the juicing factor...jul 01, 2015 · in our juicing produce guide, we go into great detail about...

The Juicing Factor

An easy way to lose weight, live healthy and feel great

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide to Juicing

A HealthAmbition.com publication 2

Table of Contents

Disclaimer 3

1 Introduction 4

2 What is Juicing and Why is it Good for Me? 6

3 A Warning on Juice Fasts 19

4 Buying a Juicer 25

5 Choosing your Ingredients Wisely 47

6 Too Much Fruit Slows Weight Loss 60

7 The Best Vegetables for Juicing 65

8 Buying Produce 71

9 Preparing Produce 73

10 Extra Juicing Tips 75

11 Frequently Asked Juicing Questions 77

This e-book was brought to you by healthambition.com 3

Disclaimer

Important Disclaimer: Information presented at HealthAmbition.com and within

this book is for educational purposes only. Statements about products and health

conditions have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and

are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult a

knowledgeable health care professional before making any major dietary changes

or taking health supplements that may interfere with medications.


1 Introduction

Welcome to The Juicing Factor. Here at Health Ambition, we are big fans of juicing.

We regularly publish content about juicing on our blog at

http://www.healthambition.com. Many of our regular readers ask us questions

about juicing and how it can help them achieve their goals, be it weight loss, healthy

lifestyle, having more energy or simply because they find it hard to eat enough fruit

and vegetables.

We decided to pull together all the expertise and knowledge from our top

nutritionists and juicing experts into one place. These 4 e-books are the

culmination of all our experience.

For those who are new to juicing, don’t feel out of your depth. We start with the

very basics and go through everything step-by-step. More experienced juicers will

still find some gold nuggets of information in the beginners sections as our staff

reveal their secret juicing tips.

We break down every process for you, from choosing a juicer to deciding which

fruit & vegetables to juice. We even explain the best places to find produce and

what to look for when buying it.

In our Juicing Produce Guide, we go into great detail about the benefits of some

of the best fruit and vegetables to juice with. You’ll be amazed at some of the hidden

benefits this produce has.

The Juicing Recipe Book has over 50 tried and tested juicing recipes from the staff

at Health Ambition. We’ve brought you the best of the best here.

http://www.healthambition.com/


Finally, our Juicing Strategies Handbook shows you how to achieve your juicing

goals. We cover everything from getting perfect skin, to improving your eyesight.

The team at Health Ambition worked tirelessly to create and package all this

information for you in an easy to read product. We love hearing your feedback and

thoughts and I encourage anyone to get in touch with me directly. My email address

is: [email protected]

I would like to thank our authors who contributed to The Juicing Factor: Jim Dillon,

Akil Wingate, Andy Peloquin, Jesica Salyer and Jessica Oliva.

Thanks, good luck and welcome to The Juice Factor’s juicing family.

Mark Webster

Founder - HealthAmbition.com

mailto:[email protected]


2 What is Juicing and why is it good for me?

You have no doubt heard about the juicing phenomenon at some point in your daily

life. It may have been the queen of all media, Oprah Winfrey, discussing it with Dr.

Oz. Or it may have been a late night infomercial giving you a grocery list of health

benefits from their high tech juicer. The latest trends in juicing diets are always

covered by one fitness guru or another in popular health magazines.

But you’ve only got two questions in mind: What is juicing and why is it good for

me?

What Is Juicing?

Juicing is the extraction of juice from fruits and vegetables, in an effort to retain all

the phytonutrients, enzymes and vitamins the whole foods themselves ordinarily

possess. But it does so by leaving behind the fiber, pulp, skin, rinds, etc. that can be

heavy on the digestive system.


In fact, the digestive system more readily digests liquid than food. So juicing’s first

mission is to promote easy digestion. Imagine taking a gold sifting pan and

searching for gold in a muddy creek.

You have to strain all the bits of dirt, rock and sediment before you can find the

nuggets of gold. In a similar fashion, juicing aims to sift through the plant and fruit

tissue to get to the vitamin rich juice.

That being said, eating your fruits and vegetables is still good for your health as it

has always been. One of the main reasons juicing appeals to so many people is

because it’s not heavy on your stomach. If you aren’t a fan of eating fruits and

vegetables, you can down your daily fruit and vegetable nutritional needs in a glass.

The second reason is that it would be nearly impossible to eat the amount of

vegetables that you can easily juice in order to gain the same amount of vitamins

and nutrients. But hold that thought. We’ll come back to that same discussion when

we touch on fruit later.


Juicing can be performed with a blender or with various incarnations of juicers.

While a blender mixes everything together, leaving you to do the grunt work of

straining the liquid from the pulp; juicers are specifically purposed for extracting

the juice from the pulp. There are three forms of juicers.

Centrifugal juicers grind and strain produce at high speed. But they generate heat

that can quickly oxidize and decrease the amount of enzymes in the juice.

Masticating juicers “chew” produce and produce more juice in proportion to the

amount of produce used.


And lastly triturating juicers press the produce and retain more nutrients. You’ve

no doubt seen any one of these in action at your local fancy juice shop. You want

fresh squeezed orange juice. And voila, the fruit was dropped in a machine and out

came pure juice.


The Difference between Juices and Blends

First let’s be clear. One of these things is not like the other. Smoothie blends, shakes

and other blended incarnations are not from the same gastronomical family as

juices. Juicing extracts the phytonutrients and enzymes from fruits and vegetables

while leaving the rind, skin, pulp and fiber behind.

