Juicing Tips
- Start with equal amounts of apple to vegetables until your taste buds adapt and you are relishing a ratio of 70-80% vegetables to 30-20% fruits.
- Beets have a strong earthy taste; they are a strong cleanser and are best used in moderation.
- Spinach when ground up is a strong laxative; a small handful is usually more than enough in any one serving.
- Similarly, use no more than a small loose handful of parsley per serving as it is very potent.
- Ginger is a warming spice that stimulates circulation. It reduces nausea and assists digestion as well as being an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. It enhances the healing actions of accompanying ingredients making it a popular addition to many juice recipes.
- Where possible, always use organic produce. Scrub your produce clean in a solution of 80% water to 20% white vinegar.
- Peel non-organic produce before juicing, especially apples, as they rank high among the most sprayed with pesticides.
- Allow fruits to ripen to ensure their sugars are completely formed. Unripe fruit can have an acid reaction in the body, whereas ripe fruit has an alkaline reaction.
- Dry leafy vegetables and herbs after washing, this way they will pass more easily through your juicer.
- Peel citrus fruits but retain as much of the white pith as possible.
- Clean your juicer right away when you are finished juicing. If you don’t have time then soak removable parts to avoid a tough cleaning job later on.
Apples are the only fruit to mix with vegetables, and carrot is the only vegetable to mix with fruits. Apples and carrot go great together and with just about everything else, which is why they are often used as a base to which anything else can be added.
- Chew your juice so that digestive enzymes in your mouth have time and opportunity to do their work.
- Carrot/apple juice is best taken right away, but can be stored for up to 72 hours. Refrigerate the juice in single serve size bottles, filled up to the top so there is no room for air. A small container is preferable to a larger one, as each time it is opened your juice will be further exposed to air and oxidation.
- Do not store green juices; they need to be consumed right away.
Juice Recipes
Apple, Carrot, Ginger
This basic recipe is my default juice. It is cleansing and nourishing to the liver and gallbladder, which is vital for improving general health and energy levels. Add a handful of leafy greens if you are feeling stressed to nourish your nervous system.
- 1 medium green apple
- 3 medium sized carrots
- ½ thumb of ginger
Apples are rich in Vitamins A and C, and in magnesium, iron and silicon, and are high in potassium, with small amounts of B1, B2, B3, B6 and biotin. Raw carrots contain all the vitamins and minerals the human body requires. They cleanse and nourish the liver and gallbladder, help to improve eyesight and skin elasticity.
Green Juice
- 1 green apple
- 3 celery stalks
- 2 – 3 kale leaves
- ¼ wedge of lemon, peeled
Celery is high in organic, water soluble sodium, which helps to maintain the fluidity of blood and lymph, digestive and other body fluids. It is rich in calcium, chlorine, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur. Kale packs a nutritious punch. It contains Vitamins A, C and K, plus most of the B vitamins, along with calcium, copper and iron. Like all leafy greens it nourishes the nervous system. Kale is also rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer nutrients.
Fennel, Carrot and Celery
If you like the taste of liquorice you will like adding fennel to your juices. Fennel stimulates the digestive processes while also having a calming effect. It can help to relieve stomach cramps, gas and bloating. Fennel bulb is about 90% water. It is high in sodium and is rich in potassium and iron.
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1 carrot
- 2 stalks of celery
You can substitute cucumber for celery. Cucumbers contain about 95% water and are rich in potassium, iron and magnesium, and high in silicon and fluorine. They benefit the gall bladder, liver and kidneys, and nourish the hair, teeth and nails.