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.
Remove pits and seeds from your fruits before juicing them. Hard pits, like those found in peaches, will leave unpleasant chunks in your juice and can damage the blades of your juicer. Other seeds, such as apple seeds, may actually contain chemicals that are harmful. It’s best to remove them beforehand.
Brush your teeth as soon as possible after drinking fresh fruit juice. Fruit juice is naturally very high in sugar, in addition to containing acids that can eat away at tooth enamel. The longer these sugars and acids sit in your mouth, the worse the damage will be, so brush soon.
If you are worried about getting enough protein in your diet, add spinach and broccoli to your juices. Both of these vegetables provide enough vegetable protein for the short-term to satisfy your body’s needs. Most people get more than enough protein in their daily diet, and don’t need to worry about adding protein sources such as soy to their juice.
Drink your juice soon after making it if you are looking to benefit from the health benefits. Juice starts to lose its benefits as soon as it comes out of the fruit or veggie. The longer you let it sit, the more it will lose, so go ahead and drink it as soon as possible to be able to let your body enjoy all the nutrients.
If you are going to store juice that you have made yourself, you need to do this correctly. Choose a container that is airtight, and add a couple of drops of lemon juice to it before putting it into the refrigerator. Label your juice so that you remember what you are drinking, and enjoy!
Making healthy juice from vegetables is wonderful, however, do not go overboard with variety. Stick to using 2-3 vegetables in your juice blends and incorporate apple into the mix. You will minimize the amount of flavors you are trying to combine and the apple will add the right amount of sweet to the mix for extra enjoyment.
The task of picking the best juicer for your needs can be daunting. You need to consider how much juicing you plan to do. A standard machine will be great if you juice every now and then. An advanced machine will be best if you plan to juice every day.
To make great juice takes great fruits and vegetables. Make sure you use the freshest produce possible. Wash the vegetables and fruits, and prepare the items according to the instructions that are in your juicer manual. Different machines may or may not require peeling or skinning prior to juicing.
Drinking juice that is at room temperature is better for digestion than drinking cold juice, so leave your fruit and vegetables out overnight to ensure that they’re warm enough when you begin to juice them. If you want a cool treat during the summer, pour your juice into ice cube trays and suck on the cubes you create! You can also freeze the juice and eat it like ice cream.
If you can’t find organic produce to use in your juices, make sure that you peel your fruits and vegetables before juicing them. Most of the pesticides on conventionally grown produce is on the skin, and washing isn’t enough to remove all of the residue. Peeling will eliminate the bulk of these contaminants from your food.
To entice kids to join you in your juicing adventures, start with smoothies. You can add honey, yogurt, or even fruit sherbet. Always start off with at least one vegetable or fruit in the smoothie, so that when you try adding different items it won’t taste much different than the first smoothie you’ve given to them.
To get the most out of your juices, it’s best to drink them before you eat when your stomach is empty. Your digestive system will be able to absorb more of the nutrients in the juice if it’s mostly empty. You will also feel fuller after drinking the juice, so you will eat less when you do have a meal.
When you’re creating juices for healthy benefits, you should use at least half or two-thirds dark green vegetables, like kale, chard, broccoli, or parsley. Also use herbs juices including mint, rosemary, and basil. Look for dessert recipes online to see great fruit and herb combinations you might like!
Maintaining blood sugar levels helps to curb hunger, so including carrot juice in your creations can help you keep healthy and eat less. Carrots do have more sugar in them than many other vegetables, but the fact that they don’t cause a spike in blood glucose means that you can overlook that and drink them up!
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.
