Some people have seen the commercials on television advertising the benefits of juicing. One can buy a blender or food processor and fill it with fruits and vegetables and with the press of a button have their daily recommended intake of fruits and vegetables conveniently in a smoothie-type concoction. Juicing can be an excellent way to get one’s daily vitamins.
Try to use locally-grown fruits and vegetables in your juicing. The best option is to use produce that you’ve grown yourself. Every mile that a piece of fruit needs to be transported to get to you increases the carbon footprint of your glass of juice. It also increases the chance of your produce becoming contaminated with bacteria or chemicals.
Don’t forget to wash your produce prior to juicing, and use organic products where possible. So many people seem to think that since it’s going to turn into juice, they don’t need to wash their fruits and veggies. Just because it’s liquid, doesn’t mean the chemicals present on the peels are going to go away. Clean your fruits and vegetables thoroughly before juicing.
When starting to juice it’s better to start slow. Use flavors you already know you like and don’t try new things until you know you’re ready. Start by mixing new flavors, like wheat grass, with fruit you’ve already been drinking. Soon enough you’ll be able to move on to pro recipes!
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!
When juicing and learning how to do it, do not start with dark green vegetables from the get go. Gradually introduce vegetables such as kale, mustard greens, swiss chard, wheat grass and dandelion greens. Only use 1/4 cup of any of these dark green vegetables at one time, as they are extremely powerful and have a cleansing effect on the body.
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.
When it comes to juicing, one thing you want to keep in mind is that you will want to set aside time every day for juicing. This is important because without making sure you have a few minutes to spare, you will not use your juicer. Consequently, you will either risk losing your ingredients due to spoiling, or simply just lose out on the healthy benefits of homemade juice.
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!
In order to get the most out of your juice it is good to get the right kind of juicer. Some juice extractors generate unwanted heat during the operation and tend to deal damage to the delicate structure of the juice. This destroys the nutrients that are in the juice.
If you want to juice while pregnant, ask your doctor about the fruit, vegetables, and other spices and additives you use to ensure they’re all healthy for your baby, too. For example, there are some herbs that are often found in teas which can lead to spontaneous abortion! Double check to make sure that what you ingest is okay.
When it comes to juicing, one thing that you want to keep in mind is the fact that it is one of the first and most important steps in a weight loss program. Home made vegetable juice is a fantastic snack that has zero fat and very little calories.
One of the great advantages to drinking natural juiced drinks daily is that it helps cure a variety of different ailments. For example, cabbage juice helps heal different types of ulcers. For this, it is necessary to consult a medical professional first.
If you’re juicing for health, or doing a juice fast, you MUST use organic produce. Pesticides and heavy metals in the soil used to grow normal fruit and vegetables will negate any cleansing you’re trying to accomplish, wasting your money and time. Buy organic to ensure that the only pesticides used are organic and fine to ingest.
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.
If you have acne prone skin, consider drinking freshly made carrot and spinach juice. Carrots contain high amounts of beta carotene. Consumption of beta carotene is absolutely critical if you want to clear up your skin. Spinach contains nutrients that make it a great blood cleanser and skin re-generator. Have a glass of carrot-spinach juice every day and see if it helps clear up your skin.
Juicing may not be for everyone but it is not a difficult hobby to become a part of. With one simple purchase of a blender or a food processor, anyone can become a juicing expert. The health benefits and the convenience of being able to juice any foods you want don’t require anything except the willingness to push a button on a food processor.
