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Jamaican callaloo juice is a delicious, powerful, iron rich, and nutrient dense green juice that can be made on the islands or anywhere available.
Disclaimer: The information in this post is for informational purpose and not to be taken as or replace medical advice.
There’s kale, parsley, dandelion, romaine lettuce, collard greens, even cilantro, but have you tried to juice Jamaican callaloo? Switch up your usual green juice routine with this iron rich leafy green that’s beloved in the Caribbean. Be prepared for a refreshing and tasty green juice!
What is Jamaican Callaloo?
Jamaican callaloo is a green that is typically stripped, cut, and cooked up. It can be served alongside ackee and salt fish which is how its typically consumed on the islands. When cooked, it’s a simple recipe but has such an authentic and delicious island taste full of health benefits. This leafy green can actually be served raw in a salad or a green juice and is quite hydrating!
Looking for this leafy green? If located in the USA, fresh callaloo can be located in asian/international supermarkets like H-Mart and Nam Dae Mun (Georgia). Be sure to get on the phone with your closest Asian Market and call around to see which one offers fresh callaloo.
Health Benefits of Iron rich Jamaican Callaloo
When my Jamaican mother was pregnant with my older sister, she told me the doctor informed her she was low on iron. Like the yardie she is, she relied on bush remedies. My mom juiced callaloo every single day and poof, her iron problem was gone!
On top of being extremely rich in iron, callaloo also has an abundant amount of vitamin c, fiber, and may help to support good gut health. Fun fact: iron is best absorbed when combined with vitamin c so we’ll be adding in sweet and juicy oranges!
Substitutes for callaloo?
Sometimes, fresh callaloo is hard to find if you don’t live in the Caribbean. No worries, there are tons of other leafy greens that are also high in iron. Other iron boosting sources include:
Spinach
Dandelion Greens
Kale
Beet Greens
Swiss Chard
Collards
Bok Choy
…and more!
Be sure to research the availability of callaloo in your area. If it can’t be found, no worries! The greens listed above are also iron rich and can be substituted in this recipe.
What You’ll need
- Jamaican Callaloo– If located in the USA, callaloo can be found in asian supermarkets. The callaloo MUST be fresh and not canned.
- Oranges– Vitamin C rich, to help support iron consumption.
- Apples
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Key Lime
- Ginger
Recommended juicer
My absolute favorite juicer in the world is the REV0830 by the brand Kuvings. They made high quality, top notch cold press juicers that are far superior to high speed juicers! Their machinery has 10+ year warranty, great customer service team, and a quiet machine that doesn’t wake up the whole house.
The main different between juicing with a cold press juicer and a high speed juicer/blender is the process of juice extraction. High speed juicers/blenders slightly heat up the produce causing nutrients to be lost. Cold press juicer extract the juice via slow methods and allow the nutrients to be present for a whole 72 hours. If you want to get your hands on an amazing cold press juicer, use my code and link below for 10% off!
How to make Jamaican Callaloo Juice
Step One:
Wash your produce and let sit/soak in vinegar and baking soda for at least 15 minutes. This will help to remove any dirt or pesticides that may lurk. Callaloo is usually stripped of its flowers and stringy, fibrous stalk as it is hard to chew when cooked. However, we are juicing so stripping is not as necessary but can be done if desired.
Step Two:
Juicer: Juice the product in the juicer and strain if necessary. Strain and enjoy!
Blender: Juice the oranges by hand or orange squeezer. Add the orange juice and extra coconut water if needed and blend with the fresh produce until everything is combined. Strain and serve.
Notes for Jamaican Callaloo Juice
Don’t dash wey the juice pulp! It can be dehydrated and turned into a delicious green juice powder that can be taken on the go during travel.
Want to kick up the iron consumption and vitamin c a notch? Add in half a yellow bell pepper, it has even more vitamin c than oranges.
Fresh callaloo can be found in asian markets like Nam Dae Mun or H-Mart if you’re located in the USA.
How to store Jamaican Calalloo Juice
Storing depends on the method of juice extraction. If using a blender/high speed juicer, the juice should be consumed right away. These methods only allow the juice to keep tis nutrients for 30 minutes up to one day. However, if you use a cold press juicer, the nutrients will also for up to 72 hours or 3 days.
Freezing is also a method. Store in a BPA free plastic water bottle (NOT GLASS!) and freeze for up to 2 weeks. When its time to consume, let it thaw out for a few hours and enjoy!
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