In other words all the delicious liquid you come to love about fruits and vegetables

remains in your glass while the body of those same fruits and veggies doesn’t.

Smoothies on the other hand leave virtually nothing behind, giving you a full glass

of whatever ingredients were thrown into the blender.

The difference between the two is simple. For those of us who struggle to eat

veggies, even a veggie blend would be difficult to digest in one go. The very richness

in fiber would give your digestive system some heavy lifting to do.

But a juice on the other hand benefits from being able to use more veggies than a

blend to render a juice minus the pulp and fiber. It is also significantly lower in

calories for that very same reason.


However fruit juices can be the exact opposite for calorific content. While you can

add lots more veggies to your juice concoction and not worry about caloric intake,

you’ll have to be mindful of how much fruit you add. The more fruit the more likely

your calories will rise and sugar levels will spike. This is true of fruit for both blends

and juices, regardless of how they’re fashioned.

Blends can be typically rich in fiber found in the skin, rinds and body of the fruits

and vegetables. They also tend to be thick and heavier on the palette. A juice tends

to be watery. Blends can be stored and frozen if need be. But to retain the potency

of a juice, it is recommended to consume it immediately or within the same day.

If you decide to store it before you drink it, you should absolutely store it in a sealed

tight bottle. Juices begin to oxidize quickly, meaning they lose their nutrients and

vitamin value as the hours wear on. Further, bacteria can quickly settle into your

juice after several hours of exposure.

In both cases it is wise to thoroughly wash your blender or juicer after having

prepared your juice or blend. You don’t want to expose yourself to bacteria the next

time you make a juice or blend.

What Are Nutrients and How Do They Work?

The human body is a wondrous working miracle. It is mostly made up of water and

thrives on nutrients that supply it with the force to function perfectly, enzymes

which aid in digestion, and vitamins that give it the zip to perform at top speed.

Nutrients, macronutrients, phytonutrients and a long list of other variations on the

word nutrients are vital for daily function.

Nutrients in general however are a huge family tree that include vitamins and

minerals, proteins and carbohydrates, and our BFFs (best friends forever for those


of us not keen on internet lingo) fats. All of these things are essential to the body

performing all its necessary tasks for survival.

Macronutrients comprise the proteins, carbohydrates and fats that we need to

consume in greater number for survival. That would include our beloved fruits and

vegetables that we throw into our juicers as well as the animal proteins we derive

from fish, meat and poultry.

Micronutrients would be the vitamins and minerals that we only need in small

supply but are of equal importance to our body running on all cylinders. They

naturally appear in some of the fruits and vegetables we consume anyway.

Altogether these nutrients help to build strong teeth and bones, healthy skin,

stimulate proper brain and organ function, and repair tissue damage.

For our purposes, juicing maximizes nutrient intake by stripping the excess pulp

from the equation. And when it comes to digestion,

No Fiber Here

Fiber is not a nutrient but great for helping the metabolism, bringing diabetes

under control or even managing appetite. But fiber can equally pose some

problems for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome or people who generally prefer

light fare to heavier fare when it comes to food. When fiber is involved, the

digestive system gets a heavy workout in. It has to work harder to break down food

and absorb the nutrient content.

Enter the juicing phenomenon. Some of us would love to eat more fruits and

vegetables but are daunted by the prospect of feeling heavy or confronting stomach

issues brought on by consuming too much fiber. So how can we remedy the

situation?


Juicing provides a healthy alternative in so much as it loads up on all the vital

nutrients you’d ordinarily find in your whole fruits and vegetables and collapses it

all down to juice laden with those very same nutrients.

What’s missing? Rinds, skins, cores, pulp, seeds. All the physical attributes of your

favorite orange or apple, gourd or tomato, fade into the sunset with their fiber

footprints leading the way. These are what may cause your stomach to turn into

knots. Fiber, while good for us, can be taxing on the digestive system.

Juice on the other hand is much easier for the digestive system to digest. When you

strip away the fiber content from your fruits and vegetables you are more easily

able to process those beneficial nutritional qualities of your favorite fruits and

vegetables.

In fact, juicing supports rapid delivery of nutrients into the bloodstream. But a

word of caution here. Remember the word of prudence regarding fruit and juices?

Loading up on the fruit content in your juice can cause a massive spike in your

blood sugar. So be careful not to juice too much fruit.

Make no mistake. Your smoothie blend made of bananas, apples, soy and other

goodies will be excellent for your regime. But if you have problems with fiber, it

will be like playing with fire. Your juice concoction of the same recipe will save you

the bowel irritation, inflammation, indigestion, or general discomfort you may

experience with fiber.

What Are The Health Benefits of Juicing?

While there are no sound scientific reports yet published supporting juicing’s

health benefit claims being greater than whole foods, proponents say juicing aids

digestion, boosts the immune system and metabolism, promotes weight loss and


management, and removes toxins from the body. Here’s a look at what we do know.

Juicing Aids the Digestive System

What we know: Without knocking fiber and all the marvelous things it does for us,

we do know that not all fiber is created equal nor are all digestive systems. Some

of us can’t stomach (pun fully intended) a plate full of vegetables or heaping bowls

of fruit throughout the course of the day.

Juicing counters that by allowing the body to digest a light liquid form of the two.

It removes the bulk found in the rinds and skin and only retains the juice.

Indigestible fiber can wreak havoc on the best of us, causing bloating, cramps, gas


and general discomfort. But without the fiber, it can be smooth sailing for our

digestive system. Fact.

