ABC Juice (Apple, Beetroot, Carrot): Benefits, Side Effects & How Much Is Safe
Updated: Sep 29
Many of my clients swear by ABC juice for its wonderful health benefits. If you're unfamiliar with it, ABC stands for Apple, Beetroot, and Carrot – three superfoods in a glass of juice. If you're wondering why ABC juice is used by so many to improve skin health, you're in the right place. In this blog post, we’ll explore the health benefits of ABC juice, its side effects, and whether it helps with skin whitening. Let’s dive in!
1.May Support Immunity & Detoxification
One of the key benefits of ABC juice is its ability to support the immune system. Apples, beetroots, and carrots are all rich in vitamins and antioxidants. They protect your body from harmful germs and infections.
Moreover, ABC juice supports the detox system in flushing out toxins. Drinking this juice regularly can keep you feeling fresh and energized. Since it supports your liver and digestive system.
2. May Improve Skin Health
ABC juice is used by many to improve skin health, and it’s no surprise why! The high content of antioxidants in apples, beetroots, and carrots helps fight free radicals, which are the culprits behind skin ageing and other skin issues.
Beetroot, in particular, has properties that improve blood circulation, leading to a healthy glow. Carrots are packed with Vitamin A, which plays a role in skin repair and renewal. Regularly drinking ABC juice may help reduce acne, pigmentation, and other skin problems.
In fact, many people believe that ABC juice can help with skin whitening. Although it supports skin health, it will not give a magical glow or whitening effect.
3. May Support Digestion
ABC juice is a great drink if you’re looking to improve digestion and even aid in weight loss. Apples and beetroot contain fibre, which helps regulate your digestive system and prevent constipation. While carrots promote healthy gut bacteria. This enhances digestion, reduces bloating, and improves gut health.
It is a sugar-free drink that supports digestive health.
If you regularly experience bloating, constipation, abdominal discomfort or changes in bowel habits after eating or drinking certain foods, the issue may be more complex than the juice itself. Persistent digestive symptoms can have different underlying patterns, and identifying the pattern matters before simply adding or removing foods. Read my blog on functional constipation and why eating more fibre doesn't always work if constipation is one of your concerns.
4. A Genuine Sports Nutrition Benefit Most Articles Miss
Beetroot is naturally rich in dietary nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide, a compound that improves blood flow and oxygen efficiency during exercise. This is why beetroot juice specifically (not just "vegetables in general") is used by athletes and sports nutritionists as a pre-workout strategy to support endurance and performance.
If you're active or training regularly, ABC juice about 2–3 hours before a workout can double as both a nutrient boost and a performance aid. This is why I recommend it to some of the young athletes I work with.
How To Make ABC Juice:
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized apple
1 small beetroot
2 medium-sized carrots
1/2 lemon (optional for extra freshness)
Water (if needed to adjust the consistency)
Instructions:
Prepare the Ingredients:
Wash the apple, beetroot, and carrots thoroughly.
Peel the beetroot and carrots to remove the skin. You can leave the apple's skin on since it contains nutrients.
Cut the apple, beetroot, and carrots into small pieces to make blending easier.
Juicing the Ingredients:
If you have a juicer, feed the chopped apple, beetroot, and carrots into the juicer and extract the juice.
If you don’t have a juicer, you can use a blender. Add the chopped ingredients to the blender with a small amount of water to help it blend smoothly. Blend until you get a smooth consistency.
Straining (Optional):
If you used a blender and prefer a smoother juice, you can strain the mixture using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove the pulp.
Add Lemon (Optional):
Squeeze half a lemon into the juice for added flavor and a vitamin C boost.
Serve and Enjoy:
Pour the juice into a glass and serve immediately.
Tips:
Add a little honey or stevia, but the apple usually provides enough natural sweetness.
Drink your ABC juice fresh to get the maximum nutritional benefits.
ABC Juice Side Effects
While ABC juice has many benefits, it’s important to know that it does not suit everyone. Moreover, drinking it in excess can have some side effects. For example:
1. Blood Sugar Spikes
While ABC juice is a great source of vitamins and antioxidants, it’s also high in natural sugars, especially from apples and beets. Research has shown that consuming too much fruit juice can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, particularly for individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance. A study in Diabetes Care highlighted that drinking fruit juices without fibre can increase blood sugar faster than eating whole fruits.
Tip: If you’re concerned about blood sugar levels, consider limiting your juice intake or eating whole fruits and vegetables for more fibre.
