How to Use a Juice Extractor
Juicing Tips, Recipes and Care for Your Juice Machine
Juicing fresh fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to get the live enzymes, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients essential for health in one convenient and tasty glass. There are countless juice extractors out there on the market, some with some pretty hefty price tags. How do you choose the best one for you, and better yet, how and what should you juice?
How to Choose a Juice Extractor
First, when choosing a juice extractor there are certain things to consider, one of them being price. Juice extractors can range anywhere from the very high-end hydraulic press juice extractor, which can cost around $2000, to about $20 on the very low end. The reason for such a difference in price is that the hydraulic press juice machine supposedly will extract the most nutrition from your produce. This is true to a point; a $2000 juice machine will indeed extract more nutrition than a $20 model, but do you really need to spend that much money to get an effective juicer? Actually, you can probably find a very good model for around $100, which is very much worth the money, considering the countless health benefits. Spending anything less most likely won’t extract very much juice, and will leave some of it behind in the hopper with the pulp.
A few other things to consider: Does it have a large intake chute? Oftentimes people will overlook this important feature, which could mean an endless amount of chopping and prep work prior to juicing. A good width for an intake chute is around three inches, as it allows for large chunks of food, even whole smaller apples, and means less (or no) chopping for you.
Some juicers are nearly as loud as lawnmowers, nearly requiring hearing protection to be in the same room with them! Look for a juice extractor that indicates it has a quiet motor on the box. This comes in handy when you have a sleeping spouse or kids and want to start your day with a glass of fresh vegetable and fruit juice. And it’s better on your nerves, too!
Tips for Juicing
When it comes to the task of actually doing the juicing, there are certain things to note. Since many important nutrients are located in the peel of most fruits and vegetables, it is important to leave them intact, whenever possible. Wash them thoroughly with soap and warm water, and scrub if possible, being sure to rinse thoroughly. Organic produce obviously won’t have the pesticide residue that other produce may have, so it’s not quite as imperative to wash organic produce as thoroughly. Certain foods, like citrus fruits, must be peeled before juicing, as the bitter rind will cause the juice to be very unpalatable. Once the fruits and vegetables have been washed, let the juicing begin! There really is no right or wrong way to juice, but there are a few things to note that will make juicing easier and more nutritious.
If you or your children shy away from the taste of vegetables, try adding a sweet apple or a handful of grapes. This will make any vegetable taste sweet and delicious. If your children shy away from the color of juiced vegetables, try pouring the juice into a dark-colored glass to camouflage the color.
If you are juicing a combination of hard and soft foods, juice the soft foods first, then use the harder foods to push the remnants through. And if you want to make a smoothie using bananas, juice your other fruits first, and then mash the banana and add separately. As hard as you will try, bananas simply will not go properly through a juicer!
In order to get the full health benefits of the fresh juice, it is important to drink the juice within a few minutes of juicing, when the live enzymes are still living. Juicing is the perfect thing to do before heading off to work or school, as it provides a nice, natural boost of energy that will last for hours, and helps you to feel full until your next meal.
The pulp left over in the hopper - don’t throw it away! It can be used to add texture to smoothies and soups. Carrot pulp can be used for carrot cake, bread or muffins, without having to spend time shredding carrots. Sneak some of the nutritious pulp into meals. The kids won’t know they’re getting added fiber and vitamins - but you will!
Tasty Juice Recipes
To rid the body of toxins, try juicing 3 carrots with a beet with the beet tops and a cucumber. The sweetness from the carrot and beet make this delicious and refreshing and will help to flush toxins from the system.
To calm the stomach try juicing a tomato, a large wedge of green cabbage and 2 stalks of celery. This is good for ulcers, too.
For a delicious and refreshing summer drink try juicing watermelon with the rind. The rind contains many nutrients - just make sure you wash thoroughly prior to juicing. This one is a major hit with kids and adults alike, and besides being delicious, watermelon has lots of lycopene.
Proper Care of Your Juice Extractor
The juicer should be cleaned immediately after drinking the juice, to avoid trying to clean stuck-on bits of fruits and vegetables later on. Once the water from the fruits and veggies dries, it creates a stuck-on mess that is difficult to remove, so it is strongly recommended to clean the juicer right away. The parts can be easily rinsed with water, and the juicing screen scrubbed with a stiff brush. Usually the juicer will come with one of these.
When you juice fresh fruits and vegetables you are giving your body vital nutrients and live enzymes in a convenient and tasty glass. Making the decision to juice for you and your family is something that can start you on the road to increased immune strength, more energy, and overall well-being. Just follow these easy tips and you will be juicing like a pro in no time!
Fruits and Veggies Just Waiting to Be Juiced
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