Juicing is a healthy life choice many people make after learning all the benefits from making juice themselves at home.
The typical American diet is short on the nutrients, fiber and vitamins juicing produces and if you are looking to improve upon your diet, juicing is a great option.
Let's explore what health benefits you can get from a juicer and look at some tips you may need when you begin your juicing regimen.
There are many health benefits to a juicer.
Vegetable juices tend to make the body more alkaline and balance out the pH levels in the body.
Vegetable juices detoxify the liver and contain many vital nutrients.
Fruit juices contain antioxidants and are great sources of vitamin A, C and E.
They also contain phytonutrients all of which fight radicals in the body.
To prevent bacterial growth and to keep your juicer running efficiently, you must clean it after each use.
To do a decent job of cleaning a juicer, break it apart.
Wash delicate juicer parts by hand.
DO NOT run these parts through the dishwasher.
Wash promptly after juicing to avoid acid from juice attacking the metal parts of the machine.
Allow the parts to dry on a clean surface before reassembly.
Now let's talk of about the three basic types of juicers.
These are centrifugal juicers, citrus juicers and wheatgrass juicers.
We will talk a little about each including benefits and potential issues.
Centrifugal Juicers These are the workhorse juicers being able to take all but the harshest of vegetables and fruits when juicing.
Wattage and variable speeds are what you want here in order to get the most out of your equipment.
The better the motor is built, the longer your juicer will last and be durable and reliable.
The best type has a separate compartment for your pulp and allows you the benefit of maximum juice from your fruit and your vegetables.
A great centrifugal juicer is fun and easy to use and will get you hooked on creating your own juice both for the taste and because of the health benefits.
One of the issues you may have is trying to process softer fruit and veggies.
They do not do well in this type juicer and you would do well to process those in a food processor or blender.
Grassy and leafy vegetables also do not do well; those are better handled by a wheatgrass or masticating juicer.
Placing a plastic bag in the pulp container is a great tip that customers who have bought these type units recommend.
Citrus Juicers These are juice extractors.
They take juice from citrus base fruits and extract it into a container for drinking.
These are cheaper and less durable because the task they need to do does not require the horsepower of a centrifugal juicer.
It is perfect for smaller quantities of juice.
Cutting your fruits into smaller sections before placing them in the juicer is recommended.
Prompt cleaning is even more critical for these type units.
Wheatgrass Juicers These are made for leafy greens and are more of a grinding type piece of equipment.
You still must prepare your produce by chopping it into smaller pieces before juicing.
The action is much slower and patience is required by the user.
These units usually produce less juice so you will likely have to have sufficient volume of produce to get the amount of juice you are looking for.
Summary The juicing lifestyle isn't for everyone, but if you are looking to improve your health, juicing may be the answer.
There are tons of recipe books out there for the beginner and you can tailor it to your likes.
You will need to make a small investment in equipment and the recommendation is to start with a centrifugal juicer and then look to add a citrus and wheatgrass juicer when you can afford to do so.
Keep your unit clean by washing it after each use and maintain it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Juicing is a great lifestyle for the whole family and I suggest getting everyone in the family involved when you get your unit.
Have fun, live well and enjoy!