Juicing!

One of the gifts that I was most excited to receive at Christmas was a juicer.  I had been reading so much about the benefits of juicing and couldn't hardly wait to try it myself.

So, what are the benefits of juicing?

~It's a great way to get a few extra servings of fruits and veggies into your day.  I mean, how many of us are actually eating 7-9 servings/day?  
~It's a good way to get more variety of produce, and maybe include some things that you don't eat regularly.
~Research has shown that eating a diet heavy in fruits and veggies can help prevent many diseases.  Juicing helps make this possible, especially for those who maybe don't eat many in the first place.  (This should not be used as a complete replacement to whole fruits and vegetables, but merely as a supplement.)
~Since the body does not have to digest the fiber from the fruits and veggies, the nutrients within the juice are more easily absorbed into the system.
~Some people report increased energy and vitality, clearer skin, mental clarity, and an overall sense of well-being.

Are you intrigued yet?  If so, the next question may be, "What type of juicer should I buy?"  You can spend anywhere from $60 - $2000 for a juicer.  So, let your budget help guide you.  The two main types of juicers are centrifugal and masticating.  Centrifugal juicers use a spinning basket that shreds the fruit and vegetables and forces the juice through a fine stainless steel strainer by centrifugal force.  Centrifugal juicers tend to cause some oxidation of the nutrients, therefore, many believe that masticating juicers are the superior (although more expensive) type.  Masticating juicers crush the fruits and vegetables and force them through a fine stainless steel strainer.  Again, more nutrients and enzymes are preserved with this type.

The juicer that I chose was an Omega masticating juicer.

So far, it has been great!  It's easy to use, as well as easy to clean up.  I will say though, that the tube that you feed food into is rather small, so it requires a bit more preparation than others may.  I haven't found this to be a big deal though. ( I am also excited to experiment with the other capabilities of this machine, such as making nut butters and pasta.)

I started with mostly fruit juices.  For example, earlier this week I made a juice with 1 apple, 2 kiwis, and one grapefruit.

It was delicious, and I was kind enough to share it with my husband.

I have slowly started experimenting with adding vegetables in, and I have honestly been pleasantly surprised.  I find that as long as you add a bit of fruit to your concoction, it really comes out tasting mostly sweet.  It's also nice to know that when you feel like having a glass of orange juice with breakfast, you can do so without having to worry about added sugars and preservatives.

If you are interested in more information, the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead has a lot of good stuff about juicing.

Bottoms up!