Juicing

[Carlybee]

I got a juicer for Christmas and have recently started juicing. I belong to an organic produce co-op so I get fresh, local greens and fruit on a weekly basis.

My thoughts so far:

Cons:

It takes a LOT of fruit..less veggies because you don't use as much.
It's time consuming and messy. I spend a lot of time cleaning the kitchen.
I never know what to do with all the bananas I get so I end up freezing them and making smoothies..
I don't care for them in juice.


Pros:

It tastes awesome and gives you almost an immediate energy boost
It stores well in Mason jars so you can keep it a few days instead of using it right away.
It fills you up so works well in between meals or in addition to a light meal.
It's super healthy and depending on what you use helps detox your liver.


Example of a typical juice we make contains

Apples
Oranges
Pears
Carrots
Celery (not much or it's too strong)
Beets and beet greens (I love it with beets..it contains uber amounts of anti-oxidants and it tastes yummy)

Sometimes I use spinach and kale instead of beets for a green colored juice.
You can also add a bit of lemon, lime or ginger.

I am not to the point where the majority of my diet comes from raw produce (nor do I particularly want to) but I do try to have 50% of my diet come from juice and salads.

[jmdrake]

What brand of juicer did you get?

[heavenlyboy34]

juicing tends to separate the fiber out, so you wind up with the least good part of the fruit-liquid fructose with some nutrients. If your juicer doesn't strain out much fiber though, it should be fine. Industrial juicers like Trader Joe's producers usually use leave most of the fiber in. I wonder if Joe Average consumer can do that...

[tod evans]

Can't resist....

[Carlybee]

What brand of juicer did you get?

Breville

[Carlybee]

juicing tends to separate the fiber out, so you wind up with the least good part of the fruit-liquid fructose with some nutrients. If your juicer doesn't strain out much fiber though, it should be fine. Industrial juicers like Trader Joe's producers usually use leave most of the fiber in. I wonder if Joe Average consumer can do that...

We add some of the fiber back in

[Carlybee]

Can't resist....

We have a Ninja blender too

[QuickZ06]

Drugs are bad mmmkay. Carlybee you should not use steroids....

[Carlybee]

Drugs are bad mmmkay. Carlybee you should not use steroids....

Haha

[brooks009]

I juice also. I love it. I try to drink juice during the day then eat a normal dinner.

[trey4sports]

ive been making green juice for over a year now. Make it about 5 times a week. I can do the whole thing in less than 30 minutes. Best decision I ever made. I use a masticating juicer that uses all plastic parts so clean up is a breeze. I juice pretty much soley for the nutrients and don't add any fruit because there is too much sugar for me. I usually use about 8 oz leafy green (kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, etc) and 3 sticks of celery along with a handful of colorful peppers or carrots or something very colorful.

[KerriAnn]

My husband and I have been juicing for about 4 months now. My first juicer was a centrifugal Breville. It's very easy to use and easy to clean up too. I started doing some research and learned that the masticating juicers get more nutrients out of the fruits and veggies, and also leave a little pulp (fiber), which is a good thing.
So a few months ago i bought a Z-star manual masticating juicer. It works much better on leafy greens, but you have to cut up hard fruits and veggies into smaller pieces before juicing them. Takes a little longer, but it's easier to clean and the juice lasts longer in the fridge (about two days).

I juice mostly carrots, apples, kale, oranges, celery, ginger, spinach, and pears. I just throw whatever I have on hand into it, I don't follow any recipes.

All in all, I love juicing. I have noticed a huge difference in my energy levels, and my skin and hair is healthier too. My husband has probably noticed the biggest difference, as he was experiencing some minor health problems before he started juicing (such as random bouts of nausea and dizziness). He is also doing coffee enemas, which I am not brave enough to try yet!

We watched an excellent documentary about Charlotte Gerson and the Gerson Therapy, which really motivated us to stick with the juicing.

I also did a one week juice detox. I ate no food for one week, just juice and water. I lost about 1 pound a day, and it really wasn't all that difficult. The first two days I did have some cravings, but it wasn't bad at all. I felt amazing during and after the detox. I am going to do another one soon.

