This awesome Guest Post is by Deborah Smikle-Davis, the founder and voice behind the fabulous site Urban Naturale. She knows a TON about juicing and so I was thrilled when she agreed to write this guest post on the subject. For those of you new to juicing, don’t be intimidated, she goes over many of the Do’s and Don’ts for first timers. She even includes some great recipes at the end for you to try!
by Deborah Smikle-Davis
So you’ve decided that you want to start juicing.
Good for you!
We all know that juicing is an excellent way to maximize nutrition.
It’s a quick and convenient way to ingest more vegetable and fruit nutrients.
As habits go, juicing is a smart one to embrace.
It’s also a wonderful way to bring a new sense of health and vitality to your life.
The benefits speak for themselves.
Health Benefits Of Juicing
For people who do not like to eat whole fruits and vegetables, juicing can serve as an effective alternative. Drinking a glass of mixed fruit and vegetable juice early in the morning, not only supplies essential vitamins, enzymes, and minerals to your body, but also revitalizes and provides substantial energy for a busy day.
Juicing delivers the same vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that are found in whole fruits and vegetables–but without the fiber. (And fiber is important.)
Apart from this, you can derive many other health benefits from juicing:
- Nutrients from specific foods helps prevent disease
- Increases and diversifies nutrient intake
- Builds and supports the immune system
- Repairs vital organs
- Purifies and enriches blood
- Aids digestion
- Prevents allergies
- Helps boost memory
- Aids weight loss
- Provides instant energy
Let’s face it, you can’t beat these health benefits!
Before You Begin: Your Juicing Reality Check
Sure, starting a new healthy habit is exciting.
But just like beginning a home improvement project or a new business venture, starting a juicing regimen requires a “reality check”–in short, an honest assessment.
A few important “real life” factors to consider:
Motivation
Ask yourself:
Why are you considering juicing?
Is it part of a well thought-out plan towards a healthier way of life?
Has a health professional told you that you are in danger if you don’t change your ways?
Are you seeking weight loss, energy, better sleep or more balanced digestion?
Space
You may think I am joking, but the first question my husband asked me was:
“Where will the new juicer go? “
“Where will you store it, or will it be one more counter appliance?”
Less obvious but equally cluttering is where the large amounts of produce will be stored. Some fruits can’t be refrigerated. Kale and Swiss chard and melons take up a lot of space in refrigerators. Finally, where do you have room to wash lots of vegetables and fruits–plus the knives and strainers and cutting boards that go along with juicing?
Time
Before you start juicing you may want ask yourself:
“Do you really have time to add a healthy yet time-intensive juicing regime to your already busy schedule?”
If your answer is yes, then planning and preparation, though not glamorous, will save you huge amounts of time in juicing. And they will help you enjoy the adventure. For maximum nutritional benefits, you should make your juice close to the time of consumption. Working from home or staying home
with children makes this easier than if you leave for school or work.
If you must leave each morning, you will need to get up earlier or prepare your fruits and greens the night before, and run the juicer in the morning. You can make extra quantities and bring it with you to work or school or the gym. But you will want to make sure you have enough time to clean up the juicing mess before you leave, which can take an extra five to fifteen minutes and compost or save the pulp. (Believe me, that’s one reason why I don’t juice every morning.)
It’s a good idea to have your juicer and accessories set up and ready to use each time. That means, if you plan to juice first thing in the morning, you should have a clean, assembled juicer ready to go before you go to bed. Have your travel mug or thermos clean and ready to fill for your trip out the door. (Yes, go retrieve it from the car while you are thinking about it!) Have your glass jars (pickle jars or Mason jars) clean and on the counter, ready to fill with juice for the day. Make sure the tops are nearby.
Another time-saving tip is to fill the kitchen sink with hot, sudsy water before you start juicing so you can wash out your juicer as soon as you are finished with it. You will be glad you did when you get home after a long day at work and there is no juicing accessories waiting for you to wash. And oh, if you really want to save time, wash and prepare your fruits and veggies the night before.
