Juicing is not a new concept; it’s been around for centuries, but it’s become far more popular. You can get a lot of convenience and health benefits in just one or two juices. we should all eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables to get a good range of vitamins and minerals. When it comes down to how to properly mix foods for your juicing diet, there are in fact no rules!
Juicing is just a method of producing food that contains juice. Any reasonably soft foodstuff that contains juice could be used.
You may be thinking, I can’t wait to start juicing, but want some ideas to get you started. Let’s look at some ideas on what fruits and vegetables to juice when you don’t have time to cook up something delicious yourself. If you buy juices from a health food store they can be expensive. You can even save money by making your own concoctions at home.
Of course, you may want to base your choice of fruits and vegetables on where you live and your budget. If you live in an area where such produce is usually more expensive that may factor in your choice. You’ll be pleased to know that there are several fruit and vegetable varieties that are relatively easy to juice, like mangoes, apples, oranges, pineapple, melons, limes, grapes, etc.
A lot of juice recipes are based on the more common fruits like oranges and then topped up with other fruits like mangoes, papaya and kiwi.
There is a growing health trend for using just green juices. The green juice diet has become popular and will include a lot of green vegetables. Many people use this as the basis for a detox diet.
Mix best foods for your juicing diet for best health benefits
Not only can fruits and vegetables produce a delicious drink, but they are also healthy and a very good source of vitamins and minerals. It is common knowledge that a daily diet rich in vegetables and fruits will ensure that you get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. If you want to benefit from such a diet, then juicing can help.
Nutritionists often recommend that you eat the rainbow. This means picking fruit and veg of different colors. This guarantees the best spread of different vitamins and minerals. Veggies and fruits that can be juiced come in many colors; green, yellow, red, orange, blue, purple, and black. So don’t stick to using the same variety in every recipe, it’s better to get a bunch of different kinds in one go.
If you have fussy eaters in your family, juicing can be a good way to give them a healthier diet, almost without them noticing! Many children will drink a good looking, tasty juice made from foods that they would normally turn their nose up at. Juicing is a good way to “hide” foods like spinach or kale that kids can sometimes resist eating.
Are there problems with a juice diet
One thing to keep in mind is that fruit contains a lot of sugar. In excess the fructose in fruits has the same health issues as any other sugar. The two biggest problems are encouraging high blood sugar which could make Diabetes 2 more likely and also causing tooth decay.
So while juicing is an easy way to consume your vitamins, you should consider limiting your intake to one small glass a day. This is especially important for children and for anyone who is pre-diabetic. If you already have issues with blood sugar, I would speak to your doctor before increasing your fruit juice intake.
The concentration of sugar is generally lower in vegetables than fruits. So one way of dealing with this issue, is to increase the proportion of vegetables in the recipe.
The other side effect from a purely juice diet is that it can cause diarrhoea. A diet based only on juices is suitable for short term diets for fast weight loss but shouldn’t be used long term. The best way to lose weight is with a lifestyle change based on a healthy balanced diet.
What are the best juicers
There are many different styles of juicing, depending on how often you would like to drink the juice. You could use a manual juicer. Many homes have a small device with a point that you just squash a half of orange or lemon over.
However if you want to juice every day, you might opt for a juicer that is easy to use and can be used repeatedly. The best juicer for you is going to depend on many factors. Consider how often you will use it, how many people you are catering for, your budget and space limitations on your kitchen work surface.
There are many different kinds of juicers, including mechanical juicers and even solar juicers. Solar juicers are useful if you are going camping or boating, but their range is limited by the amount of sunlight you get. That’s probably not a practical option for most.
If you want juice at the push of a button you might opt for a mechanical juicer. With a mechanical juicer, you simply add ingredients, press the button and your juice comes out.
If you juice on a regular basis, you should consider using a juicer with a single chamber, where you juice once a day and have it all ready. It is really convenient and it will save you from having to clean the juicer morning and night. These automatic juicers give you fresh juice on demand. The downside to these types of juicers is that you cannot control when your produce starts to oxidize or turns brown.
Is a juicing diet for you?
So to sum up the best mix of foods for a juicing diet will contain both fruits and vegetables to get a wide mix of vitamins and health benefits. The best juicer is going to depend on your budget and lifestyle. Juicing can definitely be a part of a healthy lifestyle but like all things should be used in moderation, especially if you are using fruits high in sugar.
