Once considered the drink of drop-outs and hippies, confined to earthy-smelling health food shops and co-ops, the juice revolution has swept the nation. Now available at such trendy places as Jamba Juice and even sold in pedestrian grocery stores, the fresh vegetable and fruit juice movement is now a common part of American life. Read on for tips to learn how to be a part of this healthy revolution.
At the beginning of a juicing program, make juices out of fruits that you already enjoy eating. This will ensure that you enjoy the juice while still receiving some health benefits. If you start juicing using fruits you’ve never tried before, you may not like the juice and you’re unlikely to continue making them, meaning you won’t gain any benefits.
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.
When making carrot juice, make absolutely sure to get fresh, healthy carrots. Signs of old carrots are rubberiness, limpness, wilted tops, and excessive cracking. Look for carrots that have a full color, are firm to the touch, and have green, leafy tops. These carrots will produce the freshest, sweetest juice.
You can use color as a primary consideration when deciding what to juice. The full color spectrum of fresh fruits and vegetables, from reds to greens to oranges, is an indication the variety of nutrients that are available. Not only are different colored fruits and vegetables full of different nutrients, but they all have different tastes.
Check out farms near where you live to pick up the produce you need for juicing at amazing bulk prices. Many items can be kept in a cool, dark place for longer periods of time. So those are the foods you want to pick up on the farm in larger amounts.
Juicing will lead you to more ingredients than just produce! Try spices like cayenne or cinnamon, or nutrition-packed additions like spirulina. You can even put a little honey and yogurt in once in a while for a sweet, smooth treat. Make sure to use only non-fat, unsweetened dairy to keep the resulting produce healthy.
Leaving some seeds in your juicer is perfectly fine! Larger seeds such as cherry pits or sometimes citrus seeds might actually damage your juicer, though, so it’s best to consider the size and firmness of the seeds in the items you’re juicing before throwing them in whole with reckless abandon!
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.
Should you juice wheatgrass? The claims are many about it’s health benefits, including the fact that it helps increase the number of red blood cells, flushes the body of toxic metals, keeps your organs in tip-top shape, and clears out your lymph system. It`s also said to increase vitality, which we can all use!
Did you know that vegetable juice helps to keep blood sugar levels from spiking? It’s true! It doesn’t have a lot of sugar, and half as many calories as fruit juice. It also helps you feel full for a long time, curbing any snacking cravings you might have. Try a mix of carrot and parsley to end any temptations!
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.
It’s best to avoid juicing fruits and vegetables that have a low water content. Avocados and bananas, for example, are quite dense and don’t have much water in them. They will clog up your juicer and you won’t get much juice out of them. If you really want to include them, blend them first and then mix them with juices from other produce.
After using nuts in your juicer, save the pulp to add to nut butter. Raw foods are so good for you, and making your own nut butters is as good for you as making your own juices! Almond, cashew, or even peanut butter is better when it’s not laden with sodium and preservatives!
In regards to juicing, it is important to consider the fact that juices can actually work to prevent cancer in your body. The benefit from this is obvious and it does so through the maintenance of proper pH levels. Many types of produce also work to rid the body of toxins.
A good juicing tip is to start with simple ingredients if you’ve never juiced before. A lot of people start juicing for the health benefits but if you start using really healthy ingredients right off the bat, you might find that the taste is just too bitter for you.
Juicing is an awesome way to deal with anaemia as opposed to spending money on over-the-counter treatments which tend not to be easily digested. Include apricots, cherries, dandelion leaves, grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, strawberries and watercress to help increase your iron levels in a healthy, natural way. This will bring healthy benefits to all of your body, so enjoy the results!
The juicing movement is on the rise but it hasn’t come far enough. The undeniable benefits of the raw juice of fruit and vegetables are essential to improving the overall health of the American public. With the increase of home juicers and the information coming out from National Cancer Institute’s about the benefits to long-term health from fruit and vegetables we will start to see more people join the juicing movement.