What we think we know: Fiberless juice helps to regulate the digestive system and

promote healthy digestion of essential vitamins and minerals. There is far less

work involved in breaking down food and transporting nutrients to the

bloodstream. Thus a healthier digestive system that isn’t overburdened will tend

to run much more smoothly and ultimately more quickly. In theory this would

equally boost metabolism and overall organ function.

Rapid transport into the bloodstream means your body reaps the benefits of

essential vitamins and minerals much faster than you would if you sit down to a

plate of broccoli, cauliflower, apples and oranges and hope for the same results.

Yes, you’ll be getting the same nutrients but not in the same quantity or quickness

of pace as you will with juices.

Promotes Weight Loss and Management

What we know: While it is more difficult to measure liquid calories, we know that

vegetable and fruit juices can contain far less calories than your whole food intake.


But that is relative to the amount we consume. If you were on a 2000 calorie a day

regimen before you began juicing, chances are your caloric intake will drop

significantly when you switch to juicing.

Anytime you half your caloric intake, the body begins to shed fat and pounds.

Pressed fruit juice of about 16 ounces can run between 100 to 350 calories. If you

are only consuming juices and sticking to only a 64 ounce a day plan, you’ll

consume a maximum of 1400 calories a day. So if we do the math, yes, juicing can

promote weight loss. Fact.

What we think we know: The assumption is that juicing equally curbs the appetite

by giving the sensation of feeling full. Much in the same vein as drinking a glass of

water before a meal helps to stave off the threat of overeating, juicing may keep

you feeling full. Furthermore, the less calories consumed consistently the more

likely the weight will stay off.

But of course this can be both a question of discipline as much as it is a question of

drinking your juice. And for some of us, the sudden switch to juice may give the

body the sensation that it is being deprived, thus slowing down the metabolism.

Therefore, do your homework and research juicing recipes that will help boost

your metabolism and keep you functioning on all cylinders.


Removes Toxins from the Body and Boosts the

Immune System

What we know: Fruits and vegetables are high in essential fiber that help to cleanse

the colon. They are also rich in vital nutrients that when transported into the

bloodstream help boost organ function. Some of those organs include the kidneys

and liver.

These nutrients help to flush out and eliminate waste from the body and equally

encourage the production of white blood cells that aid in fighting off infections or

bad elements that may make us sick. There is even good bacteria in both fruits and

vegetables that aid in digestion in the gut.

So juicing follows the same thread, minus the fiber. But the delivery of nutrients

into the bloodstream is faster and the quantity potentially much higher. So in

essence your body doesn’t have to work as hard to break down food to get to the

nutrients that stave off sickness and that help to eliminate waste.


A consistent regimen of juicing can therefore help keep your bowel movements

regular and keep you regularly eliminating waste. But of course so can regularly

eating whole fruits and vegetables. Fact.

What we think we know: We know that we can load up on vegetables in our juices

and therefore equally load up on the vitamin count. The assumption is that more is

better. While it would be difficult for us to physically eat the equivalent in whole

foods that we can more readily press into juice, the theory is we can benefit from

more powerful macro and micronutrients that are known to boost the immune

system, give a healthy glow to the skin, promote waste elimination, and keep the

organs functioning smoothly.

What we don’t know is how much is too much. Rapid transport into the

bloodstream means that yes we get these vitamins faster but we also get a lot more

of them faster. So it can be a little bit like the Goldilocks factor, one being too much

of a good thing, one being too little and one being just right.

That just right amount is up for debate. But in theory it multiplies the beneficial

cleansing and detoxifying effects of whole food fruits and vegetables sans the fiber.

Why Should I Juice?

Get to the basics. Fruits and vegetables are essential to daily function as a healthy

human being. Maybe you’re not a fan of eating vegetables. Now you have an option

where you can get your daily recommended food intake of vegetables in by

drinking them. What you stand to gain in the process is the regular consumption of

vital nutrients that will help keep you feeling fit and strong.

You’ll be embarking on a healthier lifestyle by getting in the necessary fruits and

vegetables that were so difficult to sit down to eat in their whole food form before.

Your body will ultimately thank you for it.


3 A Warning on Juice Fasts

Many people want to lose weight and achieve permanent fat loss. Vegetable juicing

in particular can help with this, but be wary of juice fasting and the juice diet as a

long-term weight loss solution.

Juice fasts can have their place for cleansing and detoxification, but should be done

carefully, ideally with the supervision of an experienced healthcare professional.

Just starting full steam on the juice diet after previously eating largely processed

foods is likely to bring up a detox reaction.

Symptoms of detoxifying too quickly on the juice diet can include headaches,

fatigue and gastrointestinal problems. It's also important to remember that if a

person simply goes back to their old ways of eating, the pounds will soon pile back

on. Ultimately, this is a very counterproductive strategy in the long run.

There is a simpler, more permanent way to reduce body fat with juicing. All it

requires is forming some new habits that address the underlying causes of weight

gain. Let's look at why and how to do this.


Juicing to Lose Weight Permanently

Forget about rapid weight loss if you want a permanent change in your body.

Studies conclusively show that people who lose weight quickly will usually put it

back on again soon after they stop the diet. In fact, crash dieters are consistently

heavier in the long-term.

This is due to the way restriction diets mess with your metabolism and teach the

body to become more efficient at storing fat. The juice diet is no different in this

regard if you see it as a quick fix. It also lacks protein and healthy fats, both essential

for true weight loss.

