Juicing: A Beginners Guide

There came a point when I realized something needed to change with the way I intake vegetables and fruit.  I simply wasn't eating enough of them.  Fruits and vegetables are vital to ones health and wellbeing as they are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, essential to optimal body functioning.  Sadly however, studies continue to show people lacking fruits and veggies in their diet.  People continue to nutrtionally starve themselves of the nutrients essential to their health.  Juicing is one great way to ensure you are intaking these vital sources more often and is a great alternative for those who don't like their vegetables.  Get your daily dose in a tall glass of juice every morning and you can intake a significant amount of fruits and vegetables that you wouldn't have otherwise. Do this consistently and the body will start to thank you.  A healthy balanced diet full of fruits and veggies is one of the surest ways to gain and maintain optimal health. 

If new to juicing,  it can be a little intimidating.  Where do you start?   What do you juice?  Do certain vegetables and fruits juice better than others?  These are just a few questions of many which may cross the mind.  So for a few tips, let me share my juicing discoveries with you all through countless experimentations, research, and trial runs.  

Buying a Juicer

The first thing to consider when starting to juice is the juicer.  When looking for a juicer, the higher the power, the easier and smoother the juice will come out which is key in making a tasty nutrient dense juice.  There are a few different styles but it is nice to have a juicer with a built in pulp catcher.  It makes clean up much easier.  A juicer with parts made of metal will be more durable than those made of plastic components.  My first juicer was a breville 800 watt and I loved it, great for first time juicers.  If looking for something that juices quickly due to time constraints and which will bring a higher nutrient yeild, the nutri bullet is decently priced and will ensure maximum nutrients are supplied, although expect a thicker juice with more fiber. 

Nutritious and Delicious!

Dont get skeptical if you hate vegetable juice! There are plenty of ways to make juice both nutritious and delicious. One great trick is to mix vegetables with fruits.  The sweetness of the fruits will mask the bitterness of most vegetables.  If just starting out, try a ratio of 2 fruits per one veggie.  Be aware though, for diabetics, stay cautious of how many fruits are used as their sugar can cause a spike in blood sugar.  Always check with your health care provider when making any significant changes to your diet if ever unsure. When the body becomes more attune to the flavor of veggies, increase the veggies to two and slowly decrease the amount of fruits. 

Prep your produce

When juicing, it is key to prep your fruits and veggies before starting, especially if planning to make juice for a couple of days.  This may seem time consuming but prepping while juicing will take much longer.  For basic guidelines, first off, wash everything! I also recommend taking all the skins off any fruits and anything that has a core, such as apples, mangos and pineapples, and of course don't try juicing the core itself.  As far as veggies go, pretty much every component can be juiced so just be sure to chop in cubes that can fit in the head of your juicer and remember to cut off any beet, ginger or potato skins.  

Supercharge your Juices

Another way to get the most out of homemade juice is to use produce high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, produce known as superfoods. Some of my favorites to juice are kale, spirulina, beets and blueberries.

Seeds:  Add flax and hemp in seed or liquid capsule form for added nutrition.  Not only do seeds such as these pack a high yield of anitoxidants and omega3 fatty acids, they also become completely tasteless in juice.  If you like a little texture or crunch there's also the option of topping the juice with the actual hemp or flax seeds.

Herbs: Herbs have been used for thousands of years for their many medicinal benefits and can be a great addition to a juicing regime especially if trying to correct a specific ailment with the body.  For juicing it's best to use herbs in the freshest most natural form. Some great herbs to start with are cilantro, wheatgrass, mint, and parsely, but for those who really want to take advantage of what herbs have to offer I recommend picking up a guide book.  There are so many herbs out there with so many benefits for different ailments of the body, unless you are an expert, you may not have even heard of a lot of these herbs.  I highly recommend the Juicing bible (link in sidebar) it has an entire herb section and goes into detail of each benefit, describing medicinal uses, what the Herb looks like and the best way to juice. I love it!

Spices: Spices are a quick and easy ingredients to add to juices which like herbs can have some great healing properties.  Some simple ones to add for beginners are cinnamon to aid digestion, nutmeg as an anti inflammatory aid, and sage as an antimicrobial & a circulatory stimulant.  These are just a few of many, but again for more in depth information pick up the juicing bible, it is full of helpful information!

Whole Food Supplements: JuicePlus Capsules are currently the only supplement I use. Unlike most vitamins and supplements on the market which typically extract a small amount of vitamins in fragmented forms, juiceplus uses whole foods, juicing over 28 varieties of veggies,  fruits, berries and grains at low heat and encapsulating it all into capsules. It's a way I can guarantee my body is getting the dose of essential nutrients it needs EVERY day.  Certified kosher, vegan, gmo free, & preservative free, these capsules are backed with over 30 studies done by medical journals and universities from around the world showing a high absorption rate along with benefits such as reduced DNA damage, reduced oxidation, & an increased immune defensed to name a few.  I am so grateful to have found this product! When juice is made up, break open the capsules and mix in with your juice for even more added nutrition. Although be sure to add the capsules right before drinking as the nutrients inside become so bioavailable and active once reconstituted with liquid that they will spoil quickly if not consumed immediately! 

Recipes!

To finish up, here are a few of my favorite recipes to get you started! I try to color coordinate the combinations to get the brightest most flavorful juices. Be adventurous and try them out, these ones are super tasty.  Each recipe should make 16 to 32 ounces of juice. Feel free to adjust recipes to your liking, tasting them along the way and supercharge whenever possible!  More recipes are sure to come, enjoy!  :)

Yellow Drink: 
1 mango
3/4 cup pineapple
1 apple
1 yellow pepper
1 sweet potato
water

Green Drink: 
1 big bundle of kale
1 cup pinapple
1 cucumber
2 apples
water 

Purple Drink: 
1/2 a red cabbage
1/2 cup red beet
2 cups blackberries
2 apples
water