Fresh fruits and vegetables are the healthiest foods around, and one great way to unlock their nutritional bounty is through juicing. Converting vegetables and fruits into liquid form preserves all of their great benefits and makes them more palatable and easier to consume. Here are just a few of the ways that juicing can contribute to a healthier diet:
If you are planning on juicing citrus fruits only, or primarily citrus fruits, consider purchasing a juicer that is designed just for citrus. Many juicers have trouble with the amount of pith in a citrus fruit. In addition, juicers with metal surfaces will become corroded over time after repeated exposure to citrus fruits.
Never add more than one new vegetable to your juice mix at a time. If you do not like the taste of the juice, or your digestive system does not react well to your new juice blend, you will not know what vegetable to reduce or avoid if you add a bunch of new veggies in the same batch.
Some items just aren’t made for the juicer, especially if they’re soft and mushy. For example, you’ll never be able to make a juice that is mostly banana, but you CAN put a half of a banana in a juice made with other firmer produce. Peaches tend to give the same result.
Do not assault your taste buds with crazy blends right away. Take it slow with your flavor blends and stick to what you know you will like at first. Then begin to incorporate items that you do not normally consume as juice, such as spinach or other leafy vegetables. This will prevent you from ruining the pleasure of juicing because you got a bad taste in your mouth.
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.
If you absolutely must store your juice after you make it, make sure to store it in a completely air-tight container. Letting air get at it will start a process which breaks down the nutrients in the juice, leaving a tasty but empty drink that won’t provide you with the healthy benefits you were looking for in the first place.
If you’re considering a raw food diet, then buying a masticating juicer is a great start! It comes with so many accessories for other food processing, like milling or pureeing, so you can use it to make all of your raw food meals. This purchase will prove to be a great start to your new healthy lifestyle!
When coming up with a combination of fruit and vegetables to juice, consider their textures to make a smooth, drinkable product. For example, soft fruits like bananas and peaches make a very thick juice. Apples and pears, on the other hand, make a very thin, watery juice. Mix the two items together to make the most enjoyable texture to drink!
Don’t be afraid to juice melon! Cantaloupe and honeydew are very tasty ingredients, but keep in mind that they’re soft and will produce a thick juice. Watermelon, on the other hand, will produce a very watery juice. Make sure to get a seedless melon to make it easier for you to use.
When it comes to juicing, one thing that you want to keep in mind is that you will want to keep your juicer out and in sight at all times. This is important to ensure that you use it on a regular basis and that it does not become one of those items that gets stored away in the back of your cupboard.
To fight against any type of bladder or urinary tract problem, you should mix up some cranberries into any juice recipe you’re drinking. You should use them whenever you feel the symptoms arise.
Reading the instruction manual that came with your juicer will help you make the best juice possible. The manual will advise you of which fruits or vegetables that may require the skin to be removed. It will also tell you which produce does not juice well, such as bananas and avocados.
Make sure you drink your juices as soon as you make them. Time is important for juicing because the valuable nutrients will become oxidized when exposed to the air. So you always want to drink your juices quickly. If, for some reason you can’t, then try to store the juice in an air-tight container to minimize oxidation.
When it comes to juicing, one thing that you want to keep in mind is that not all fruits taste good when combined with each other. This is important to consider in terms of taste and overall enjoyment of your juice. Probably the most difficult fruit to mix would be certain types of melon.
Ginger is a versatile, edible root that can aid in relieving an upset stomach. Use it in juice to add a zesty flavor and a hint of healing. Ginger is great with a combination anti-inflammatory as well as soothing any damage in the esophageal region, usually caused by acid reflux.
Juicing is a great nutritional process that can be just as simple or as complex as a juicer wants to make it. Quick, cheap techniques can offer dramatic health benefits, and a greater investment of time and money can provide even bigger results. Hopefully, the tips presented above can be of use in starting or improving a great juicing routine.
