Juicing fresh vegetables and fruits is a great way to add vital nutrients to your diet and to
promote good overall health. Fresh juice often tastes much better than commercially produced juices and is an excellent way to improve your energy levels, lose weight and remove harmful body toxins.
What is Juicing?
Juicing is often done at home using a juicing machine. You can buy a good juicing machine at many department stores and discount stores that sell small kitchen appliances. Look for one that includes a wide feeding tube for you to fit your fruits and vegetables in it. Some juicers automatically eject the unwanted fiber from the fruits and vegetables. Some munch them up and include them in the finished product. Â Green Health Canada provides a great buyers guide to help you choose the right juicer for you.
Juicing is the process of extracting liquids from fruits and vegetables. Raw fruit and vegetable juices contain vital nutrients, such as antioxidants, minerals and live enzymes that are not present in processed juice you find in bottles and in the frozen section of the grocery store. Juices that are sold in the grocery store are often pasteurized to make them safe for shipping and to sell. However, the process destroys much of the nutritional value in the juice. By juicing at home, you can create your own unique juice blends while reaping the nutritional benefit you will not get from prepared juices.
Preparing to Juice
It is important to prepare your fruits and vegetables correctly before you put them in your juicer, otherwise you may cause problems for your machine. The best products to juice are organic, naturally grown fruits and vegetables, since they are grown pesticide free and will provide you with the greatest health benefit. However, if this is not readily available, you can use other forms of raw produce.
When you are buying produce, buy only small amounts that you can readily use for juicing or other needs. The best juice is from absolutely fresh produce, so make sure to buy only what you will use within a week.
Wash the vegetables thoroughly. Most fruit should be peeled before putting it in the juicer, particularly citrus fruits, which can leave a bitter taste in the juice. Make sure to keep the white portion of the rind with citrus fruits because it is high in antioxidants.
Cut the produce up into pieces small enough to fit into the feeding tube of the juicer. Make sure to have a container under where the extracted juice will appear. If your juicer automatically ejects unwanted fibers, make sure you have a container ready for this.
Try experimenting with different blends of juices to create your own unique juice tastes. Carrot juice is naturally sweet and can be added to vegetable blends to make them easier to drink. For beginners we recommend a nutritious cocktail of Carrots, Apples and Kale. Juice should be used fairly quickly after it is produced to benefit from the maximum nutrition available.
Do you like to juice? What are your favorites? Let us know in the comment section!
– The Alternative Daily