Additionally, much of the weight people lose on restriction type diets is water

weight or even muscle wastage when protein is limited. Most don't start


accessing stored body fat because, even if they are 'counting calories', they are still

continuing to eat the type of foods that elevate insulin in their body.

Insulin is the fat storing hormone and it's very difficult to access stored body fat for

fuel when you're insulin levels are high. You don't actually need to count calories

or go hungry. This approach has been tried over and over again and proved a

spectacular failure.

How Fresh Vegetable Juice Reduces Hunger

One of the big reasons so many of us put on weight is that we are so often hungry.

Much of this has to do with the insulin response created by processed grain foods

and the staggering levels of sugar in popular beverages.

Another common reason for hunger, though, is that your body is actually desperate

for nutrients. Not food as such (we call margarine food but it is about as far from it

as it could be). But rather, the vitamins, enzymes, minerals and phytonutrients that

are involved in so many essential processes for good health, stable energy and a

healthy appearance.

This is where using vegetable juices for fat loss really works. When you juice and

drink vegetables like kale, beets, carrots, celery, cucumber, parsley and many

others, you extract a high percentage of their nutrients into a potent and quickly

assimilated glass of cellular nutrition.

You'll probably be surprised by how quickly your usual hunger dissipates once

your body is satisfied that it is getting what it truly needs to power and maintain

your cells. No willpower is needed. You just won't be as hungry.

It's virtually impossible to fight a survival instinct like your body's need for

essential vitamins and minerals. Cutting calories if you are already not getting


enough nutrients in your diet will only make things worse. Rather, give your body

what it needs with fresh raw juices.

The best way to do this is to find a time that works for you and your schedule and

start juicing once a day. Few other strategies to improve your health can make such

an impact.

Ways to Time Your Juicing to Lose Weight

Many people like juicing in the morning before work as it provides a natural energy

boost. From a weight loss perspective, this is much more effective than eating

insulin raising and ultimately fattening cereals.

1. Those who work from home may find after a healthy breakfast, followed by a

big glass of vegetable juice for lunch keeps them going until dinner and really

helps with slimming down.


2. Something that's worked well for me personally in the past was eating a good

sized protein/egg based breakfast and then having a smaller lunch and

dinner based on healthy protein and fats, mixed vegetables and avoiding

grain-based foods like breads and pasta that lead to fat storage.

In between lunch and dinner I'd have a glass of vegetable juice. With the amount of

nutrition in this way of eating, combined with the power of juicing, weight loss was

quite effortless and I rarely felt hungry.

Feel free to experiment and make up your own fresh juices. There's more juicing

recipes in the bonus juicing recipe book that accompanies this ebook. The general

rule is the more vegetables and greens the better. Unless they are particularly

thermogenic like grapefruit or pineapple, fruits, with their higher natural sugar

content, should always be less than vegetables in your juicing recipe if you want to

lose weight.

Conclusion

Juicing fasts and the juicing diet may have a place for brief periods of cleansing, but

you really need to know what you're doing. This book has detailed information on

every aspect of juicing for better health, including weight loss, and instructions for

50 different delicious juicing recipes.

For reducing body fat and losing weight, juicing is best thought of as a powerful

addition to a healthy diet. One that will greatly reduce your hunger while

increasing your energy and improving just about every aspect of your health in the

long-term.

So forget about the latest quick fixes like the juicing diet and find 15 minutes in

your day for more permanent fat loss with regular juicing. As a bonus you’ll likely


find it improves your energy levels, enhances your appearance and even helps

protect your body against serious diseases.

If all of these juicing health benefits aren’t worth getting up a little earlier in the

morning, or 15 minutes less of whatever mind numbing repeat is on the TV in the

evening, well then you have to wonder what is.


4 Buying a Juicer

A juicer is likely, but not necessarily, to be one of the more costly products you buy

for your kitchen.

Confused about the different types of juicers on the market? Not sure what the

difference between centrifugal, masticating and triturating juicers are?

Want to know which is the best type of juicer for your specific needs? Or maybe

you just want a straight up and honest product recommendation. We’ve got you

covered.

Our experts put together years of combined experience to explain:

What Juicers Actually Do

Let’s start with the absolute basics. You may be asking what exactly a juicer does

and what it’s for. These are valid questions, and the answer begins with the simple

maxim that not all juicers are created equal.


That is, not all serve the same function, and there is no one-size-fits-all juicer.

Getting the right one for you requires a little investigation, which is why we wrote

this guide.

There are a few different types of juicers on the market, each serving different

functions and different preferences. All juicers, however, will turn solid fruit and

vegetables into a drinkable liquid and extract the dry pulp. They take your normal-

looking vegetable, fruit, or herb and reduce it to its nutritious essence.

A juicer works by using a tool - either a blade or an auger (more on that later) -to

break down your food into two parts: juice and pulp. The juice gleaned from this

process often contains most of the healthy vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and

other nutrients present in fruits and vegetables.

What Can and Cannot Be Juiced

Almost any fruit or vegetable can be juiced. The list of “unjuiceables” is quite short:

bananas and avocados. That’s pretty much it. These two fruits simply don’t have

much water to extract, so it’s best to put them in a blender if you’re looking to

liquify them.

You can always add the blended version to your juice and mix it together (we

suggest you don’t combine avocado puree and apple juice, but juicing is a form of

self-expression and we wouldn’t want to interfere with yours).

Factors to Consider When Buying a Juicer

Just like with any purchase, you’ll want to do some research before making any

final decisions about which juicer will be gracing your kitchen in the near future.

