Antioxidants
     Newly re-formulated Vedge vegetable juice is packed full of antioxidants as it is made from several carrotenoids. The carrotenoids found in Vedge vegetable juice include beta carrotene, which converts to Vitamin A, lycopene and lutein. Vedge vegetable juice also gets antioxidants from the naturally occurring Vitamin C in the vegetables used to make our Vedge vegetable juice.
     carrotenoids are the plant pigment that is responsible for giving color to fruits and vegetables. carrotenoids act as antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals which are unstable oxygen molecules. Free radicals are highly toxic by-products that occur as part of normal cell metabolism and when our bodies are exposed to smoking, pollution and other damaging environmental influences. As long as we are eating and breathing in a polluted world our bodies have to contend with free radicals and we need antioxidants to help reduce the impact and minimize the damage they can cause by building up over time.

Vitamin A
     Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin; meaning that it is absorbed and stored in the body. Newly re-formulated Vedge vegetable juice is high in Vitamin A as it provides 200% of the recommended daily allowance that your body needs. The Vitamin A in Vedge vegetable juice is naturally found in spinach, lettuce, parsley, watercress, carrots and yellow bell peppers that we use in making our Vedge vegetable juice.
     Vitamin A is most commonly associated with the ability to promote and maintain healthy vision; one of Americans leading health concerns. Vitamin A helps keep the eye healthy by forming a protective barrier in the lining of the eye.
     This protective barrier function of Vitamin A is also responsible in supporting a healthy immune system. It does this by maintaining the integrity of the skin; mucus membranes and other surface linings. Finally, Vitamin A helps bone formation and supports reproductive health.

Vitamin C
     Vitamin C is a water soluable vitamin; meaning that it is not absorbed and stored by the body, thus it needs to be replenished daily. Newly re-formulated Vedge vegetable juice is high in Vitamin C as it provides 200% of the recommended daily allowance that your body needs. The Vitamin C in Vedge vegetable juice is naturally found in tomatoes, carrots, watercress, lettuce, yellow bell peppers and spinach that we use in making our Vedge vegetable juice. Our Vedge vegetable juice naturally contains a plentiful amount of Vitamin C because our processing techinique does not cook out the heat sensitive vitamin.
     Vitamin C serves a multitude of functions in the body. It helps the body absorb iron and folate from plant sources. It helps to keep blood vessels firm and helps to maintain a healthy immune system. One of Vitamin C most important functions though is aiding in the production of collagen, the connective tissue that gives our body form and is virtually throughout our body. Think of collagen as what supports our skin, tendons, organs, bones, cartilage and muscles. We basically can't live without collagen.

Lycopene
     Lycopene is a carrotenoid which acts as an antioxidant and is naturally found in tomatoes. Newly re-formulated Vedge vegetable juice contains 25 mg of lycopene per serving; currently there is no recommended daily allowance for lycopene. Research has indicated that lycopene is better absorbed and used more efficiently by the body when consumed from heated or processed tomato-based foods and beverages, such as Vedge vegetable juice.
     The effects of Lycopene have only recently begun to be understood. There have been several recent epidemiological studies, the most notable conducted by Harvard researchers that are indicating the importance of Lycopene to overall health maintenance. It is believed that lycopene may play a role in the health of bodily organs. The current research findings have provided a strong foundation for the continuing research on lycopene. We should learn more about lycopene over the next few years as studies are concluded.

Lutein
     Lutein is a carrotenoid which also acts as an antioxidant and is found in dark green leafy vegetables like that of spinach, watercress and parsley; vegetables that are in our newly re-formulated Vedge vegetable juice. Currently there is no recommended daily allowance for lutein, but important to note is that many researchers believe that most Americans do not get enough in their diet.
     Several studies have shown that lutein is important in maintaining eye health. Lutein is highly concentrated in the macula, a small area of the retina that is responsible for central vision. There are approximately 600 carrotenoids present in nature and only a few in the human serum and of those only two, lutein and zeaxanthin are present in the macula. Researchers believe that lutein maintains eye health by filtering out blue wavelengths of indoor/outdoor light.
     Similar to lycopene, the health care community is only now beginning to understand the role that lutein plays in eye health. But what we do know is that the findings have been consistent. And as a result of these findings, more research is being conducted and is also indicating that lutein may play a role in supporting cardiovascular health and skin health.

Potassium
     Potassium is a mineral which functions as an electrolyte in the cells. As an electrolyte, potassium helps regulate fluid and mineral balance in and out of cells. It also helps regulate heart and kidney functions. It also helps transmit nerve impulses and helps muscles contract in the body.
     Newly re-formulated Vedge is high in potassium as it provides 21% of the recommended daily allowance that your body needs. The potassium is naturally found in carrots, beets, mushrooms, celery, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, watercress, bell peppers and parsley in Vedge vegetable juice. Our Vedge vegetable juice naturally contains more potassium as our processing techinique does not cook out the heat sensitive mineral.

Folic Acid
     Folic acid is a water soluble B vitamin that is most commonly associated with its ability to reduce a woman's risk of having a child with neural tube defects. Because Vedge vegetable juice contains 42% DV of folic acid it qualifies for the FDA health claim, "Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect." Folic acid also has other functions, as it is involved in every bodily function that requires cell growth and reproduction; it works with other vitamins to form hemoglobin and finally it plays a role in heart health.
     Newly re-formulated Vedge is high in folic acid as it provides 42% of the recommended daily allowance that your body needs. The folic acid is naturally found in the spinach, watercress and parsley in the newly re-formulated Vedge vegetable juice.