[heavenlyboy34]

We add some of the fiber back in

The more the better! Fiber effectively counters the insulin-spike (which makes you fat and/or tired) caused by the fructose in fruit.

[donnay]

The more the better! Fiber effectively counters the insulin-spike (which makes you fat and/or tired) caused by the fructose in fruit.

Organic Psyllium is great to add.

[Carlybee]

ive been making green juice for over a year now. Make it about 5 times a week. I can do the whole thing in less than 30 minutes. Best decision I ever made. I use a masticating juicer that uses all plastic parts so clean up is a breeze. I juice pretty much soley for the nutrients and don't add any fruit because there is too much sugar for me. I usually use about 8 oz leafy green (kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, etc) and 3 sticks of celery along with a handful of colorful peppers or carrots or something very colorful.

I use fruit because I dislike the taste of veggies by themselves but yeah it's a lot of fructose.

[Carlybee]

The more the better! Fiber effectively counters the insulin-spike (which makes you fat and/or tired) caused by the fructose in fruit.

Yep we try to leave some in plus I make a lot of salads to boot because I get so much greens in my co-op share. I made a huge spinach salad tonight with kale, celery, carrots, green onions, avocados, and we use hormone free chicken. I make a salad dressing in the blender that uses greek yogurt for a base with a bunch of cilantro. I have been trying not to eat much bread or starch so have to get most of my fiber from the produce. (and still far from perfect because I usually crave a cheeseburger at least once a week.)

[anaconda]

I use fruit because I dislike the taste of veggies by themselves but yeah it's a lot of fructose.

Making smoothies instead of juice is something to consider if you're using mostly fruits (Blendtec and Vitamix are great. A lot of people find the Nutribullet acceptable and extremely convenient to use and clean. Don't confuse Nutribullet and Magic Bullet. Nutribullet is much more powerful than Magic Bullet).

[Carlybee]

Making smoothies instead of juice is something to consider if you're using mostly fruits (Blendtec and Vitamix are great. A lot of people find the Nutribullet acceptable and extremely convenient to use and clean. Don't confuse Nutribullet and Magic Bullet. Nutribullet is much more powerful than Magic Bullet).

Well we have a juicer and a blender..not sure I can take any more kitchen appliances at this point lol but at some point I may want to try something easier. I made some banana smoothies the other day with coconut milk.

[anaconda]

I make a salad dressing in the blender that uses greek yogurt for a base with a bunch of cilantro.

May I ask if there are additional ingredients? Or is it yogurt and cilantro exclusively? I tried making an emulsion with egg, lemon juice, garlic, and coconut oil recently but I failed. It sort of solidified but was in pieces. It looked like spoiled milk had curdled into lumps. A real mess. I've been looking for some kind of alternative to processed oils for salad dressing. Trying to avoid the harmful Omega 6 overload.

[Carlybee]

May I ask if there are additional ingredients? Or is it yogurt and cilantro exclusively? I tried making an emulsion with egg, lemon juice, garlic, and coconut oil recently but I failed. It sort of solidified but was in pieces. It looked like spoiled milk had curdled into lumps. A real mess. I've been looking for some kind of far alternative to processed oils for salad dressing. Trying to avoid the harmful Omega 6 overload.

Yes I use mayo but would like to find some alternative myself. This is the basic recipe which you could probably tweak somewhat. I tripled it today when I made it.
Coconut oil will solidify once it sits for a while so probably not a good idea.

Avocado Cilantro Lime dressing:

1 lg ripe avocado
1 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup real mayo
1/4 cup buttermilk or half n half (you can skip this but it does dilute it down some for pouring)
1 cup cilantro
juice from 1 lime
1/4 pepper of your choice (I use habanero)
5 or 6 green onions chopped
2 tsp vinegar..white or balsamic..your choice
1/2 tsp olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth

[anaconda]

ive been making green juice for over a year now. Make it about 5 times a week. I can do the whole thing in less than 30 minutes. Best decision I ever made. I use a masticating juicer that uses all plastic parts so clean up is a breeze. I juice pretty much soley for the nutrients and don't add any fruit because there is too much sugar for me. I usually use about 8 oz leafy green (kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, etc) and 3 sticks of celery along with a handful of colorful peppers or carrots or something very colorful.

