Forget the tropical mango, papaya, and pineapple juices of summer. When the weather turns colder, the best juice you can make is root juice!

The root vegetables available at this time of year – including the miraculously nutritious beets – are full of antioxidants that will help keep you healthy during the stress of colder weather. Root veggies are also often full of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and iron.

What goes in a winter root smoothie? Start with beets, which are packed with antioxidants and other nutrients. Try carrots, a longtime juicing favorite, for sweetness and vitamins. You might also want to try Celery root, a knobby bulb with a mild taste similar to Celery. Celery root is full of minerals, including potassium, and contains Vitamin C as well. If you can’t find Celery root at your local food store, try using stalks of Celery instead. You can also try juicing the stem, fronds, and bulbs of fennel, an herb with lots of compatible flavor and its own share of nutrients.

Here’s a recipe by Anna Monette Roberts where carrots and beets step to the foreground.

This juice is mildly sweet, and tastes predominately of carrot and beet, a traditional veggie juice combo. If it’s not sweet enough for your liking, add an apple to the mix. I always like to throw a few raw spinach leaves into any juicing recipe because you can’t really taste it and it adds a great deal of nutrition.

This recipe makes one cup, which you should try to drink the same day you make it; store unused juice in the refrigerator until you’re ready to finish it.

Beet, Carrot, and Celery Root Juice

Ingredients

• 1/4 celeriac (celery root)
• 1/2 fennel
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 medium red beet
• 1 small apple (optional)
• 3-4 raw spinach leaves (optional)

Directions

Juice all ingredients in juicer, or use blender and strain. Drink as much as you can immediately, and chill the rest to drink later in the day.

Sources: Fit Sugar with contributions by AltMeds.com editorial staff.