like this Green Apple, Kiwi, Spinach Juice, can be absorbed in the blood stream much more quickly than a bulky smoothie that has to process through the digestive tract. And, they’re incredibly concentrated!

SPINACH JUICE INGREDIENTS

It is best to stick mostly to vegetables when making green juice and only use fruits to accent the flavors or add a hint of natural sweetness.

The more fruits you add to your spinach juice blend, the more sugar will be in your serving of green juice. In this delicious green apple and spinach juice I try to balance vegetables with a small amount of fruit to make it easily drinkable but also not too loaded in sugar

Here are the green juice ingredients I used in this spinach juice blend and some information about their nutrient profile:

Vegetables Used in this Green Juice Recipe

• Organic Spinach – rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium, also contains potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6, B9, and E. (source)
• Organic Celery – excellent source of vitamin K and molybdenum, very good source of folate, potassium, manganese and pantothenic acid, also contains. vitamin B2, copper, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin A. (source)
• Organic Cucumber – Cucumber contain vitamin C and K, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, and antioxidants. (source)

Fruits Used in this Green Juice Recipe

• Organic Green apple – rich in vitamin A, C and K, also contains potassium, calcium, antioxidants and flavonoids. (source)
• Organic Lemon – high in vitamin C, plant based iron is absorbed more easily when consumed with vitamin C. (source)
• Organic Kiwi – contains vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, folate, and potassium, as well as zeaxanthin and lutein. (source)

You’re welcome to add additional fresh fruits and veggies to this spinach juice blend, if desired. Likewise, you can omit any ingredients you’re not a fan of.

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

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Do You Have to Use Organic Produce for Juicing?

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a clear cut answer regarding best practices when it comes to juicing non-organic produce.

Some sources insist that juicing non-organic produce mainlines the pesticides straight to your blood stream. Other sources state that pesticides are typically stored in the fiber of produce, which is eliminated and discarded in the juicing process. So, its up to you – the consumer – and your opinion, best judgement, and pocket book.

If I’m not able to purchase 100% organic, I try to find as many of the “dirty dozen” items in this recipe as possible. According to the EWG, the “dirty dozen” in this spinach juice blend recipe would be: Spinach, Apples, and Celery, while Kiwi is on the “clean fifteen” list.

I figure that consuming a diet rich in a variety of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables is most likely better than having very little fresh produce in your diet.

I do think it is important to wash your produce well when making this spinach juice blend to remove as much residue from the produce as possible. Even organic produce still has contaminants, germs, dirt, and other debris on it.

Branch Basics is my favorite non-toxic cleaner and works great for washing produce. (Use code KATIEGLE for 15% off Branch Basics Products).

What Can I substitute for Spinach in Green Juice?

In this green juice blend recipe, I like the use of spinach as my green of choice because it has a mild flavor. If you don’t have spinach, are allergic to it, or don’t like it you can feel free to substitute other greens.

Romaine Lettuce is another mild green that could be substituted for spinach. Kale would be a good substitute for spinach in green juice, but it will have a stronger flavor. Swiss chard is milder than kale, but stronger in flavor that spinach, and it would also be a good option.

You can also check your grocery store because they often sell containers of “juicing blend” greens in the produce department that contain a variety of different leafy greens. That would be a good substitute in this recipe.

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How to Make Spinach Juice Blend

To make this spinach and green apple juice, simply add all of the ingredients to the juicer and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Typically there is no need to peel or chop any of the products as long as it is small enough to fit through the juicing shoot.

How Long Does Spinach Juice Last?

Unused portions of this green apple, kiwi, and spinach juice should be covered and refrigerated and consumed within 24 hours for optimal flavor and nutrient content.

If you make a big batch of this spinach juice blend to enjoy later, note that you’ll need to shake or stir the juice before drinking it. Some separation will occur, but that’s totally normal.

What is the Best Way to Store Leftover Green Juice?

I have found that the best way to store green juice is refrigerated in a glass container, such as a jar, with a tight lid. You want to keep as much air out as possible, so it isn’t ideal to use a container that doesn’t have a sealable lid or to use something like plastic wrap to cover the top of a glass.

