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.
If you are diabetes or otherwise sensitive to sugar in your diet, be careful with juicing. Many fruit juices will be very high in sugar, resulting in a spike in your blood sugar levels, especially if you drink juice on an empty stomach. Try diluting your juices with water to reduce this issue.
Don’t buy too many fruits and vegetables at a time if you’re juicing. You might end up buying much more than you will use, and the extra food will decay and go to waste. Experiment with different amounts to see how much juice you drink a day, so you know how much produce you have to buy in advance.
Keep sugar content down by limiting fruits and certain vegetables. One of the things to watch out for when you are juicing are high sugar levels found in many fruits. High sugar levels can lead to a spike in blood sugar, so keep that in mind as you choose your ingredients. Vegetables grown underground such as carrots usually have a higher sugar content as well.
Get adventurous with your juicing ingredients! Why not try grapefruit or add in a little ginger for some zip! Other items to try are celery, parsley, beets, bell peppers, and leafy greens! You never know what you might end up liking.
Leaving some seeds in your juicer is perfectly fine! Larger seeds such as cherry pits or sometimes citrus seeds might actually damage your juicer, though, so it’s best to consider the size and firmness of the seeds in the items you’re juicing before throwing them in whole with reckless abandon!
You should always remove the pits from fruit, such as peaches or plums, before juicing or you could dull the blades in your juicer. Apple seeds contain cyanide, so it’s best not to eat those, either. Citrus seeds can be bitter and large enough to cause damage to your machine, so pick them out, too!
When juicing with leafy greens such as kale or chard, consider adding cucumber to balance out the flavors. Cucumbers also have a ton of nutrients and vitamins in them which are super healthy for you, so they’re a great addition to any juice. Throw in a fruit for sweetness and you’ll have one heck of a nutritious but tasty drink!
When it comes to juicing, one thing you want to keep in mind is that you will want to set aside time every day for juicing. This is important because without making sure you have a few minutes to spare, you will not use your juicer. Consequently, you will either risk losing your ingredients due to spoiling, or simply just lose out on the healthy benefits of homemade juice.
If you are new to juicing, a steadfast rule to follow is – to go slow! Start with a vegetable that you know you like. After trying that vegetable juice for a few days, you can slowly start to add in vegetables that you are unfamiliar with or not sure if you will like. By taking small amounts at a time, your body will adjust slowly to the different foods and absorb the juice in naturally.
One of the great advantages to drinking natural juiced drinks daily is that it helps cure a variety of different ailments. For example, cabbage juice helps heal different types of ulcers. For this, it is necessary to consult a medical professional first.
If you don’t like having pulp in your juice, cover the container it’s dripping into with cheesecloth. DON’T throw the pulp away, though, as it contains a lot of fiber and nutrients that you need. Mix it with non-fat, unsweetened yogurt for an excellent breakfast item or after-meal dessert treat!
In regards to juicing, you can simply drink the juice by itself or you can us the juice in either a frozen beverage or smoothie. This will help you to mix it up and keep things interesting and tasty.
Include a large amount of negative calorie fruits and vegetables in order to create a nutritious juice that doesn’t need to be burned off. These would be things such as kale, cabbage, broccoli, or herbs. Be sure to focus on fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber because you burn a lot of calories digesting them.
Juicing your fruits and vegetables will provide your body with enzymes that make digestion easier, meaning you’re far less likely to face indigestion. If you get heartburn, or have stomach upset when you eat certain vegetables like broccoli, try juicing and you may find you no longer have any issues!
Consider organic produce with a few blemishes if you’re trying to save money on your juicing budget. If you use it right away it won’t spoil, and the seller will typically discount it so they don’t have to throw it away. Farmer’s markets are an excellent place to get less-than-perfect produce at an incredible price.
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.
