I’m sold on juicing – Part 5
by Christine Hunt
Now that you know all about the difference between blenders and juicers and what to look for in the different models to meet your needs, it is time to make some juice!!!
If you haven’t read the other 5 parts of this series you may do so at these links:
Smoothies or Juices – What’s the Difference?
All About Blenders – Which One is Right for You?
All About Juicers – Which One is Right for You?
Some people think that making juices is all about using mostly fruits, but it is not. Vegetables of all kinds are important components of any juice combination. When fruits are juiced, although they are a healthier alternative to processed sweets, they still contain a lot of sugar which is quickly released into the bloodstream causing a spike in energy and an equal drop when it’s effects wear off. When using a lot of fruit, it is best to use them in smoothies so that you ingest the fiber of the fruit which helps to even out the absorption of sugars and provide a longer, more consistent boost of energy.
When juicing vegetables it is always best to add a little bit of fruit to the mixture to give it a bit of sweetness. Otherwise they can be somewhat bitter.
You really don’t have to follow a recipe. Just put a lot of veggies and some fruits together and it usually comes out tasting great! But, to get you started, here are some recipes to try. Once you get the hang of it you can combine anything you want according to your taste preference.
So, if you are not partial to eating vegetables, maximize your nutritional intake and drink them!
Juicing Recipes
Yummy Fruit Juices:
Berry Juice
2 cup Strawberries
2 cup Blueberries
1.5 cup Raspberries
1 Apple
Core the apple. Juice the strawberries, blueberries, apple and raspberries. Serve.
Berries are a little mushy to juice, especially in a masticating juicer, but they do taste fantastic!
Kiwi Pear Juice
2 Kiwis
3 Pears
1 Apple
Peel the kiwis, if you’d like. Core the pear and apple. Juice together and serve.
Melon Carrot Orange Juice
1 Carrot
4 Oranges
Half a melon
Source: All About Juicing
Healthy, Tasty Green/Veggie Juices:
Mean Green Juice
1 Cucumber
4 Celery stalks
2 Apples
6-8 Chard leaves
1/2 Lemon
1 in. Piece of ginger
Source: Joe Cross
Cleans Me Up
2 Red Apples
1 Lemon, peeled
4 Celery stalks
6 Carrots
1 Beet
3 Parsley stems
1 Cucumber
1 Ginger root – 2 inches
Source: Raw Food Diet Center
Anti-Oxidant Juice
1 Orange, peeled
1/2 Lemon, peeled
2 Carrots, large
Wedge of fresh Pineapple
1 Beet, small
Juice (preferably a cold-pressed juicer), serve as is or over ice and drink immediately.
Ginger Shot – about 2 oz. (is natural antihistamine/antibiotic) Have every day.
1/2 apple
1″ ginger
Source: Jason Vale
I have mentioned, in an earlier post, that juicing aided my healing of a chronic illness and that I used The Gerson Therapy. Below are their recipes for 8 oz. juices. You will need to play with the amounts of each ingredient to see which works best for you. If you are juicing to aid healing a chronic illness, I suggest you stick with the ingredients specified. If not, then you may add other ingredients to provide more variety. Suggestions are below these recipes.
It is best to consume these juices immediately to preserve the beneficial digestive enzymes that help to balance and increase good intestinal function. If that is not possible, then pour them into glass containers with tight fitting lids and fill so that there is no air in the containers. Carrot-Apple Juices can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 hours without losing the enzymes but you should drink Green Juices immediately.
Carrot-Apple Juice
1-3 Carrots (depending on size)
1/2 – 1 Apple (depending on size) Granny Smith or Fuji .
Cut into appropriate sizes for the type of juicer you are using and juice!
Green Juice
Any variety of lettuce except Iceberg
Any variety of Chard
Red Cabbage – 2 or 3 leaves
Beet Greens
Green Pepper – ¼
Watercress – 5 or 6 leaves
1/2 – 1 Apple, (depending on size) Granny Smith or Fuji
For both recipes above, cut into appropriate sizes for the type of juicer you are using and juice!
I continue to drink these two juices on a daily basis but to the Green Juice I usually add some lime, ginger, cucumber and celery and sometimes beet root.
To your health!
Please comment below on recipes that you have tried or your experiences with some mentioned here.