Jars also work well because you can easily shake this Green Apple Spinach Juice before serving to account for any settling that occurred during storage.

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Tips for Making the Best Green Juice

Purchase Organic produce when possible to minimize pesticides and other toxic ingredients transferring to your juice. Then, wash your produce well. Organic produce still comes in contact with dirt, pollution, animals, and other contaminates.

Here is my preferred method for washing produce when making this spinach juice blend. (Use code KATIEGLE for 15% off Branch Basics Products). If you can’t find organic ingredients, it is very important that you wash the produce well, and in some instances, remove the skins before juicing.

After washing, cut larger items into manageable chunks that will fit well through the juicer’s chute.

Don’t pack the juicer’s chute too tightly or try to force it through, gently pressing the tamper down is ok – just don’t use too much pressure. For the best juice extraction, be patient and let the juicer do it’s job.

Check your particular model’s instruction manual to learn about different settings that might be needed depending on the hardness/softness of each produce item.

Do I need to Buy a Juicer to Make Juice?

No, you do not need to buy a juicer if you would like to make this spinach juice blend.

In fact, if you aren’t sure juicing is for you, have limited kitchen storage, hate purchasing 1 use appliances, or just don’t think you’ll use it often enough to warrant the expense, I recommend skipping the purchase of a juicer in favor of my juicing without a juicer method.

How Can I Juice without a Juicer?

Did you know that you can juice without a juicer pretty easily?! You’ll use a simple blending and straining method instead. To juice without a juicer, you’ll need:

• a high powered blender, such as a Bledtec (I love their “juice” cycle option)
• a large glass container, such as this 2 quart glass measuring cup.
• a large fine mesh strainer
• cheesecloth, optional

How to Make Green Juice in a Blender

To juice without a juicer, you’ll need to follow these easy steps of blending and straining your fruits and vegetables:

1. Wash all of the fruits and vegetables. Cut them up into chunks, approximately 2 inches in size.
2. Add the fruits and vegetables and 1 cup of cold, filtered water to the jar of your blender.
3. Blend the mixture until completely smooth. Use the “juicing” cycle if your blender has one.
4. Place a large strainer over a large glass container. Pour the blended ingredients in the strainer and strain over the glass container to remove as much pulp/fiber as possible.
5. If you’d like to take it one step further, you can transfer the strained juice back to the blender and repeat this process using cheesecloth to remove any remaining fine particles that have passed through the strainer.

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Ways to Serve Green Juice

Serve this Spinach Juice Blend Ice Cold! This green juice is best served very cold. Fill a glass with ice and pour the juice over top.

Add this Spinach Juice to a Smoothie! Use this spinach juice blend in place of other juices or water when making green smoothies. Try it in these favorite smoothies: Berry Mango Kale Smoothie or Kale Pineapple Smoothie.

Caffeinate with Your Greens! Whisk some Matcha Powder in to this Green Apple, Kiwi, Spinach Juice if you’d like to add a boost of caffeine to your morning green juice.

Make a Green Juice Chia Drink! Soak 3 tablespoons of chia seeds in 1 cup of warm water for 1-2 hours at room temp, or overnight in the fridge. When the chia seeds have expanded and are gelled, mix 1 cup of the chia gel with 1 cup of this spinach juice blend.

Make Green Juice Popsicles! Don’t like to drink spinach juice? Freeze this recipe for green juice in popsicle molds, zip top ice pop freezer tubes, or silicone ice pop molds. For creamy green juice popsicles, blend the green juice with 1 – 2 whole avocados before freezing. If using plastic molds or bags, make sure you look for containers that are labeled BPA-free, or opt for silicone or stainless steel.

Make a “healthy” green juice cocktail! Add a splash (or more) of this spinach juice to your favorite gin & tonic, vodka tonic, or vodka spritzer recipe. Want to get really creative? Try making a green juice margarita.

Try a Green Juice Mocktail! Fill a large glass with ice and mix this green juice with sparkling water, La Croix, or club soda for a refreshing alcohol-free green juice beverage. Garnish with cucumber slices, lemon slices, and/or celery sticks and a sprig of mint.

What’s your favorite green juice recipe?

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