Juicing Questions!

nichole325

Hi All-

So I recently won a contest at my gym where I won a free Hamilton Beach Juicer (as well as other prizes).

My question to everyone is, got any kick *kitten* recipes you want to share?! LOL

Also, do you ONLY buy organic produce? Can someone tell me the difference (nutritionally) between eating the veggies or drinking the veggie juice? And lastly, do you peel your veggies? I peeled my carrots, cucumber, orange, I'm just wondering if that's normal.

I'd appreciate any feedback!

nichole325

bumppp...come one, no1 out there juices?? LOL

Firefox7275

Did you run a search and check the Recipes board?

akern1987

I've juiced before, here is my advice:

*add a peice of fruit or two to your juice for some extra sweetness (i like using apples and strawberries, but whatever you like)
*lots of green veggies, kale, spinach, collards, just make sure you rinse them thouroughly.
*avoid avocado, bannans, or anything else soft, as it will create more of a paste then a juice
*there is really no difference between organic and regular, especially since your just juicing it.
*Beats are amazing, but they will turn your juicer pink, so if it's white, be careful!
*Juicing is great because you can throw veggies in that you wouldnt eat ordinarily and you are still getting those nutrients without the icky taste (I for example do not like peppers or onions, but juicing them with a mix of other veggies and a bit of friuit masks the flavor entirely)
*It's better to juice veggies because you can get a lot more nutirition value, and you wont make yourself as full. Eating veggies is great, but how often do you eat veggies without cooking them, or putting something (like oil or butter) on them, also, when you cook veggies, they lose some of that nutritional value.

Hope this helps,
happy juicing!

ripemango

i recently looked into juicing.

from what i researched (and this makes sense) the main diff btwn eating raw vegs and juicing is that juicing removes the pulp, fiber - that full feeling you would normally get from eating them.

alasouthern

I recently started juicing too! I would suggest peeling any citrus fruit and taking out any pits. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way with cherries. I buy usually get the produce available in my local grocery store and farmer's market. If it's organic, great! If not, I still buy them. My hubby and I started off with recipes from www.jointhereboot.com. My husband like carrot apple juice (3 Carrots, 2 Apples, and piece of ginger). I prefer the mean green (6 Kale Leaves, 1 Cucumber, 4 Celery Stalks, 2 Green Apples, 1/2 Lemon, 1 piece of ginger). I omitted the ginger for a whole lemon just b/c I prefer lemon to ginger.

rjneeley

I juice quite often and love it. You asked why juice and not just eat all those terrific veggies? You can't do it. You throw together a juice of cucumber, celery, apples, carrots, greens, etc, and you get a nice tall glass full of juice. Try to sit down and eat all of that and it's next to impossible (plus you'd likely lose interest by the time you're half done).

I don't peel anything I juice except citrus fruits and pineapple. A good juice should take care of all that peel and core for you. Pits have to come out though, like peach pits and cherry pits. Apples can go in whole if you've got a wide enough juicer, or you can quarter them.

My basic standard green juice starts with one cucumber, 2-3 stalks of celery, 2 carrots (or a handful of baby carrots), and an apple. To that I add whatever else I'm in the mood for -- kale, spinach, pear, etc.

My basic fruit juice starts with oranges or tangerines -- 3-4 small or 1-2 large, 1 1" slice of pineapple, and an apple. I juice that, then pour the juice into a blender, add ice, protein powder, strawberries, chia seeds, goji berries, etc and it makes a wonderful smoothie.

As for regular produce vs. organic, here's my take. If I can buy it organic, I do. If my store doesn't carry it, I get the regular. I prefer organic, actually prefer local from a farmer I know well, but if all I can get is grocery store produce, it's better than nothing at all.

Hope this helps!

nichole325

I juice quite often and love it. You asked why juice and not just eat all those terrific veggies? You can't do it. You throw together a juice of cucumber, celery, apples, carrots, greens, etc, and you get a nice tall glass full of juice. Try to sit down and eat all of that and it's next to impossible (plus you'd likely lose interest by the time you're half done).

I don't peel anything I juice except citrus fruits and pineapple. A good juice should take care of all that peel and core for you. Pits have to come out though, like peach pits and cherry pits. Apples can go in whole if you've got a wide enough juicer, or you can quarter them.

My basic standard green juice starts with one cucumber, 2-3 stalks of celery, 2 carrots (or a handful of baby carrots), and an apple. To that I add whatever else I'm in the mood for -- kale, spinach, pear, etc.

My basic fruit juice starts with oranges or tangerines -- 3-4 small or 1-2 large, 1 1" slice of pineapple, and an apple. I juice that, then pour the juice into a blender, add ice, protein powder, strawberries, chia seeds, goji berries, etc and it makes a wonderful smoothie.

As for regular produce vs. organic, here's my take. If I can buy it organic, I do. If my store doesn't carry it, I get the regular. I prefer organic, actually prefer local from a farmer I know well, but if all I can get is grocery store produce, it's better than nothing at all.

Hope this helps!

Thanks! That is helpful! I've read that some people add in some of the pulp to get back some fiber- do you do that at all?

k0pir

Hi All-

So I recently won a contest at my gym where I won a free Hamilton Beach Juicer (as well as other prizes).

