As a concept, juicing is simple enough to understand. This is where you extract only the juice “full of the vitamins and nutrients” from a form of plant life. People juice for a wide range of reasons, and this article will shed some light on why you should be juicing too.
Remove pits and seeds from your fruits before juicing them. Hard pits, like those found in peaches, will leave unpleasant chunks in your juice and can damage the blades of your juicer. Other seeds, such as apple seeds, may actually contain chemicals that are harmful. It’s best to remove them beforehand.
If you must store your juice in the fridge, add a tablespoon of lemon juice. This small amount of lemon juice shouldn’t have a major effect on the flavor, but it will keep this juice from becoming discolored as it sits, creating a more appetizing effect. Always try to make your juice just before you drink it, for maximum health benefits.
Don’t leave out vegetables from your regular diet just because you’re getting them in your juice. Even fresh juice doesn’t provide all of the same benefits as eating whole vegetables, especially when it comes to fiber. Juicing should be used to add to your daily vegetable consumption, not to replace it.
Do not forget to remove hard pits from fruits like peaches and cherries before sending them down the juicer. These pits can destroy your juicers blades turning your happy purchase into a giant paperweight. Don’t get into such a flow in your juicing that you forget to make the fruits safe for juicing.
Make sure and remove the greens from items like carrots and rhubarb. They can contain harmful chemicals that become toxic when juiced. Make sure to research all of your fruits, veggies and other items before juicing them so that you are aware of any important do’s and don’ts before starting.
If you are getting into juicing for health benefits, you need to remember to drink all your juice in one sitting. The second the juice is made, it will start to lose some nutrients. The faster you can drink it, the more of the health benefits you will be receiving.
If you can’t afford to juice with organic fruit and vegetables, don’t worry about it. It’s nice to have pesticide-free items, but you can only work with what you have available. Wash your produce in a mixture of 8 cups of water with 3 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and 3 tablespoons of baking soda to get all the nasty stuff off. Rinse your produce well before using.
The best place to find the freshest produce for juicing at great prices is at a local farmer’s market. Often, they are held once a week during the summer and fall months, and you’ll find everything sold on a farm, including meat, eggs, dairy, baked goods, canned goods, and TONS of fresh fruit and vegetables!
Pay close attention to which vegetables and fruits your juicer recommends. There are some fruits and vegetables that do not lend themselves well to juicing. Bananas are a great example of this, as they tend to thicken a mixture when added, which is why they are used in smoothies regularly. Blend these types of produce, as opposed to juicing, for best results.
It’s best to remove the stems and leaves from fruit and vegetables before you juice them. Some items, like beat tops, can be left in if you so desire. Do some research to find out which leaves are edible, or worth eating nutrition-wise, and which to throw away. Stems could cause damage to your machine, so throw them away regardless of nutritional value.
Substitute meals on occasion with your juicing. There are multiple servings of fruit and vegetables going into your mix and this can equate to a very healthy meal. Occasionally substituting a juice blend for a meal will reduce the amount of nontraditional ingredients you are consuming from processed foods and you will get more than enough nutrition.
While juicing add some fish oil or cod liver oil. These two types of oils will help with the absorption of vitamin K. The fats from fish oil are very beneficial for health and gives you the right amount and the right kinds of fat needed for vitamin K absorption.
When figuring out your recipes and buying produce at the market, remember that approximately one pound of vegetables and fruit will lead to one cup of juice. Softer fruits will yield about as much juice as is equal to their weight as they won’t lose much pulp, while harder vegetables will produce a lot of pulp and produce less juice.
If you are into juicing, it is important that you try a strawberry banana juice. This is a great tasting juice with plenty of natural energy to give you that natural energy rush that you need. This is great for the morning, lunch, dinner, or even a quick and easy healthy dessert.
When it comes to juicing, one thing that you want to keep in mind is the fact that you actually get more benefit from drinking carrot juice than from eating carrots. This is beneficial to your health and results from the fact that your body can more efficiently process its nutrients in juice form.
You definitely do not have to go out and purchase a juicer and a fridge full of fresh fruits and vegetables in order to get healthier. It certainly helps, though, if you become a juicer. Make sure you pay attention to the tips listed above so that you can experience every single benefit possible from juicing.