Here are some important things to consider when conducting your juicer research.


1. Price

There are three main types of juicers on the market, and the price ranges of each

are slightly different. Generally, no juicer will cost you more than a few hundred

bucks, and bargain deals can bring the price down well below that.

Centrifugal juicers are generally the least expensive, and serve as a good

introduction for the rookie juice enthusiast.

Masticating and triturating juicers, on the other hand, are pricier but more efficient

in juice extraction, so you might make your money back by having to buy less

produce in the long run.

As with anything, you pay for quality, and more expensive juicers will yield more

juice and less waste than the cheaper alternatives. The best juicers are also built

well and will most likely last longer.

Finally, securing a warranty can go a long way towards making sure that you pay

the right price with no regrets, regardless of which one you pick.

2. Ease of Use

Being able to quickly and effectively use your juicer is absolutely essential, and

various juicer models promise to score very differently in this category.

If your juicer has manageable parts that fit into a dishwasher or can be easily

rinsed, for example, then you’ll have a much easier time bringing yourself to use

the thing.

If the juicer gets dirty quickly and is difficult to clean, then you might be easily

deterred and it will have been a disappointing waste of money.


You’ll want a juicer that is easy to assemble. If putting it together reminds you of

assembling a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle, then it’s probably not going to be your

favorite appliance.

Large feed tubes ensure that you don’t have to cut everything into tiny pieces

before feeding it in (this is especially valuable for centrifugal juicers). A wide

disposal spout means you can fill up your glass more quickly, while leaving less of

a chance that the interior tubes get clogged up.

Speed is important when considering a juicer, but perhaps not in the way you’d

expect. The centrifugal models are the fastest, but they are also the least efficient.

3. Noise

This one isn’t really a two-sided debate: the loud churning and grinding of a juicer

on full blast is generally unsettling. Whether you are more protective of your own

peace of mind or the sleep of those around you (we’re looking at you, morning

juicers), it’s best to try and stay on the quiet side if possible.

You don’t have to pay an extra $100 for a juicer that is supposedly quieter, but keep

in mind that these things can be loud. The price corresponds to the noise level:

centrifugals are the loudest, while masticating and triturating are significantly less

so.


The Big Three: Centrifugal vs. Masticating vs.

Triturating Juicers

1. Centrifugal Juicers

The first question you’re most likely asking is: “What on earth does ‘centrifugal’

mean?” Good question. It comes from centrifugal force, if that clears anything up

(although it very well may not). Centrifugal force is a Newtonian law of physics that

we won’t really waste time going into.


Just know that it’s the reason why a sharp blade spinning extremely fast can turn

your pile of grapes into a glass of grape juice in a few seconds. That’s exactly what

you get when you purchase a centrifugal juicer.

It has a slick, sharp spinning blade that spins against a mesh filter and breaks the

food down into separate byproducts of juice and fleshy pulp.

Price

Centrifugal juicers are the most common type, and are generally the least

expensive. You can get a very solid centrifugal juicer for $100-$200 (sometimes

less if you can find a good deal).

The centrifugal juicer is a nice beginner’s choice if you’re not an experienced juice

drinker and aren’t quite sure what you’re looking for.

Performance

If you want speed, the centrifugal juicer is your best bet. It is by far the fastest

model, and will get you your juice in as little time as possible. For those of us that

are on a tight schedule in the morning and need to get our juice quickly and easily,

then this model may be the way to go.

Centrifugal juicers also often come with the widest input tubes, meaning less

preparation (cutting up produce) is required. You can stuff larger chunks of food

down there without having to worry about clogging the machine.

They also can juice rougher objects more easily - carrots for example will be easier

to break down using the high RPM cycle of a centrifugal spin (anywhere from

5,000-15,000 RPMs, depending on your model) than in almost any other type of

juicer.


Cleanliness and the complexity of assembly also vary from model to model, but

most centrifugals will score higher in these categories as well. This model is

designed with the average juice user in mind.

Juice Quality

Overall, the juice produced by centrifugal juicers is lower in quality and less rich in

nutrients than juices from other types. That being said, you will have it in your

hands quicker, and some people claim not to notice much of a difference in taste.

The juice will still be delicious and extremely healthy. There has been a lot of

debate about whether the heat generated by the spinning of the blade in centrifugal

juicers kills enzymes and makes the juice less nutritious, but it seems that those

concerns are unsubstantiated.

There is little scientific evidence to back up the enzyme-killing theory, and that

which has been conducted seems to refute it. So that shouldn’t be a factor when

considering which juicer to buy.

Conclusion

It’s safe to say that most people who go to the store to buy a juicer end up with a

centrifugal model, since they are the most widely available and cheapest of all

versions. If you’re looking for a simple, affordable juicer to complement other food

and perhaps introduce more juice into your diet, this is a great option.

If you’re a well-worn juice drinker, or are looking to up your game into the realm

of the juicer extraordinaire, read on.


2. Masticating Juicers

Mastication. It sounds like a terminal disease or some form of ancient torture, but

actually it takes place in your mouth every time you eat. Mastication is what your

teeth do when you chew your food - it’s this process of grinding of the teeth

together to break down food that gives the masticating juicer its name.

As you can imagine, the mastication process of these juicers is a bit different from

the centrifugal method. As one would expect, it’s more of a slow, grinding process

that takes longer but is more thorough and does a more complete job of extracting

nutrients.

It is that crucial factor - the actual quality of the juice - that makes masticating

juicers preferable to some juice drinkers, although they are generally a little more

expensive.