People
How will your juicing affect the people around you? Will you be able to fit juicing in around your family’s mealtimes and kitchen space? If you are the main cook for your family, will you be able to graciously prepare their meals and be satisfied with drinking your own juices? (Note: yes, it is very possible to balance this part of life, but you need to consider your own situation.)
Does your work require business meetings that involve meals? Will you be able to bring your juice bottle into business lunches? This reality check was not meant to dissuade you from juicing! Rather, it is meant to help you plan for things you may have not considered. And it may help you decide to what extent you want to start juicing: i.e. breakfast only, replacing one meal a day, or an all-out juice fast.
Some Do’s and Don’ts For Successful Juicing
There are some definite things you should—and should not—do if you decide to begin juicing. They will make all the difference in your success, or lack of success.
I have divided them into five sections: general, health, weight control, financial, and social. Take them with a grain of salt and use what you can in your own juicing adventure.
Juicing in General:
DO plan for where and when you will make juice.
DO plan for carrying and storing your juice away from home, if applicable.
DO choose organic produce for juicing as much as possible to avoid GMOs, agricultural chemicals and pesticides.
DO wash all vegetables and fruits thoroughly before juicing. (I soak produce in a vinegar and water solution.)
DO peel all non-organic produce.
DO clean up after yourself every time you clean and prepare fruits and vegetables.
DO dissemble and wash—or at least soak—your juicer after each use.
DON’T add too many strong/bitter greens to your juices. Get used to how much they can affect the taste and your enjoyment of your juices. Same goes for onion and garlic.
DO aim for a ratio of 4:2 green (vegetable) to pink (fruit) for your juices.
DO keep a notebook of the combinations that you like the best (and least)! This will help when planning your grocery shopping lists.
DO drink fresh juice immediately for maximum nutritional benefits.
DO refrigerate any leftover juice in an airtight container to prolong shelf life.
DO keep it simple. Remember that juicing boils down to a few basic steps and that most juice recipe directions are identical:
- Wash.
- Peel (optional, if organic).
- Seed (optional, if organic and if seeds are soft).
- Juice.
- Stir, if needed.
- Drink.
- Enjoy.
Health:
DO have a plan for your juicing. Study the best practices so you can go into it with a chance for success.
DO read lots of juicing recipe books and online resources to learn which juices are right for your needs.
DO know what particular vegetables, fruits and greens will best work with any health issues you may have.
DO plan for balance and variety, both for health as well as to keep yourself interested in your juicing.
DO use vegetables more than fruits when juicing for health, sugar intake control and weight loss.
DO remember that juicing should never replace eating whole vegetables or fruits.
DO drink juice with other healthy foods that have fiber, healthy fats and protein for a well-rounded diet that is nutritionally sound and will slow the absorption of sugars from the juice.
DO add herbs to your juices, parsley, cilantro, garlic and ginger for additional health benefits.
DON’T stop taking any prescription medicines.
DO consult with your doctor if you take medications that could be affected by concentrated amounts of foods such as grapefruit or broccoli. (When in doubt, DO ask.)
DO be careful if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes. Stick with low-sugar fruit like lemon, lime, cranberries and rhubarb.
Weight Control:
DO understand what you are getting into, if you decide to do a juice fast.
DO consult with an holistic health professional or juice fasting expert. Knowledge is power.
DO plan your juice fast by taking into consideration your work schedule, family obligations, and travel plans.
DO allow yourself to transition into your juice fast and plan to transition out of it.
DO think about the food/eating plan you will follow once your official juice fast has ended.
DON’T look at your fast as a “once-and-done,” or the weight you lost will come back overnight.
DO use your newly-awakened taste buds’ excitement to propel yourself into a lifestyle that includes enjoying and exploring lots more fruits and vegetables.
Financial:
DO look at your budget and make an informed decision about the juicer you will buy.
DO understand that the volume of produce you will buy is much more than you are used to.
DO expect to have larger than normal grocery bills for the short term, at least.
DO plan to shop for smaller-sized clothing in a few months if you keep to your healthy lifestyle! (Smile)
Social:
DO realize that some people will criticize you for juicing, especially if you are juice fasting.
DON’T try to convert others to your new way of life. Let your results speak for themselves.
