Juicing refers to the process of extracting juice from fresh vegetables and fruits like carrots. The solid matter is taken out leaving you with a liquid packed with vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. It aids in boosting the immune system, dieting, and extracting toxins from your body. Unlike juicing, the product gotten from blending is still equipped with pulp and fiber making it thick. Also, juicing utilizes a juicer whereas we blend using blenders. The juices segment currently has a growth rate of 5.6% due to the increased popularity of fresh juice. Unfortunately, most juices in our stores contain artificial sugars and additives that can be harmful to your health. This is why juicing at home is much safer and recommended. So, what do you need to get started with juicing at home? Let’s first look at some benefits of juicing.
Benefits of Juicing
Juicing provides you with an abundance of goodness. Plus, you can use a lower investment to start thanks to the many affordable juicer models on the market. Here is a list of key benefits that individuals enjoy due to juicing.
1. Improves Your Immune System
Fruits and vegetables are equipped with antioxidants. For example, consuming apple juice may improve your heart health because apples contain antioxidants that lower blood cholesterol.
2. Ease Digestion
Constipation is a common condition both in children and adults. The best remedy is consuming foods rich in fiber. Juicing greens and fruits allows your body to easily absorb fiber and water.
3. Better Sleep
Poor sleeping patterns mainly result from chemical imbalances. The imbalance can be caused by stress, poor eating habits, or illness. Daily intake of fresh juice containing vegetables like celery promotes chemical balance thus allowing you to sleep better.
Different Types of Juicers
There are different types of juicers; centrifugal force, masticating, twin gear, and celery juicers. Each has its unique specifications thus, it is important to have an in-depth understanding of each before making a purchase. This guide to juicing has that covered.
1. Centrifugal Juicer
It is the most common juicer, hence quite cheap. It contains a high-spinning metal blade that shreds produce at a speed of 6,000 to 14,000 RPM. The produce is shredded into fine juice and then released into a glass or a jug through a tap-like opening. Their strengths and weaknesses are as follows:
- They operate at a high speed. A centrifugal juicer will take you a short amount of time depending on your juicer recipes. They are quite convenient for people with a tight schedule who value a healthy diet. For instance: Fixing a breakfast smoothie will take less than 10 minutes.
- Consume Minimal SpaceCentrifugal juicers are built in an upright shape. They can fit into most positions on your kitchen counter and still leave space for other kitchen tools.
- Easy to Clean and UseUnlike other juices, centrifugal juicers are user-friendly. Operating them is more like a straightforward job and they are not complicated to clean. This makes them kitchen friendly.
- Quite NoisyThe speed at which these juicers operate makes them super noisy. It can be difficult to overlook this especially if you are more inclined to a quiet environment.
- Reduced Shelf Life of the JuiceDue to the high speed of the juicer, more oxidation takes place reducing the juice’s shelf life. Oxidation refers to the process that occurs when you leave a fruit exposed on the counter. Consuming juice that has been exposed to a lot of oxidation can be harmful to your health. The high-spinning process produces a lot of foam. This foam causes the juice to separate quickly which in turn makes it stay fresh only for a short while. If you choose to overlook their setbacks, they are a great choice for a juicer. Especially for people that consume their fresh juice immediately after juicing.
2. Masticating Juicer
Masticating juicers do not produce heat and are commonly referred to as cold pressers. They contain a screw that impersonates the chewing mechanism by mashing and chewing the produce into the juicer’s walls. The mash produced is then passed into the strainer where the juice is separated from the pulp. Below are their pros and cons:
- Longer Lasting JuiceLess foam is produced and less oxidation takes place when using a masticating juicer. The fresh juice produced is healthy for consumption and can be stored for a longer period.
- They are noiselessThese juicers operate at a reduced speed making them produce no noise. They are efficient to use in different environments.
- They are Tough to CleanMasticating juicers have a somewhat complex structure. This structure restricts you from quickly cleaning your juicer. The nutritional value of the juice obtained from this juicer is quite high. Therefore, if you are more inclined to consume healthier juice, a masticating juicer is your go-to juicer.
3. Twin Gear Juicer
As the name suggests, twin-gear juicers contain two gears. These gears pull the fruits and vegetables in, spin them and chew them. The produce is pushed through a sizable screen where the juice is extracted. You can also choose specific juicer brands specially made for certain fruits and vegetables. For instance, Citrus juicers are perfect for blending lemon, orange, and any type of citrus. This part of the guide to juicing covers their advantages and disadvantages:
- They are Quiet – Twin gear juicers that operate at a reasonable speed. This speed makes the gears produce no noise hence making them environmentally friendly.
- They are Multipurpose – These juicers can play other roles besides making fresh juice. They can be used to grind pasta and make baby food. This quality makes them suitable for use in home settings.
- They are Costly – Twin gear juicers have specifications that increase their market value. A budget for this particular juicer will surpass that of a centrifugal juicer or a masticating juicer. Twin gear juicers are a good choice and aid in successfully executing your juicer recipes.