Price

Quality masticating juicers will most likely run you upwards of $200, and some may

reach upwards into the $500 range. If you have a better sense of the different types

of juicers and know that you will benefit from the advantages of a masticating

juicer, it’s definitely worth dipping into the pocketbook and making an investment.

Performance

Masticating your produce takes longer than pulverizing it via centrifugal force, but

the end result is worth the wait. Whereas with a centrifugal juicer the distinction

between your juice and your pulp will be a little less dramatic, the masticating

juicer’s pulp is almost completely dry and tasteless.

You won’t want to eat the pulp from any of your juicers (most likely), but the point

here is that masticating juicers really suck every ounce of sweet goodness out of

the produce, albeit at a slower rate. A spinning auger, which looks like a large drill

bit, does the grunt work here. Instead of centrifugal force and speed, it relies on

torque to mash up the produce, which explains why it works slower but produces

a thicker, more rich juice.

In many cases, the masticating juicer also produces more juice, which is something

worth keeping in mind when considering the price. The efficiency of this model

may make up for its initial cost by requiring you to purchase less produce over the

course of its lifetime.

Juice quality

The juice quality from a masticating juicer is definitely a step up from the

centrifugal juicer. It is often thicker, tastier, and contains more nutrients. If you


prioritize the quality of the juice over the speed, ease, and price of the centrifugal

model, then this might be the option for you. Another important note is that the

auger form of juicing lends itself well to juicing vegetables.

The liquid in a vegetable is generally more difficult to extract, which makes the

slow-moving and torque-heavy auger of a masticating juicer preferable whenever

you find yourself in the mood for something green.

Conclusion

The masticating juicer is for the more determined juice drinker. If you want to

make sure you get the most out of every fruit and vegetable you juice, you will want

this type of machine. It’s slow, churning diligence is sure to create some of the best

juice you’ve ever tasted.

It is a little more difficult to operate, and a little more expensive, but if you want

the most punch out of your juice you should looks through these options.


3. Triturating

The centrifugal and masticating juicers are the two most common types, but the

last type of juicer worth bringing into the discussion is the triturating juicer

(sometimes known as the “dual gear” or “double auger” juicer).

We continue drifting here towards the more efficient, productive, but higher-

priced juicers. These babies are effective in juicing almost anything, from

vegetables to nuts, and will give you the most bang for the buck you spend on

produce.


Price

Naturally, these high-end juicers come at a slightly higher cost. A normal list price

for these is $600+, but if you search thoroughly you can usually find some for a bit

less.

Performance

Perhaps the greatest advantage to the triturating juicer is its versatility. While the

centrifugal specializes in coarse fruit and the masticating is better for vegetables,

you need not sacrifice any attribute with the triturating juicer.

It handles all juiceable objects with ease, and its efficiency rivals (or surpasses) that

of the best masticating juicers. Its slower speed and torque ensure a greater

extraction rate of juice, and its twin augers make it a more powerful tool than a

single-auger masticating juicer.

Their ease of use is compatible to both other models, and most of the parts should

be easy to assemble and clean.

Juice Quality

The juice quality from these juicers is incomparable. If you really want the purest,

healthiest juice experience, you will want to look into these options.

Conclusion

For those looking for the highest quality on the market, you should be browsing

through triturating juicer models. Twin augers ensure incredible efficiency, and

their versatility certainly gives them a leg up on the other two models.


The price reflects their superiority, but if you’re willing to pay you will not be

disappointed.

Health Ambition's Pick: The Best Juicers on the Market

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed with all this information, but you think you

know at least vaguely what type of juicer you want, perhaps we can help you out

with a few recommendations. The following are some juicers, of each category, that

we would suggest looking into.

Breville BJE200XL

This Breville model is a great option if you’re looking for a centrifugal juicer that is

affordable, powerful, and easy to maintain. It’s quite a popular one, and we

recommend giving it a shot if you’re a first-time juicer or looking for something

simple and dependable.


Price

At $99 on Amazon, this is one of the most affordable juicers out there. The price

here is the most attractive element, but we wouldn’t have chosen the Breville if it

didn’t have the performance to back it up. A highly valuable option here.

Performance

The Breville BJE200XL is extremely powerful. With RPMs that reach as high as

14,000, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a faster juicer on the market. If speed is what

you’re looking for - and for centrifugal juicers this is the most important element -

this Breville’s the way to go.

Cleaning these is fairly easy, as the entire assemblage consists of only a few parts.

The feeder tube is a nice 3 inches in diameter, making it easy to juice almost

anything with very little preparation required. It is a loud machine, and not the

most efficient in terms of the juice that it produces.

You’ll have to use much more produce with this juicer than with a masticating or

triturating juicer variety, but as an entry-level product, this is about as good as it

gets.

Juice Quality

Obviously, the quality of the juice won’t be as high as other more diligent varieties.

The richness and body of the juice that’s produced simply isn’t on the same level as

that of the other juicers below. But, again, within the field of centrifugal juicers, the

Breville BJE200Xl is top notch.

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Overall

If you’re looking for a beginner’s juicer at a low price, this one can’t be beat. Ease

of use and functionality make it a smart pick, and its speed makes it perfect for

someone looking for simple, good juice from their produce.


Omega J8005

This is our pick for a masticating juicer. A classic single-auger model with a feed

tube and an accompanying plunger that you use to mash your food down into the

slowly-rotating interior, the Omega J8005 produces very high quality juice and

rates high in maintenance as well.