Which juicer are you using?

I have been trying to muscle up to the Joe Cross Mean Green recipe. It is hard to put into words or sufficiently emphasize how objectionable I find the taste of green juice. I have had some improvement by increasing the cucumber and celery and reducing the kale. But I'm pretty discouraged. I may just have to tough it out and get used to it. I understand that taste buds can evolve from hating green juice to very much liking it. Did you like the taste initially? Has it evolved for you.

[anaconda]

Yes I use mayo but would like to find some alternative myself. This is the basic recipe which you could probably tweak somewhat. I tripled it today when I made it.
Coconut oil will solidify once it sits for a while so probably not a good idea.

Avocado Cilantro Lime dressing:

1 lg ripe avocado
1 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup real mayo
1/4 cup buttermilk or half n half (you can skip this but it does dilute it down some for pouring)
1 cup cilantro
juice from 1 lime
1/4 pepper of your choice (I use habanero)
5 or 6 green onions chopped
2 tsp vinegar..white or balsamic..your choice
1/2 tsp olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth

Thanks for the recipe. Yes, mayo is a problem. Almost all mayo uses soybean oil, which is one of the worst offenders of out-of-control Omega 6 (highly inflammatory). Plus I assume most all of the soybean oil is from GMO soybeans. And the mayos at the grocery that advertize olive oil on the label also include canola oil and other bad stuff like modified food starch. Olive oil has much less Omega 6 than soybean oil, but it still has about 1.4 grams per tablespoon, which is pretty high. So even olive oil is not considered a great solution to Omega 6 avoidance. Having said that, unlike my epic failure trying to make an emulsion with coconut oil, I was highly successful making a mayonnaise-like emulsion using olive oil in my food processor. I copied the lady in the following video (leave out the garlic for for mayo. Also, I used a light olive oil instead of her canola, and it worked fine. Mine came out looking just like hers. Adding the oil very slowly is apparently quite crucial):

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Which juicer are you using?

I have been trying to muscle up to the Joe Cross Mean Green recipe. It is hard to put into words or sufficiently emphasize how objectionable I find the taste of green juice. I have had some improvement by increasing the cucumber and celery and reducing the kale. But I'm pretty discouraged. I may just have to tough it out and get used to it. I understand that taste buds can evolve from hating green juice to very much liking it. Did you like the taste initially? Has it evolved for you.

I eat all raw. My taste buds have significantly changed. I grow my own kale, romaine, looseleaf, etc. and it couldn't be better. I juice once in awhile, but usually use one of the hand citrus things. Smoothies are pretty good in a blender.

Lemon juice is not sour at all. I won't go as far as saying it's sweet, but it does taste great. Granny Smiths are sweet. I can't tolerate relatively recent hybrids like Fuji, Jazz, New Zealand, Braeburn, and others. Same with many oranges. Grapefruit is just about right, but getter sweeter!

Just keep at it. It takes time.

Edit: I used to drink wheatgrass. People advise no more than two shots. I once drank four shots. Almost vomited. Haven't had it for 7 years. I am almost ready, but not quite!

[anaconda]

I eat all raw. My taste buds have significantly changed. I grow my own kale, romaine, looseleaf, etc. and it couldn't be better. I juice once in awhile, but usually use one of the hand citrus things. Smoothies are pretty good in a blender.

Lemon juice is not sour at all. I won't go as far as saying it's sweet, but it does taste great. Granny Smiths are sweet. I can't tolerate relatively recent hybrids like Fuji, Jazz, New Zealand, Braeburn, and others. Same with many oranges. Grapefruit is just about right, but getter sweeter!

Just keep at it. It takes time.

Edit: I used to drink wheatgrass. People advise no more than two shots. I once drank four shots. Almost vomited. Haven't had it for 7 years. I am almost ready, but not quite!

Wow! 100% raw? I love greens and many vegetables. But greens in the juice form taste really vile to me. Do you dress your greens with anything?