My question to everyone is, got any kick *kitten* recipes you want to share?! LOL

Also, do you ONLY buy organic produce? Can someone tell me the difference (nutritionally) between eating the veggies or drinking the veggie juice? And lastly, do you peel your veggies? I peeled my carrots, cucumber, orange, I'm just wondering if that's normal.

I'd appreciate any feedback!

Hi Nichole,
Congratulations, that's great. I juice a lot and it does wonders for my health. I buy organic when I can (seasonal thing here) and don't worry about t too much. Wash everything good. You can use sea salt or food grade hydrogen peroxide. When you juice it concentrates the nutrients and eliminates the fiber. We need fiber, so I eat lightly steamed veggies and whole fruit. I peel grapefruit, oranges, lemons and cucumbers (waxed). I don't think I peel anything else.

Juicing is fantastic and I'm happy to see more and more people doing it. Have fun and Juice On!

jskev1993

Might sound gross to you as it did to me at first but it tastes much better than it sounds

if you take protein shakes and have a blender or some sort of blending equipment then try adding some organic peanut butter to the shake sounds bad i know but organic has less fat and no sugar and tastes better when mixed with powder and water I thought it was going to be nasty but its quite delicious!!!!! I have loads of other protein recipes if you want just ask

rjneeley

"Thanks! That is helpful! I've read that some people add in some of the pulp to get back some fiber- do you do that at all?"

No, I don't add anything back -- I'm more of a less is better on the pulp type person actually! I also eat a lot of fruit and vegetables during the day as well as juicing so I think I do OK on the fiber side of things. I have read where people use the pulp in recipes, but I've not ventured into that yet myself.

So have you juiced anything yet?

IronSmasher

So is juicing for weight gain then, with all that fibre avoiding and greatly increasing the amount of natural sugar you can eat in one sitting?

evileen99

It's more nutritious to eat the food than it is to just drink the juice. More filling, too.

jenhowse1

I juice quite often and love it. You asked why juice and not just eat all those terrific veggies? You can't do it. You throw together a juice of cucumber, celery, apples, carrots, greens, etc, and you get a nice tall glass full of juice. Try to sit down and eat all of that and it's next to impossible (plus you'd likely lose interest by the time you're half done).

Course you can eat it. I manage it every day. Its not hard. I'd rather munch through a plate of veg that have a glass of juice minus all the fibre.
I

gsbrooks1

Juicing is fun I guess becuase its something totally different. I use Kale(is a must) cucumber, granny smith apples, carrots, spinach(another must) celery( becareful celery is very strong juice and can overpower everything else but good for body) Cucumbers( excellent for hyration and cleanse). Thats your basic Mean Green.

amysj303

I don't know if I think of it as "juicing" but I like to make a smoothie with half a frozen banana, frozen blueberries and almond milk.

FullOfWin

First, make an account on ebay

wjrapp

I've been juicing for close to a year now. I do it primarily for the health benefits....weight loss is a bonus. A year and a half ago, I was having to take 3 pills a day for high bp, 1 pill a day for high cholestrol (hererity, not by diet) and 1 pill a day for arthritis and was borderline diabetic.

Now, I take none of those pills and feel 10 times better and keep looking for other resourses to 'feed my body' the foods it needs to do what it needs to do to keep me at my best health in 20 yrs. Even my doctor was amazed.

It really works...if getting healthy, dropping weight and maybe getting off pills is what you wish to achomplish..... it's not for everyone and I don't do exclusively. Once or twice a day, 5-7 times a day and I eat regular meals too...nothing proessed.

Here's some info about the enzymes....

The fresh juices deliver not only important nutrients but also enzymes. Enzymes are your body's work force. Acting as catalysts in hundreds of thousands of chemical reactions that take place throughout the body, enzymes are essential for digestion and absorption of food, for conversion of food stuffs into body tissue, and for the production of energy at the cellular level. In fact, enzymes are critical for most of the metabolic activities taking place in your body every second of every day.

Fresh juices are a tremendous source of enzymes. In fact, the "freshness" of juice is one of their key features, because enzymes are destroyed by heat. When you eat cooked foods, whether its meal, grains, fruits, or vegetables, if the food is cooked at temperatures above 114 degrees, the enzymes have been destroyed by the heat. Since fruits and vegetables are juiced raw, the enzymes are still viable when you drink the juice.

Coincidentally, many of the phytochemicals that nutritional researchers are focusing their attention on are either enzymes, or more often, they are substances that help build or activate enzymes that play essential roles in protecting cells from damage.

In addition, fruit and vegetable juices are good sources of the traditional nutrients. Citrus fruits (grapefruit, oranges, etc.) provide healthy portions of vitamin C. Carrot juice contains large quantities of vitamin A, in the form of beta carotene. A number of green juices are a good source of vitamin E. Fruit juices are a good source of essential minerals like iron, copper, potassium, sodium, iodine, and magnesium, which are bound by the plant in a form that is most easily assimilated during digestion.