2. Potential Kidney Stones
Beetroot, one of the main ingredients in ABC juice, is rich in oxalates—compounds that can contribute to kidney stone formation when consumed in large amounts. According to research published in The American Journal of Kidney Diseases, high oxalate intake can increase the risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones. While moderate consumption is typically safe, overdoing it may cause problems for those prone to kidney stones.
Tip: If you have a history of kidney stones, you might want to limit beetroot or consult with a healthcare professional before drinking ABC juice regularly.
3. Stomach Upset
Carrot and beetroot are known to be high in fiber, which is generally good for digestion. However, if you suddenly introduce large amounts of these vegetables into your diet, they can cause digestive discomfort like bloating or gas. A study in Frontiers in Nutrition found that excessive fibre from raw vegetables can lead to gastrointestinal issues in sensitive individuals, particularly when consumed in juice form, where the fiber is less filling.
Tip: Start with small amounts of ABC juice and gradually increase your intake to allow your digestive system to adjust.
While ABC juice can offer numerous health benefits, it’s important to be mindful of these side effects, especially if consumed in excess. Always listen to your body and consult a healthcare provider if you have specific health concerns!
If bloating, abdominal discomfort or irregular bowel movements happen repeatedly rather than only after drinking ABC juice, it is worth looking beyond the individual food. IBS and other gut disorders can involve a combination of gut sensitivity, bowel-pattern changes, food tolerance and gut-brain interactions. You can read more about IBS symptoms, dietary triggers and the gut-brain connection.
How much is actually safe? A small shot (30–40 ml) of ABC juice a day is generally safe and effective for most healthy adults. A full glass daily, especially long-term, is where the sugar and oxalate risks above start to matter more.
Is it really the juice? Stomach upset from ABC juice usually settles within a day. If you have bloating, discomfort, or irregular bowels after most meals — not just after this juice — the juice probably isn't the real cause. It's worth checking what is. Take the free 2-minute gut health check → A small shot (30-40 ml) of ABC juice a day is generally safe and effective.
If symptoms continue even when you stop the juice, it may be useful to look at the wider digestive picture rather than repeatedly eliminating individual foods. For example, gut motility can influence bloating, bowel movements and how the digestive system handles food between meals. I explain the migrating motor complex (MMC), gut motility and its role in digestive health in more detail here.
When to Drink ABC Juice: Morning or Night?
Now, you may be wondering when the best time to drink ABC juice is – morning or night. The answer depends on your goals:
In the morning: Drinking ABC juice in the morning is an excellent way to start your day with a boost of energy. The vitamins and minerals will set you up for a productive day ahead.
Post-workout: It is a great post-workout drink since it is rich in antioxidants and nitrates.
Who Should Not Drink ABC Juice?
Low blood pressure
Pre-diabetes/Diabetes
Kidney stones
Bloating
Pregnant
Breastfeeding mothers
Children
Food intolerances/allergies
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink ABC juice every day?
A small shot (30–40 ml) daily is generally safe for healthy adults. A full glass every day long-term increases sugar and oxalate exposure, so it's better rotated with whole fruit and vegetables rather than relied on as a daily staple.
How to make ABC juice for skin whitening?
There's no version of ABC juice that whitens skin — this is a common myth. It supports skin health and glow through antioxidants and better circulation, but it doesn't lighten skin tone.
What is the ABC formula juice?
ABC stands for Apple, Beetroot, and Carrot, the three core ingredients. Some versions add lemon or ginger, but the "formula" is fundamentally these three.
Can we mix ABC powder with water?
Fresh-juiced ABC juice and powdered ABC juice mixes aren't nutritionally identical — fresh juice typically retains more of the original vitamin content. If using a powder, check for added sugars and choose one with minimal additives.
Is beetroot-carrot-apple juice good for athletes specifically?
Yes — this is one of the more evidence-backed uses of the juice. Beetroot's dietary nitrates support blood flow and oxygen efficiency during exercise, which is why it's used as a pre-workout strategy in sports nutrition, separate from its general health benefits.
When a food isn't the whole story
If you are repeatedly dealing with bloating, constipation, abdominal discomfort or food-related digestive symptoms, focusing on one food at a time may miss the bigger picture. Gut health nutrition should look at the overall symptom pattern, bowel habits, dietary tolerance and relevant lifestyle and medical factors rather than treating one food as the cause of every digestive problem. Learn more about my personalised Gut Health Nutrition approach.
Bottom Line
ABC juice is a genuine source of immunity, skin, and digestive support — and, specifically because of the beetroot, a legitimate pre-workout aid for anyone training regularly. The key is moderation: a small daily shot rather than a full glass, and awareness of who should skip it (diabetics, those with kidney stone history, or active digestive issues).
Do you drink ABC juice? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let us know how it's helped you!
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