[Carlybee]

Thanks for the recipe. Yes, mayo is a problem. Almost all mayo uses soybean oil, which is one of the worst offenders of out-of-control Omega 6 (highly inflammatory). Plus I assume most all of the soybean oil is from GMO soybeans. And the mayos at the grocery that advertize olive oil on the label also include canola oil and other bad stuff like modified food starch. Olive oil has much less Omega 6 than soybean oil, but it still has about 1.4 grams per tablespoon, which is pretty high. So even olive oil is not considered a great solution to Omega 6 avoidance. Having said that, unlike my epic failure trying to make an emulsion with coconut oil, I was highly successful making a mayonnaise-like emulsion using olive oil in my food processor. I copied the lady in the following video (leave out the garlic for for mayo. Also, I used a light olive oil instead of her canola, and it worked fine. Mine came out looking just like hers. Adding the oil very slowly is apparently quite crucial):

Thanks I'll try it. I wonder if sunflower seed oil would work?

[donnay]

Thanks for the recipe. Yes, mayo is a problem. Almost all mayo uses soybean oil, which is one of the worst offenders of out-of-control Omega 6 (highly inflammatory). Plus I assume most all of the soybean oil is from GMO soybeans. And the mayos at the grocery that advertize olive oil on the label also include canola oil and other bad stuff like modified food starch. Olive oil has much less Omega 6 than soybean oil, but it still has about 1.4 grams per tablespoon, which is pretty high. So even olive oil is not considered a great solution to Omega 6 avoidance. Having said that, unlike my epic failure trying to make an emulsion with coconut oil, I was highly successful making a mayonnaise-like emulsion using olive oil in my food processor. I copied the lady in the following video (leave out the garlic for for mayo. Also, I used a light olive oil instead of her canola, and it worked fine. Mine came out looking just like hers. Adding the oil very slowly is apparently quite crucial):

This is a great recipe for mayonnaise:

[KingNothing]

My uncle juiced every day of his life over the past 15 years. He juiced so frequently that his skin complexion changed to an orange-hue. He was an extremely healthy and vibrant man. At age 71 he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and was dead before he turned 72.

I say this not to discourage anyone from juicing. On the contrary, juicing afforded him wonderful health and it is entirely likely that had he not been hit with cancer, he'd have lived MANY more productive, healthy, happy, years because of it. Juicing won't keep you alive forever, but it will do wonders in enabling you to enjoy every day that you are alive, and I can't recommend it strongly enough. JUICE!!!

[trey4sports]

Which juicer are you using?

I have been trying to muscle up to the Joe Cross Mean Green recipe. It is hard to put into words or sufficiently emphasize how objectionable I find the taste of green juice. I have had some improvement by increasing the cucumber and celery and reducing the kale. But I'm pretty discouraged. I may just have to tough it out and get used to it. I understand that taste buds can evolve from hating green juice to very much liking it. Did you like the taste initially? Has it evolved for you.

i use the lexen electric juicer.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E398DS



I really never liked the taste of green juice and still don't care for it much. Some things are much more tolerable than others though. A spinach base is much more mellow than something like mustard greens. To be honest, i dont think my taste buds have really changed that much. I just look at it kind of like taking medicine. Just down it as quick as possible.

[dannno]

My favorite is apples, beats, carrots and ginger, optionally with some orange juice. I don't have a masticater.

I have an ACME 5001, if you can find a used one they last forever and you can get replacement parts easily. It has a citrus attachment.

It isn't too bad for cleanup, except the fiber trap which I guess you can buy filters which makes it easy to cleanup, but then you would lose ALL of the fiber.

[Carlybee]

i use the lexen electric juicer.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E398DS



I really never liked the taste of green juice and still don't care for it much. Some things are much more tolerable than others though. A spinach base is much more mellow than something like mustard greens. To be honest, i dont think my taste buds have really changed that much. I just look at it kind of like taking medicine. Just down it as quick as possible.

I prefer spinach as a green....mustard greens meh. Have you tried beets or beet greens?

Disclaimer about beets...highly nutritious but also high in oxilates so people who get kidney stones need to be careful. They are good for lowering blood pressure. Great energy boost.