While juicing may look like the newest trend, this is an age-old way of getting your daily fruits and vegetables. Juicing has several noteworthy benefits and can be a way to keep your family healthy, especially as the temperatures drops and our immune systems take a hit from the chill.
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.
Coffee filters can be used to reduce the amount of pulp that gets into the juice you make. You might not enjoy the consistent pulp some juices make. Try pouring the juice through a cheesecloth or a coffee filter. This should remove the majority of the pulp.
If you find that your juicer becomes oily after juicing citrus fruits such as oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruits you will have to clean the juicer with a mild detergent to get the oily feeling off. This is residue left behind from the citrus must be cleansed well to avoid complications with mold.
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.
A single cup of juice will be equivalent to a much larger amount of actual vegetables or fruit, meaning one cup of juice can also be equal to make more servings on the food pyramid. For example, a single cup of carrot juice is equivalent to four cups of diced carrot!
If you are going to increase the amount of natural nutrients you take in by juicing regularly, be prepared to go through a detox phase. If your diet consists of a high level of processed foods, your body will have to go through an adjustment phase when it is faced with handling a large influx of wholesome nutrients.
Incorporate spices into your juicing. There are a variety of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, ginger and others, that can can boost the flavor output of your juices. If you have flavors you want to experiment with, look for recipes online or you can look for spices that work well with fruits or vegetables. Be sure to check their health and nutrition values.
When juicing soft fruits such as melons, peaches and strawberries it is good to know that the resulting juice will be thicker as opposed to juicing hard fruits such as apples. A good way to have great juice is combining both of these juices. This will create balance and will result in a much better texture.
Try some cucumber juice if you want to have healthier skin and hair. Cucumbers have a lot of silica. Additionally, silica strengthens connective tissue, such as muscles and tendons, not to mention your bones.
If you want to embark on a juice fast, keep the following tips in mind to ensure you do it safely. Drink at least 32 to 64 ounces of juice a day to keep your energy levels up so you won’t feel sluggish. Drink water in between juices, and dilute the juice by two-thirds at “meal” times. ONLY use organic produce while fasting so you can include the skin.
Juicing is a yummy alternative to choking down broccoli or other fruits and vegetables that you just dont’ like the taste of. Include as many veggies as you can into your juice by covering them up with powerful fruit flavors like apple, banana and oranges. The citrus and sweet flavors of these will have no problems masking the other flavors you are not fond of.
A great juicing tip that can help extend the life of your juicer, is to only use your juice on a hard surface. By using your juicer on a hard surface you’ll insure that there won’t be any vibrations. Vibrations, no matter how small, can damage your juicer over time.
It is vital that you think about how certain juices can affect the way your teeth look. This is vital as some juices can stain your teeth. Vibrantly colored juices, such as beet juice or carrot juice, will surely cause this problem. Brush your teeth gently after drinking juices which cause your teeth to discolor.
A good juicing tip is to make sure you wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before putting them into your juicer. By washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, you’ll be making sure that you aren’t ingesting any harmful pesticides. This is a good practice to have and it doesn’t take much time.
Juicing helps prevent constipation. Good things to try when you want to cleanse your system are: cabbage, brussel sprouts, figs, fennel, grapes, papaya, parsnips and lettuce. If your constipation is chronic, keep your bowels working smoothly by consuming juice every day.
A great juicing tip is to wash your juicer in the dishwasher. This is a great way to clean your juicer without having to exert much effort. Some juicers specifically state that you shouldn’t wash them in the dishwasher though, so you should pay close attention to the manual.
Whether for drinking or as part of a recipe, juicing your fruits and vegetables can liven up your diet and be an easy way to help your family stay healthy. Whether you’re sneaking your kids some vegetables or wanting something refreshing after a hard day, you have only healthful rewards to gain.
