JUICING is a fantastic way to get the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, processed foods are flooding the rows in supermarkets from the so-called “juice drinks” which may contain as little as 10 percent real fruit juice, “nectars” with loads of sugar, and appalling concoctions of water, chemicals, colorings, artificial sweeteners, and insignificant amounts of the real stuff, that will harm your health  in later years.

Not everyone has a juicer or will bother to use it if they do - if you’ve got one don’t ever put it away in a cupboard where it gets forgotten, leave it on the kitchen counter as a reminder to use it every day. It doesn’t mean to juice up only during summer. Warm weather or not, give yourself a favor. Here are some benefits of juicing:

* Instant energy. Forget the breakfast orange juice. Your body needs enough supply of energy for the whole day. Vitamins A, C and E, to boost your immune system and protect you from colds; B vitamins to nourish the nervous system and keep you sane; and a gentle diuretic to stop those puffy feet and ankles when the temperature zooms.

You’ll need four carrots, one apple, one kiwi fruit, and a handful of parsley. Pour them all through the juicer for a glass of delicious good health. This juice is a real boon to the many women who suffer uncomfortable and distressing fluid retention in the few days before their periods.

* Zit zapper. Everyone wants perfect skin during the summer when so much of it is on show. Swimsuits, low cut dresses, bare arms and legs, all need skin which is free of zits, blotches, scaly patches and rashes. This is the juice that perfect summer skin needs above all others. It’s super-rich in vitamin A and all the carotenoids which are so vital for good skin. It also supplies extra vitamins B, C and iron. The calorie conscious won’t need to be told that as lettuce is 95 percent water this juice is virtually calorie-free, though it also contains folic acid and the antiseptic and antifungal substances from the chives.

You’ll need three large carrots, one medium sized lettuce, a bunch of coriander and a bunch of chives. Juice them all together for the perfect summer tonic.

This juice not only cleanses the skin from the inside but also improves digestion which increases the body’s elimination of toxic waste products and benefits the eyes too. Perfect skin and clear eyes.

* Refresh your evening. Instead of soda or softdrinks and other instant drinks, this delicious blend of pineapple, mango, passion fruit, apple and orange juice, which you can buy in every supermarket. This is 100 percent pure juice with no colorings, flavorings, preservatives or added sugar and is guaranteed to stir the summer passions.

The health benefits of tropical fruits are truly amazing, for as well as being rich sources of vitamin C, these exotic fruits all have traditional reputations as gentle but effective aphrodisiacs - the perfect way to get your partner feeling fruity. Mangoes are a rich source of the essential carotenoids, passion fruit, despite it’s ugly wrinkled skin provides vitamin E - vital for a healthy sex life, and pineapples contain the stimulating enzyme bromelain.

The sensuous flavors and heady aromas of these fruits combine with their natural ingredients to make this juice the perfect accompaniment. If you want to be really adventurous mix it half and half with white wine or red wine.

* Zest for life. Drinking lemon juice is not to everyone’s taste but its high vitamin C content and the stimulating bioflavonoids it contains make it one of the best of all drinks. Try this recipe for home made lemonade and you will never buy a bottle of chemical-ridden artificially sweetened and totally unhealthy lemon squash again. Adults love it and in weaker dilutions the children will adore it too.

You’ll need four oz caster sugar, half a pint of water and the grated zest and juice of a washed lemon. Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, heat gently and stir till the sugar has all dissolved. Bring slowly to the boil and leave to simmer for five minutes. Pour into a jug and leave to cool, then add the zest and juice. Pour into a bottle with a tightly fitting cap and keep in the fridge.

Simply add one tablespoon to a glass of water with lots of ice, or if you prefer use sparkling water to make a fizzy drink. (MVS)