4. Juice Press Juicer
They are commonly known as two-stage juicers because they involve two stages. The produce is first grounded to the pulp. The juice is then extracted once the pulp is pressed. The pros and cons of this juicer are as follows:
- Longest Shelf Life – There is no oxidation or foam produced when using this juicer. The juice produced can last up to five days without going bad. The nutritional value remains constant since there is no separation.
- It Produces the Highest Yield – Juicing some foods like leafy greens can be difficult. Their nutritional value is mainly lost within the juicing process. However, a juice press ensures that there is minimal wastage when juicing these foods. Related Content: Best green superfood powder.
- It’s the Most Expensive – Quality comes at a price. Acquiring this particular juicer will require you to spend more compared to what you would spend on the other juicers.
- Hard to Maintain – Juice presses need you to cater for the extra cost of reusable bags. These bags are to hold the pulp. Failing to factor this in may lead to you having a difficult time using and maintaining the juicer. Keep in mind that purchasing a juicer is only one part of the picture. Proper maintenance and your juicing recipes will be the key players in selecting a juicer.
What to Consider When Buying a Juicer?
This section of the guide to juicing will showcase the tips to consider when buying a juicer. Conducting in-depth research before getting yourself a juicer is important. Here is a list of things to bear in mind:
- Your budget
- The strength of the juicer
- The cleaning hassle
- The warranty of the juicer
- The amount of time taken to make the juice
- The yield of the juice
The above considerations will reduce the hassle of spending too much time in the decision-making process. Websites can provide the needed information or you can consult the personnel at the stores where you’re making your purchase.
Juicing for Detox and Weight Loss
Juicing is known to be an effective way of enhancing weight loss. The reason for this is that fruits and leafy greens have a low-calorie count but a high nutrient value. These nutrients are rich in toxins making your body do away with many of the present fat cells to create room for these toxins. The body constantly conducts a detox as part of its cleansing process. More toxins within the body result in a slower detoxification process leading to chemical imbalance. Juicing plays a part in catalyzing this process and restoring balance within the body. Here is a list of ingredients that are known to be good for detoxing and weight management:
- Kale
- Cucumber
- Green apples
- Lemons
- Turmeric
- Fresh ginger
- Celery
As you juice for weight loss, make sure your water intake is hiked as well to keep your body hydrated and your metabolism in check.
Juice Recipes for Weight Loss
Here are a few good recipes for detoxing and weight loss. However, don’t only take juices every day. Make a point of having a meal or three every day. When detoxing, most people go for days without eating much. This is okay but get back to eating heavy meals (with less fat, sugar or carbs) as soon as possible. Also, make a point of eating whole fruits in between your juice cleanses.
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Green Juice Recipe:This juice will help detox your liver and burn fat.
Ingredients:
- 2 collard green leaves
- Celery
- 1 Green Apple
- 1 Cucumber
- Freshly grated ginger
- Pineapple Slices
How to prepare the juice:
Wash all the ingredients thoroughly with clean water. Chop them into half-inch pieces for easy blending. You can pluck out pieces of collard greens with your fingers. Note that the number of ingredients you use will depend on how much juice you want to extract.
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Dump every ingredient into the blender except the pineapples. Add some water to the mixture to blend easily. Blend until light. Once the juice is ready, add pieces of the pineapple bit by bit. Blend as you taste to control the amount you use. Here, the pineapples will help give the juice a sweet taste.
Tropical Juice Recipe: This juice makes use of sweet fruits and milk but helps with weight loss.
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of ripe mango
- A cup of almond or coconut milk (unsweetened)
- A bowl of diced pineapples
- A bowl of diced papaya
Directions:You can switch up milk with water. For better consistency, you may opt to mix almond and coconut milk since coconut is a bit high in fat. Since it’s not a smoothie, you may opt out of using frozen fruits. The fruits used are very sweet so try and avoid adding sweeteners to the juice. If you must, then add a teaspoon of honey. Add them all together and blend until it’s well-refined.
Red Bloody Juice:This juice is mainly used to improve the flow of blood in your body. It offers iron, potassium, and some good vitamins.
Ingredients:
- Sliced beetroot
- Sliced carrots
- Sliced green apple
Directions:Add them to a juicer, add a glass of water and blend away!
Disclaimer: How to Store Juice for Longer
The best way to store your juice is in the fridge. Pour them into a mason jar or a bottle and air-tight close them. Remember that you haven’t used any preservatives, therefore, avoid storing the juice for more than a week. Fresh juices are healthier. As for the pulp, you can use them as compost for your plants.
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Handle Your Juicer with Care
Immediately after using your juicer, clean it up thoroughly. You can use warm water and white vinegar to clean the device. Store it in a cool dry place where it has zero access to dust. However, even with that effort, make sure to shake up some warm water right before using it. Consult a doctor in case you notice symptoms like fever, nausea, fatigue, and headaches. Especially if their onset comes after consuming fresh juice.