Price

Masticating juicers are more expensive than centrifugal models, but this one comes

in at a very affordable $220.99 on Amazon.

Performance

Performance and maintenance get pretty high ranks here. The 80 RPMs on this

juicer ensure a nice, slow juicing process that will make your juice rich and full-

bodied and leaves no risk of overheating and nutrient degradation.

The feed tube on this could be wider - its narrowness makes it difficult to insert

large chunks, meaning you’ll have to cut up your produce into small pieces

beforehand.

http://www.healthambition.com/recommends/omega-j8005-nutrition-center/


It almost never clogs up though and will be able to juice just about anything you

can fit in the tube. This juicer has some other features and by using the included

attachments you can use it as a meat grinder or pasta maker. Clearing the Omega

J8005 is also effortless.

Juice Quality

The juice quality here is far superior to what you get with the centrifugal. It may

not be quite that of a triturating, but as far as juice goes, it will probably make some

of the best you’ve ever had. As you would expect with a masticating juicer, it can

squeeze a lot of juice out of leafy greens such a spinach or kale.

You can make a lot of very healthy and very delicious juices with this juicer. The

fact that you can get more juice out of your produce means that in the long term

this can save you money if you use it a lot.

Overall

This is a great model for those looking to step it up a little bit from the basic

centrifugal juicer. It’s low price, for a masticating juicer, combined with it’s

excellent performance and ease of use make it an ideal juicer for anyone from

beginner or professional. The Omega J8005 truly sets the standard in quality

juicers.


Green Star GSE- 5000 Elite

This triturating juicer is as good as it gets in terms of the juice and efficiency. You’ll

definitely get the most juice out of your produce, and that juice will be absolutely

delicious.

Price

These are the goliaths of the juicing world, and they are naturally more expensive

for it. A good deal on a twin-screw triturating juicer can get you one for under $600

(in fact, Amazon have this for just $520).

Performance

In terms of quality of product, there is simply no better option. This juice is the best

juice due to the complexity of this machine. It has a lot of moving parts, many of

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which are patented, specifically designed to perform minute functions that other

models do not perform, and that will give your juice much more flavor and richness.

It’s the little things that count. That same complexity, also counts against this model

at times - the litany of parts can be difficult to clean and assembly can be confusing

at first.

Juice Quality

Simply put: The best juice and the best juicer on the market.

Overall

This is the juicer to get if the juice itself is the most important thing to you. It

certainly isn’t the most affordable option, and you will have to put up with a few

maintenance difficulties that are not so much of a problem as in other models, but

one sip of the end result should relieve you of any lingering doubt that this is the

highest quality juicer out there.

Many juicing stores and health conscious restaurants will use these in a

commercial capacity. It’s easy to see why.


Other Juicing Equipment

Aside from these types of juicers, there are a few other appliances that serve

specific juicing functions that you may want to consider looking into.

Citrus Juicer

Normally to juice oranges, lemons or lime, you have to remove all of the peel. A

better option though is to invest in separate a citrus juicer. This allows you to make

fresh orange juice or very healthy lemon water.

Most juicing recipes suggest that you use a citrus juicer to get the liquid out of the

citrus fruit and then add it to the output of your main juicer.

A citrus juicer consists of a rotating part that squeezes the juice out of each half of

your citrus fruit. They require very little preparation, and serve well as a cheap,

quick way to get your daily dose of citrus.

The two basic options are manual or automatic citrus juicers. Considering the

relatively low cost, we definitely recommend this automatic citrus juicer.

http://www.healthambition.com/recommends/cuisinart-citrus-juicer/


Blender

Blenders are good for mashing up those previously mentioned “unjuiceables”:

bananas and avocados. You can liquify these in a blender and combine them with

the juice from your juicer if looking to add their nutritious value to your diet.

In addition, you can juice any produce in here, but keep in mind that since it does

not extract the pulp you will have to strain the liquid afterwards to filter out fibrous

chunks. You can buy a cheap but effective blender like this one that will do this

nicely.

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Manual Juicers

The manual juicer may seem outdated, but it has a few thing going for it. For one,

you can use it to juice the highly nutritious wheatgrass, which cannot be put

through a centrifugal juicer due to its thin consistency.

It’s also cheaper than the other juicing options, so if you’re willing to get your hands

dirty and looking for a workout, you might be interested in picking up one of these.

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5 Choosing your Ingredients Wisely

You’ve ultimately made the decision to strengthen your dietary regimen by juicing

for any number of reasons, be it to lose weight, to boost your vitality, to strengthen

your immune system, or simply to get in your daily requirement of fruits and

vegetables.

You will equally understand and appreciate that just like whole fruits and

vegetables, juices fall in a food chain hierarchy of potent and nutrient rich packed

recipes, some stronger than others, and some sweeter than others. Thus, it’s

prudent to know where in the food chain produce falls.

Which fruits and vegetables are the best for juicing? Which ones will garner the

best results and yield the most juice? Which ones will offer the most bang for their

buck when it comes to packing beneficial qualities like aiding in digestion and rapid

absorption of vital nutrients?

These are surely the questions racing through your head when you’re staring

straight down the produce aisle with an empty shopping basket. But you shouldn’t

be daunted by the prospect of choosing the right ingredients for your juice. In fact

you should be brimming with enthusiasm. Your body will ultimately thank you for

taking the initiative.

