As concerns about health and nutrition continue to rise, so has the custom of making fresh-squeezed juice at home. Juicing offers a convenient and healthy way to lose weight, stay fit and avoid artificial additives and preservatives. Homemade juices can include both fruits and vegetables. From apples and oranges to tomatoes and celery, the following article provides you with all the information you need on juicers, juicing and juices.
Be aware that wheat-grass is actually gluten free so if you know someone or if you suffer from a gluten intolerance you are free to use wheat grass in your juicing. The benefits from wheat grass are incredible so give it a shot and start incorporating it into your juicing endeavors.
Green vegetables such as spinach, kale and broccoli have many, wonderful health benefits. Use these vegetables often when juicing, with over a 50% concentration. Use other juices for flavoring. Juices made exclusively from fruits tend to contain more unhealthy sugar than greens-based juices.
Be consistent and do a little juicing everyday. The more you do, the more you’ll want to juice and gradually, you’ll make juicing a bigger part of your day. If you make juicing an infrequent occurrence, not only will you get less nutritional benefit but you’ll also lose the will to keep going.
Bananas and papayas do not seem to do well in a juicer. You can still use them with juice, but it is best to stick them in a blender. They are very thick, and tend to work better when making fruit smoothies or any type of frozen dessert that you make.
Go by color in choosing fruits and vegetables to juice. Reds, oranges, yellows and greens: they all add different nutrients to the final product. The more varied the produce you use, the better the nutritional value and more enjoyable the taste.
Buying fruit and vegetables for your juicing can be easy by using all five senses to find the freshest produce to bring home. Sniff the item and make sure it smells good, like you would want to eat it. Squeeze it and feel if it’s too hard or too soft. Look it over for imperfections, and then take it home and taste a bit. Enjoy!
If you’re serious about juicing, you should dedicate a cool, dark area of your house to storing produce which can be kept long-term. For example, apples can be kept in the garage over the winter as long as they’re not allowed to freeze. Just wash them, get rid of any bad ones, and store them in a covered but breathable container.
Juicing is a lifestyle you dedicate yourself to, and you will notice if you miss a day. If something comes up and you’re not able to buy some fresh produce for your juice, you should have something on hand that you can use instead. You can keep some items in the freezer just in case, or even freeze some juice to tide you over.
If you don’t want to drink vegetables, don’t. Juicing doesn’t have to freak you out every time you throw something into the machine! Start with things you know you don’t mind drinking, like oranges and apples or even carrots. The money saved and knowledge of what really is in your drink is what makes juicing so awesome!
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.
Keep a toothbrush handy to clean the strainer after juicing. Scrubbing the strainer with a toothbrush will displace any lodged particles which can grow rapidly into mold. Regular cleaning in this fashion will increase the life of your juicer as well as make your life healthier.
If you want to get into the hobby or lifestyle of juicing, it is important that you have the quality juicer that will work for you. If you plan on being an avid juicer, but get low quality juicing materials, they will either not last very long or not work for you at all.
Want to know another way that juicing will save you money? You’ll be able to skip the expensive anti-wrinkle and deep moisturizing skin treatments you’ve been buying at the department store! Juicing fruits and vegetables leads to healthier, better looking skin as they are full of moisturizing compounds. The anti-oxidants found in many produce items also can slow down the aging of skin itself.
A great juicing tip is to – know how thin or thick – you want your juice to be. Juicing bananas or avocados for example, will make a puree, which might be way too thick for what you want. Putting these foods in the blender first, will help thin them out.
If you’re very deficient in a vitamin like B12 and can’t find it in the fruit and vegetables you’re juicing with, add in some powder! Grind up your recommended dose and put it into your juice, making it easier to swallow and digest. Be careful with which medicines you’re putting in as some will react to various fruit, like grapefruit, and you could end up with a dose that is too potent.
Homemade fruit juices, vegetable juices and mixed juices are nutritious, delicious and, best of all, completely natural. Juicing gives you the freedom to make your own unique blends, as well as all of your family’s traditional favorites. As the above article has illustrated, juicing is limited only by your imagination. Bottom’s up!
