Five Juice Recipes Inspired by the Mitochondria

In this blog, we will explore the role mitochondria have in our body and some delicious and simple juice recipes built around fruits and vegetables from the Periodic Table of Juicing.

What Are Mitochondria?

The mitochondria are organelles in our cells that are responsible for creating energy for our bodies. They are like the engine that powers a car. They are fueled by what we eat. When the mitochondria don’t have enough of the right quality fuel, we can feel tired.

Your high school science teacher wasn’t joking around when they said the mitochondria is the ‘powerhouse of the cell.’ Our bodies run because of the energy created by the mitochondria. The mitochondria gets this nickname because it creates and stores energy for our cells and body in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP powers the cellular processes our bodies carry out on a daily basis. And it’s the raw, nutritious foods and juices that have substrates and cofactors for this electron transport chain that ultimately creates ATP.

How Does Diet Affect Mitochondrial Function?

Mitochondria are fueled by what we eat, and fresh fruits and vegetables supply many of the nutrients they use.

One cellular process that happens in our bodies daily is called autophagy. This is when cells are cleaned out of the organelles, proteins, and debris that are no longer efficient or effective.

Like any other process in our body, we need energy created by our mitochondria to carry it out.

Raw, Cold-Pressed Juice to Start the Day

Our favorite way to kickstart the day is with a glass of fresh juice. The morning is our favorite time to drink juice. We created five recipes to make it fun and delicious to enjoy fruits and vegetables that are of interest to our mitochondria.

Five Recipes from the Periodic Table of Juicing

We created these recipes using the Periodic Table of Juicing, a table of elements created by Ilene Ruhoy, MD, Ph.D., who was our Chief Medical Officer at the time, and PURE founder and CEO David Feinberg. Each recipe includes phytonutrients. We explain the nutrition in each juice because these fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients our bodies need and love. See more in the Periodic Table of Juicing series on the PURE blog.

Give Me a Boost

Give Me a Boost (24oz*)

• 6 Red Apples
• 1 Beet
• 1 Lime

Nutrition Notes: ‘Give Me a Boost’

Apples contain antioxidants called polyphenols, and red apples also contain vitamin C. Beets are dense with nitrates. The lime in this juice is full of vitamin C and is a delicious addition to this juice (or any juice…we love limes).

Next on the list, is one of our favorite lighter green juice combos.

Green Thumb (24oz*)

• 5 Cups Green Grapes
• 1 – 2” Thumb of Ginger
• 1 Cup Packed Parsley

This juice is sweet, spicy, and packs a punch for nutrients.

Nutrition Notes: ‘Green Thumb’

Green grapes contain proanthocyanidins, which are phenolic compounds. Ginger is a source of manganese, an essential component of many enzymes. Parsley is a great source of vitamins A and C, which have antioxidant properties.

This next recipe is liquid sunshine. The orange bell pepper adds a kick to the silk smooth neutral orange and carrot.

Green Thumb

Power Up

Power Up (24oz*)

• 6 Carrots
• 2 Oranges
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper

Nutrition Notes: ‘Power Up’

Orange bell peppers make for a great nutritious addition to any juice recipe. They’re packed with vitamin C and beta-carotene. They’re also a good source of B vitamins including thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, biotin, and pyridoxine. Carrots contain alpha-lipoic acid, which serves as an antioxidant. Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C.

This next recipe is a great summer option. Drink as a juice or even turn this juice into popsicles!

Summertime Sunset (32oz*)

• 5 Cups Watermelon
• 1 – 6oz Package Red Raspberries
• 1 Lime

This summer juice yields 32 oz of fresh juice. This sweet and tangy combo is an excellent lower calorie juice at just about 300 calories per serving.

Nutrition Notes: ‘Summertime Sunset’

Watermelon is a super juice fruit. It’s hydrating, full of water and electrolytes. It also contains citrulline, an amino acid the body converts into arginine and nitric oxide. Raspberries are a good source of vitamin C and are rich in antioxidants.

The next recipe puts a fun twist on juicing. Like Summertime Sunset, this juice recipe is also great for popsicles.

Summertime Sunset

Power Punch (40oz*)

• 1 Pineapple
• ¼ Cup Dried Goji Berries
• ¼ Cup Dried Mulberries

This recipe makes 40 oz of juice, enough for two servings or multiple popsicles!

Nutrition Notes: Power Punch

Pineapples are one of the best natural sources of bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins. Both dried mulberries and goji berries contain healthy antioxidants.

We hope you have enjoyed reading our five delicious juice recipes and find a few favorites to add to your daily or weekly juicing routine.

The PURE Periodic Table of Juicing was created by Ilene Ruhoy, MD, Ph.D., who was our Chief Medical Officer at the time, and PURE founder and CEO David Feinberg. Dr. Ruhoy was trained in both pediatric and adult neurology at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington where she received additional training in mitochondrial medicine and neuromuscular medicine.

Visit the first in our series, Juicing for Whole-Body Health.

*Please note that the recipe yields are for a PURE Juicer. The instructions and yield will be slightly different than other juicers but these are great for ANY juicer. We just recommend adding at least 25% more produce for the same serving size.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet, especially if you have a health condition or take medication.