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.
Store your home made juice in a nontransparent, air-tight container with no extra space for air. To prevent extra air from ruining your juice, add filtered water to the top of the container, or use a food saver to remove the extra air. Fresh juice can be stored up to 24 hours.
To eliminate the pulp from your home made juice, use a cheesecloth or coffee filter to strain the pulp out. If you choose to remove the pulp from your juice remember that you are also removing many vitamins and minerals. For the healthiest juice, drink it with pulp and all.
When preparing for a juice diet, make sure to stock a LOT of fresh fruits and vegetables! On average, it takes 4.4 pounds of raw fruits and vegetables to make just a single quart of juice, so you’ll need lots. Also make sure to get a large variety of ingredients so that you don’t get bored with the same old juice.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on fresh juicing produce as long as you shop in season. Berries are great in the summer, but will cost you an arm and a leg to buy in the winter, so skip them until the prices drop again. Apples last all winter, so feel free to buy a few bushels and keep them in the garage.
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.
Do not overuse vegetables that are high in oxalic acid. This acid is a contributor to kidney stones and can impact osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Vegetables such as rhubarb, char, beets and spinach contain lots of oxalic acid. Use them in moderation and avoid mixing with broccoli or other high calcium food to maintain prevention.
Remember that vegetable and fruit remnants left on a juicer after juicing have the potential to grow mold quickly. Cleaning it quickly helps stop the growth of mold. Dismantle the juicer clean the parts and rinse with water until clean. If you must use a detergent use one that is very mild.
Carrots don’t need to be peeled before you juice them, but you can’t eat their leaf greens as they’re toxic to humans. Rhubarb is also an excellent item to juice, but its greens are also bad for you. Make sure to read about what greens are okay or even healthy to eat, which could make you sick, BEFORE experimenting!
To get the most nutrition from your juices, be sure to drink them when they are fresh. After juicing, fruits and vegetables are vulnerable to oxidation which will destroy their nutrients. If you have to store your juices for some reason, use air tight containers to reduce the amount of oxidation that will happen.
Some people claim that mixing fruit and vegetables in your juice leads to indigestion as the enzymes required to break down fruit are very different than those to break down vegetables. I, personally, have never had a problem, but if you find you have any tummy upset after drinking a mixed juice then you should probably stick to one or the other.
In regards to juicing, it is important to consider the benefits that coconut can provide to your juice. Coconut is a natural way to enhance the sweetness and overall flavor of your juice. Even if you do not care for the taste of coconut, you can try adding small amounts to give you good results.
In regard to juicing, it is important to consider the fact that you cannot only make juices but also your own homemade milk from products such as cashews or almonds. This is great to know because it will expand the way that you ingest nutrients and will in addition expand the usage of your investment in a juicer.
Save money on juicing by including cheaper base ingredients in all of your recipes, like apples or carrots. If you have fast-growing herbs like parsley in your garden, include them in every juice during their growing season. This can reduce your costs significantly every week, even in the wintertime, by watching what is available on sale.
In regards to juicing, it is important to consider the fact that certain fruits high in sugar can have a negative impact on your dental health. This is important to consider because while it may have other positive health benefits, you do not want cavities. Be sure to brush your teeth regularly after consuming drinks high in sugar.
Juicing is a great way to treat acne from the inside out. Try including foods like apricots, carrots, grapefruit, mango, pumpkin, strawberries, or watercress, as they all include the best vitamins and nutrients to battle the causes of pimples. They also taste great, so it’s a far more enjoyable way to treat your skin than smelly chemical creams.
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.