DON’T find yourself unprepared for how to eat at business luncheons or travel.
DO offer to let family members try your juice combinations. It’s fun!
DO keep an optimistic attitude. Remember your original goal, whether it was for general health, specific issues, or weight control.
DO applaud yourself for taking positive steps for your life.
Now let’s get to fun part–making your own healthy and delicious juices.
The recipes below taste good and are good for you.
10 Jammin’ Juicing Recipes to Try
Anti-Aging Cucumber Spinach Juice
- 1 cucumber
- 2 double handfuls of spinach
- 1 green apple
- 2 carrots
- 1 lime
Juice all ingredients. Pour into a glass and mix until well blended.
Kidney-Friendly Cucumber Juice
- 1 cucumber
- 1 apple
- 1 pear
- 3 leaves kale
- 3 leaves fresh mint
Juice all ingredients. Pour into a glass and mix until well blended.
Anti-Cholesterol Carrot Turmeric Juice
- 6 medium carrots
- 1 orange
- 1 slice pineapple
- 1 apple, quartered
- 1/2 of a lemon
- 1 inch turmeric root
Juice everything, stir and enjoy!
Detoxifying Beet Juice
- 1 beet
- 1 lime
- 1 orange
- 1 handful of blueberries
- 1/2 cucumber
- 2 carrots
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 handful of spinach
Juice all ingredients. Pour into a glass and mix until well blended.
Calcium-Rich Collard Green Juice
- 1 cup collard greens, chopped
- 3 medium carrots
- 1 medium apple
- 1 handful of cilantro
- 4 leaves of kale
- 1 medium sweet red bell pepper
Juice apples last. Enjoy with ice or without.
Anti-Breast Cancer Broccoli and Asparagus Juice
- 1 cup of broccoli heads
- 20 asparagus heads
- 1 apple
Juice all ingredients. Pour into a glass and mix until well blended.
Heart-Friendly Carrot Peach Juice
- 6 medium carrots
- 3 leaves of fresh basil
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 medium peaches
Slide ingredients into the juicer’s chute and process. Enjoy chilled, over ice or straight from the juicer.
“No Sweet Cravings” Celery Juice
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 cucumber
- 2 green apples
- 5 kale leaves
- ½ lime
- ½ in ginger root piece
This is a great sweet juice without the guilt. Juice everything, stir and enjoy!
Skin Nourishing Broccoli and Jicama Juice
- 1 bunch of broccoli
- 1 whole large red bell pepper
- 1 small whole cucumber
- 1 small whole carrot
- 2 whole stalks of celery
- 1/2 cup jicama, skin on
- 1/2 whole lime, rind on
- 1 handful of fresh basil
Juice all ingredients, pour into a glass and stir, enjoy!
Enzyme-Rich Kale Juice
- 6 kale leaves
- 4 red Russian kale leaves
- 1 head of celery
- 1 cucumber
- 4 green apples
- 3 Swiss chard leaves
- 1/2 bunch of parsley
- 1 lemon
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 inch turmeric
Juice all ingredients, pour into a glass and enjoy.
Arthritis Soother Broccoli Juice
- 1 stalk broccoli
- 1 medium apple
- 4 spear asparagus
- 1 large carrot
- 3 stalk celery
- 1 handful parsley
- 1 tbsp. olive oil (mixed with the final juice)
Juice all ingredients. Pour into a glass and mix until well blended.
Just Juice It!
Feel free to experiment and create your own recipes. Remember, the size, shape and volume of generic foods like “apple” or “cucumber” can vary widely. This is an imprecise science, unlike baking, so the yield (and strength of flavor) will be slightly different each time. Do your homework. Read juicing recipes for ideas and then substitute according to what you like, or what you have on hand.
But, most of all, have fun juicing. It’s so good for you. Your body will thank you–and so will your mind.
About the author: Deborah Davis has enjoyed a long and stimulating career in the publishing industry. She is passionate about healthy, green, natural and plant-powered living. She writes about these topics at her blog, Urban Naturale. She is also a regular contributor at MadCoolFitness. You can connect with Deborah at UrbanNaturale, on Twitter or by email.
