Extracting juice from fruits and vegetables is an easy and affordable way to get vitamins, minerals and nutrients into a consumable form. Both adults and children can benefit from this simple process, making a healthy lifestyle even more accessible. Whether juicing with a hand-operated grinder, a home kitchen appliance, or a commercial device, the benefits will be obvious and immediate.
Peel citrus fruits before you put them in your juicer. The thick peels of citrus fruits will make your juice taste unpleasant, provide no real health benefit, and can even be harmful. The greatest benefit from citrus fruits comes from the white pith just below the peel, so be sure to retain that when juicing.
Before juicing, find out what items you need to peel and what you can leave whole. Citrus fruits generally need to have the peel removed before juicing. Be careful however when peeling, the white area immediately underneath the peel is fine to juice and it is where MOST of the nutrients are.
To get the most nutrients out of your juice, use greens like chard, parsley, kale, spinach and broccoli. The ratio you’re going for is something around 50-70% when it comes to greens for your juices, you want to then add some fruit or tastier vegetables for some flavor. Fruit juices may taste sweeter, but compared to green veggies, they come at a steep price in sugar and calories, meaning they’re not as healthy.
Keep a fresh stock of cut and washed fruits and vegetables on hand at all times. If you have to run to the store every time you want to make juice, you’ll never use that juicer. By having the fruits and vegetables on hand and ready to use, you will make juicing quick and convenient.
Leaving a piece of fruit on the counter to rot will show you what will happen to your body if you stop eating healthy raw foods. That is exactly what happens to your organs when you eat nothing but processed garbage! If you’re feeling unmotivated, look at that fruit and remember why you’ve chosen to juice.
If you don’t have time to juice in the morning, you can make juice on the weekend and drink it throughout the week. The truth is that the vitamins and other nutrients in the drink will break up as time passes, but it’s better to drink homemade juice, than nothing at all!
Try not to confuse your body with your juice blends. Vegetables and fruits are digested differently by your body. Stick to juice blends that are all fruit or all veggie when possible. Carrot is a great vegetable to sweeten the veggie mixes or use apple sparingly in the mix when dealing with greens.
When juicing with leafy greens such as kale or chard, consider adding cucumber to balance out the flavors. Cucumbers also have a ton of nutrients and vitamins in them which are super healthy for you, so they’re a great addition to any juice. Throw in a fruit for sweetness and you’ll have one heck of a nutritious but tasty drink!
When you have your juicer assembled, prepare the fruits or vegetables quickly so you will not have to stop and start during the juicing process. Look at juicing as if you were making a meal. Having everything on hand before you begin to cook is always easier than trying to find what you need during the process!
When it comes to juicing, one thing that you want to keep in mind is that you will want to make sure that you purchase all of your fruits and vegetables from local farmers markets. Local farmers markets often will have a greater selection and lower prices than normal grocery stores.
When juicing, it’s very important to drink the juice as soon as possible while it is fresh. This will ensure that you are receiving the maximum benefits. Some nutrients begin to be destroyed right away through oxidation. If drinking immediately is impossible, store the juice in an airtight container and drink within 24 hours.
To make great juice takes great fruits and vegetables. Make sure you use the freshest produce possible. Wash the vegetables and fruits, and prepare the items according to the instructions that are in your juicer manual. Different machines may or may not require peeling or skinning prior to juicing.
Keep your juicing regime simple. If you make it too complicated you’ll be less likely to stick with it. Instead of using elaborate juicing recipes with several different types of produce, just stick with 2 or 3 vegetables. Apples blend nicely with many different vegetables and lend a bit of sweetness too.
Don’t juice fruits that don’t have a higher water content, such as bananas and avocados. They’ll do better in a blender. In a juicer, they will just cause friction and interfere with the juicing of the other fruits that you put in. You don’t want to break your juicer, in the process.
When it comes to juicing, one thing that you want to keep in mind is the different benefits that specific types of juice extracts will bring you. One such benefit is the fact that the juice from cabbage is a great natural way to heal stomach ulcers. This is not meant to replace other methods, but it may work great for you in addition to what you are already doing.
A great juicing tip is to not be alarmed if you see any pulp in your juice. Not only is it normal for pulp to be in juice, it enhances the flavor and also provides more nutrition. If you want the most nutrition out of your juice, keep the pulp.
Using these tips will ensure a smooth transition from taking fruits and vegetables at “face value” and turning them into an easily consumable liquid form. Your family, friends and co-workers will thank you for introducing such a healthy habit to an ordinary day. Juicing is an easy, fun and beneficial addition to any lifestyle.
