If I could summarize my top advice for vitality in one word, it could very well be ‘juicing’! I wholeheartedly believe that juicing is fundamental to healing, longevity and abundant health. It is absolutely essential to any wellness plan.
Juicing gives your body a super dose of liquid vitamins, flooding your bloodstream with essential nutrients, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and phytochemicals. This elixir of goodness supercharges each and every cell in your body to slow down ageing, boost immunity and help your body to function in peak condition.
If you are juicing already, that’s awesome! You are taking a big step forward in your wellness journey. If you aren’t juicing, now’s the best time to start and I’d love to help you avoid some of the biggest mistakes I encountered when I first discovered this incredible practice...
So whether you’re a ‘green’ juicing newbie or a total veteran of the Cold Press, here’s my top tips to squeeze the maximum goodness out of every juice you make!
Mistake: Raw Gone Wrong
Most fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious when eaten in their raw state. However, certain veggies are definitely best eaten cooked, as heat disables certain enzymes in these foods which are difficult to digest. Eggplant, potatoes, certain beans, zucchini, sweet potato and rhubarb all contain such enzymes and are best left out of your juices.Additionally, some fruit and veggies contain cyanogenic glycosides, which are toxic (even fatal) when consumed in high doses. These are found in the pits or seeds of apples, apricots, plums, peaches and cherries. Just like you wouldn’t munch down the seeds raw, make sure you only juice the flesh of these fruit.
Solution? Don’t juice from the list of ‘no-go’ raw veggies and strictly remove the seeds and pits from fruits containing cyanogenic glycosides.
Mistake: Too Much Tooty Fruity… (It can literally make you toot!)
In its whole form, fruit is high in vitamins, fiber, nutrients and phytochemicals. In its juice form, it is also high in fructose, a source of natural sugar.When fruit is juiced and the fibre is extracted, fructose is taken from the fruit and concentrated in the liquid juice. This can spike your blood sugar levels, cause flatulence, affect your mood or make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. If you struggle with candida or diabetes, this may also worsen your condition.
Because fruit is sweet and tastes oh-so-good, it’s very easy to use too much when you’re new to juicing. After all, I’m not gonna lie… green vegetables juices can be an acquired taste (although your tastebuds really do adjust, I promise!)
Solution? Stick to one piece of fruit in your juices to add a little sweetness and take away the bitter edge. You can also add lemon, lime, ginger, cayenne (if you like spice) and mint to nicely flavor your juices. Cucumber also dilutes any bitter taste quite well.
Mistake: It’s Just Bad Timing
As soon as your juice is made and exposed to heat and light, these factors start to oxidize and break down nutrients and enzymes. Therefore, the optimal time to drink your juice is when it’s fresh from the juicer and buzzing with nutrients!Ideally, it’s also helpful to try to drink your juice on an empty stomach, at least half an hour before a meal. Drinking your juice on an empty tummy will optimize absorption of the juice and flood your bloodstream quickly with an abundance of nutrients.
Solution? Drink your juice within 15 minutes after it’s made. If you absolutely cannot do this, store your juice in a dark airtight container within the fridge, and consume as soon as possible.
Mistake: The Crux Of Cutting
Preparing your food for juicing is a somewhat double-edged sword. On one side, prepping your produce does take time and you don’t want to waste unnecessary time in the kitchen. On the other hand, not preparing your veggies properly can affect your juice and even damage the machine. Here’s a few tips:- Cut your veggies according to the size of your machine’s specifications. Especially for cold-press slow juicers, big chunks can strain and even crack the parts. Stick to manageable pieces that the machine can process without making weird squeaking or grinding noises - this can indicate the parts are straining to process your pieces.
- Invest in good cutting equipment! A non-slip cutting board, vegetable peeler and sharp knife will make life so much easier! If you juice a lot, a vegetable julienne dicer with a ‘cube cutting’ function can also cut down cutting time.
Mistake: Not Spreading Around The Veggie Love!
Our bodies need dietary variety, plus it’s also true that you can have too much of a good thing! Try not to be too repetitive with the ingredients that you use in your juices to ensure that you’re getting a wide range of nutrients. Aim for a rainbow of variety, as different colors in vegetables tend to indicate different nutrient profiles.In particular, it’s advisable to rotate your greens and other veggies which are high in a natural plant chemical called goitrogens. Goitrogens are natural compounds that can interfere with your thyroid hormone production, if you have a thyroid condition. Goitrogens are found in many green leafy and cruciferous vegetables. Therefore, if you have thyroid issues, it may be helpful to regularly cycle the types of green leafy and cruciferous veggies that you use in your juices.
Other Solutions? Light blanch then freeze greens before juicing. This breaks down the enzyme myrosinase, which helps to reduce the goitrogenic load of food. You can also increase your intake of foods rich in iodine and selenium (such as kelp, nori, seaweed, brazil nuts, fish and sunflower seeds) as these also counter the effects of goitrogens. You can learn more about goitrogens here!
Mistake: Not Enough Green Envy
Whilst we’ve just talked about the importance of mixing up your veggies, also ensure that you’re regularly including plenty of greens in your regular juice repertoire! Green juices are rich in chlorophyll, which alkalizes and oxygenates your body’s cells. Greens also assist with detoxification, circulation and increased energy. Plus, they won’t interfere with your blood sugar levels. Greens are your all-round good guys for vitality!Solution? Include a regular hit of greens in your juices… Just make sure to rotate the types you use (eg spinach, kale, silverbeet, romaine, dandelion greens, rocket, lettuce).
Mistake: You Need To Chill Out With Your Juice…
It’s important (and so much nicer) to drink your juice in a relaxed state of mind. Digestions slows down when you’re in a stressed ‘fight or flight’ mode. Therefore, take the time and care to sit down, relax and slowly enjoy your revitalizing beverage.Furthermore, instead of gulping down your juice like a shot of tequila, try to sip your juice slowly and mindfully. As weird as this may sound, even hold or ‘swish’ the juice in your mouth for a moment before swallowing. This allows the juice to mix with saliva and trigger the initial stages of digestion, which all happen in the mouth, not the stomach, as many of us have been lead to believe!
Finding The Perfect Model
Whilst it’s a higher initial investment, buying a quality juicer does save you time and money in the long-term. A cold-press, slow juicer will extract significantly more liquid, creates a higher quality juice (by causing less heat and physical damage to the cells and enzymes of your produce as it is processed). Plus they are often quieter than cheaper centrifugal juicers, easier to clean, come with a good warranty, and provide an awesome range of other cooking functions.Solution? Read our full Juicer Buying Guide here to find the perfect juicer for you!
Mistake: The Dirt On, Well...Dirt!
There are a few cleaning faux pas with juicers that can cost you unnecessary time and effort.Speaking from personal experience, once you’ve left a dirty juicer for any length of time, you won’t be in a hurry to do this again any time soon! The fine pulp leftover from your juice dries out very quickly and assumes a cement-like quality in no time.
Not only does this make for hard scrubbing and soaking (then scrubbing and soaking again!) but it’s also unhygienic. Food borne bacteria love opportunities like this to make a home in our kitchens! Plus, your equipment winds up stained and worn down much quicker.
Solution? Wash your juicer as soon as you’ve finished with it - it’s truly so much faster to clean! If you absolutely can’t get to it straight away, at least disassemble the parts and soak in some warm, (eco) soapy water. A toothbrush can also be handy to clean out those nooks and hard-to-scrub spots!
Have you had any juicing mishaps before?
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