Plus, since juicing removes the indigestible fiber, these nutrients are available to the body in much larger quantities than if the piece of fruit or vegetable was eaten whole. For example, because many of the nutrients are trapped in the fiber, when you eat a raw carrot, you are only able to assimilate about 1% of the available beta carotene. When a carrot is juiced, removing the fiber, nearly 100% of the beta carotene can be assimilated.

Finally, fruits and vegetables provide one more substance that is absolutely essential for good health - water. More than 65% of most of the cells in the human body are made of water, and in some tissues, for example the brain, the cells can be made up of as much as 80% water. Water is absolutely essential for good health, yet most people don't consume enough water each day. Plus, many of the fluids we do drink, coffee, tea, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and artificially flavored drinks each contain substances that require extra water for your body to eliminate. Fruit and vegetable juices are free of these unneeded substances and are full of pure, clean water.

Happy juicing!!! :drinker:

IronSmasher

I don't know if I think of it as "juicing" but I like to make a smoothie with half a frozen banana, frozen blueberries and almond milk.

It's not, you have to throw most of the banana and berries away.

mkhalgat

My favorite is 2-4 oranges depending on size, 2 handfuls kale or spinach, 5 large carrots, 1 handful blueberries, and a sliver of ginger. It make about 3 big glasses of juice and holds its flavor really well for two or three days chilled.

DavPul

Did you run a search and check the Recipes board?

Stop this crazy talk

raegan1215

i love my juicer! i don't juice fast or replace meals with juice though - i just think it tastes great and makes me feel wonderful. i like being able to use up all the leftover fruits and veggies from my week in one easy drink. i do buy organic but that's just personal preference. there are tons of juice recipes online but have fun with it! as a lifelong vegetarian, i'm always open to any new fruit or veggie recipe so i sometimes get wacky with my combinations...here are some basic ones:

my husband love fresh citrus juice in the morning (1 lemon, 1 grapefruit and 3 oranges)

another favorite - a butternut squash (peeled and de-seeded!) an apple and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.

berries and apples. sometimes i throw in a pear if i have one laying around. or kiwis.

two cucumbers (peeled) with an apple and a lemon. one of my all time favorites especially in the summer - it's very light and refreshing and comes out in pretty colored layers.

watch the calories on fruit drinks though - they can add up quickly.

ps - make sure you clean your juicer immediately after using it!

good luck and have fun!

lkherna

I juice almost every morning when I have time... It takes about 15 mins to prep, juice, and clean the machine so I would keep that in mind. I will usually grab 3-4 carrots, 3-4 stalks of celery, cucumber... beet if I have it... and an apple. I will randomly add in vegetables that I have in the fridge too. I do not use organic exclusively but if it looks better in the store then I will pay the extra money. I have found that when I have juice I don't need coffee which is weird since I love coffee! It seems to give me enough energy to get through the day so I don't question it!

A very good video to watch (on Netflix and Hulu) is Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It was the reason I bought my juicer in the first place! Though I don't fast... tried it for one day and I thought I would go crazy if I didn't chew on something soon!

Cassi_Eats_Apples

I want to get a juicer so I can consume veggies that I don't really like and get the nutrients from them. I have low iron and low vitamin d, and I would rather start juicing then taking the supplements. I've also read that its good for people with IBS who have a hard time digesting the all the greens.

Cassi_Eats_Apples

I juice almost every morning when I have time... It takes about 15 mins to prep, juice, and clean the machine so I would keep that in mind. I will usually grab 3-4 carrots, 3-4 stalks of celery, cucumber... beet if I have it... and an apple. I will randomly add in vegetables that I have in the fridge too. I do not use organic exclusively but if it looks better in the store then I will pay the extra money. I have found that when I have juice I don't need coffee which is weird since I love coffee! It seems to give me enough energy to get through the day so I don't question it!

A very good video to watch (on Netflix and Hulu) is Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It was the reason I bought my juicer in the first place! Though I don't fast... tried it for one day and I thought I would go crazy if I didn't chew on something soon!

I loved Fat Sick and Nearly Dead.

time2shine29

My go to for juicing is half veggies, half fruit if you like the sweeter taste, which my husband and I do.

Our go to is apples, celery, and carrots. We make about 20 ounces of this most nights and eat it with lean protein to feel fuller. You can also substitute pears for the apples or make it all together! Hope you have fun and enjoy it as much as we do!

NeverGivesUp

add a sliver of ginger and lemon or lime to every juice. I add fruit to the veggie juices to make them more tasty and veggies to the fruit ones to calm down the sugar. Juicing has changed my life in so many ways. I believe myself to be the healthiest I have ever been. It is great for my kids too and helps them get their 6 a day in. I believe too many people eat too few fruits and veggies. The great thing about juicing is that you have soooo many different vitamins packed into one juice as opposed to eating just one pear. Plus you can juice so many things that you would not normally eat It also helps broaden your horizons. There are soooo many yummy fruits and veggies out there. Getting the ones in season can be divine. Experiment and find things you love. I absolutely loooove adding cinnamon to the morning juice. The veggies I add to my fruit juice are usually carrots and cucumber. mmmm

SouthGippyGirl

Join the MFP Group "Be Juicy". We can help!