Juicing is a relatively new diet trend that focuses on juicing fruits and vegetables and using the juice as a meal replacement or dietary supplement. Juicing has several health benefits, including weight loss and increased intake of vitamins and minerals. Plus, juicing is an easy and delicious way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Following a juicing-based diet may lead to weight loss, especially when combined with physical activity. Follow the steps in below to develop a safe and balanced juicing plan.
Start A Juicing Plan
1. Pick A Juicer
The basic tool for following a juicing diet is a juicer. You can buy a cold-press juicer or a juice extractor. Juicers vary widely in price and come in a variety of sizes.
- Cold-press juicers are usually more expensive. They extract the juice by slowly crushing and mashing fruits and vegetables. The advantage of this type of juicer is that they usually leave more pulp in the juice. Pulp comes from the skin and other fibrous parts of a fruit or vegetable and can add a little fiber to the juice. The downside of these juicers is that they can easily get clogged with harder fruit or vegetables.
- A juicer extractor separates the juice from the pulp and passes the juice through a strainer so that no pulp remains. All fruits and vegetables should be cleaned and the peeled as they can clog the machine. The downside of a juicer is that it can be difficult to clean.
- Also consider purchasing a blender. Blenders also vary in size and price and allow you to process whole fruits or vegetables. Unlike a juicer, a blender lets you eat the whole fruit -- including the fibrous pulp and peel. If your juice gets too thick, add water to thin it to your desired consistency.
2. Buy Fresh 100% Juice
Many juicers are expensive and not in everyone's budget. If you're still interested in the juicing diet, try buying fresh 100% fruit juice instead of making your own.
- Do not buy frozen fruit juice concentrate or juice cocktails. These types of juices are often loaded with unhealthy sugar, flavoring and preservatives.
- Other than grocery stores, there are also a few juice bars and markets that sell a variety of freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices. You can purchase a single serving or large quantities.
3. Shop For Various Fruits And Vegetables
Another essential element of following a juicing diet is to have a variety of fruits and vegetables on hand. Buying both fresh and frozen items will give your juices more flexibility and variety.
- Generally, your juice should be ⅔ vegetables and ⅓ fruit. Fruit is often high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar spikes.
- Purchasing frozen fruit or vegetables allows you to stock up on items that may go out of season. Plus, you can use small portions of frozen treats all at once without worrying about them going bad.
4. Prepare Sample Juices
Before buying a lot of fruits and vegetables, try making a few different blends. This will prevent you from wasting something you might not like as juice.
- When you purchase a juicer or blender, the company will provide you with a small cookbook for you to use. This is a great place to get recipe ideas quickly.
- Make sure to wash all fruits and vegetables first. This is especially important when you are mixing the skin/peel into your drink.
- Follow your juicer's instruction manual. Most people recommend adding delicate foods first (like leafy vegetables), followed by softer foods (like bananas or tomatoes), and firm foods (like carrots or apples) last.
5. Only Prepare 1-2 Servings Of Fresh Juice At A Time
Fresh-squeezed or processed juices are more susceptible to harmful bacteria that can make you sick.
- Prepare juice for the day at a time. Store all juice in an airtight container for no longer than 24 hours.
- Make sure to store all freshly processed juices in the fridge keeping them within acceptable temperatures below 40°F
- Purchase small, air-tight water bottles or mason jars to help you store smaller quantities of juice safely in the refrigerator. Mason jars also make a great on-the-go container.
To Be Continued…