While some of the discussion about which fruits and vegetables are best for juicing

is subjective, there is no question about how much certain fruits and vegetables are

vitamin rich. And we can easily point to certain ones as being more generous at

yielding juice than others. Here is a starter list of 10 produce items that will take

your juicing a long way.


Apples

Apples are a staple for most juices for several reasons. Of particular note is that

they blend easily and are generally pleasing to the palette with almost any juice

recipe. But beside the taste factor, apples are rich in antioxidants which are great

for the skin, boost the immune system, lower cholesterol and are loaded with

nutrients that help the digestive system digest certain fats. Juxtaposed with

vegetables, apples can sweeten or make a flavor more palatable.

Carrots


Carrots are another staple of juices. One particular reason is that despite the fact

that carrots are vegetables, they are deceptively sweet and delicious. They’re also

rich in betacarotene which fights cancer, is great for the skin, and boosts the

immune system and brain function. They can also help to fight off bacteria and

parasites in the colon. You’ll find carrots in many juice recipes whose functions may

include improving digestion, concentration, immune health or bowel function.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are loaded with juice and cancer fighting agents like lycopene. They are

particularly potent in fighting testicular cancer. Some tomatoes will have a sweeter

fruitier ambiance than others. But all mix well with fruits and vegetables to give a

full bodied sort of flavor to a juice.

Celery

Celery is a great source of potassium and equally great for its diuretic properties.

For that reason it is often used in detox juices. It helps to cleanse toxins from the

body, particularly uric acid. But it is also great for lowering blood pressure. And we

can’t forget that potassium is a great pick me up for adding bounce to your energy


levels. And when it comes to flavor, celery isn’t obtrusive in the least. It won’t

overpower your juice or the other ingredients.

Wheatgrass

While wheatgrass isn’t necessarily the easiest ingredients to juice it is certainly one

of the most potent. It possesses more than 20 enzymes that aid in digestion and

breaking down harmful toxins in the body. And it boasts several more nutrients

that include vitamin A and chlorophyll which is great for regulating blood sugar.

Parsley

Parsley is also high in chlorophyll and thus is great for the circulation, the liver,

kidneys and the heart. It mixes well with other fruits and vegetables without

asserting itself too heavily into the palate.

Mint

Mint, like apples, is a juicing favorite. It can lend any number of properties to the

palate in terms of taste when paired with different ingredients. It also boosts

morale, is great for the skin, is rich in vitamin A and C which are great in the fight

against colon and rectal cancer, and rich in manganese, copper, iron, potassium


and calcium. Not very much is needed for a juice because it is so nutrient rich. But

the little that is used certainly packs a delicious nuanced punch to the flavor.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like cabbage, lettuce, mustard greens and spinach are all particularly

great for a juice. Leafy greens are highly potent in the enzymes that help break

down toxins in the body and the slow digesting fats that tend to upset our

stomachs. They are also rich in nutrients that when extracted are more rapidly

delivered into the bloodstream. Rapid transport into the bloodstream means our

bodies can more quickly avail themselves of the beneficial properties of vitamins

and proteins that we need to function on all cylinders. Leafy greens, even in small

quantities, are a general staple for most juices regardless of the recipe.

Berries

Berries are jam packed with antioxidants and numerous cancer fighting agents. Not

only are they good for the skin, they’re especially good with aiding the digestive

system. They are often used in juicing cleanses to help rid the colon and intestines

of harmful toxins. Blackberries, blueberries are particularly good for urinary tract

infections, strawberries for cancer with their strong amounts of lycopene, and all

berries are generally good for blood circulation, fighting bacteria and infection.


Melons

Melons such as cantaloupe are especially great for various forms of juices. They are

diuretics which aid in cleansing the body of toxins. They are especially great for

restoring fluids to the body when in need of hydration. And not only are they

delicious, yield great amounts of juice and mix well with other ingredients, melons

are powerful antiviral and antibacterial agents. And cantaloupe is high in beta

carotene.

Other fruits and vegetables worth mentioning for their powerful juicing properties

are papaya, kale, beets, peppers, ginger and broccoli.


Juice Recipe Structure

Keeping that in mind, your juice will ultimately serve a purpose to achieve one of

those aforementioned goals if not more. Your juice recipe structure will typically

follow a few simple rules. Greens typically give energy. Dark berries and reds

typically are cancer fighting agents and immune system boosters. And orange

colored foods like carrots and sweet potatoes are typically high in beta carotene

and are great for the colon and digestion.

We choose a general ratio of 4 vegetables to 1 fruit to achieve any of these goals.

Why? Vegetables will have the essential illness-fighting energy-boosting

phytonutrients that will rapidly transition into the bloodstream without spiking

the blood sugar like fruit might.

A strong juice recipe will feature at least a full requirement of your daily vegetable

intake (one full cup of a combination of green, red and orange vegetables per

serving) plus a small serving of fruit and a small garnish for flavor. While fruit like

an apple is added to a recipe typically for flavor, it still endows the juice with

beneficial properties. And for the purposes of adding a bit of tang or spice to a juice,

ingredients such as ginger, pepper, mint, or even garlic are added in even smaller

doses.

One small half cup serving of fruit for instance should be offset by one bunch of

leafy greens and/or a cup of vegetables that can include beets, carrots, kale, celery,

and broccoli. You will want to base your recipes on this idea.

Energy Juice Structure

For juices that are good at promoting energy, your recipe will be high in greens.

For instance wheatgrass and/or parsley plus an apple and some leafy greens is one

form of combination.


Leafy greens and green vegetables are high in phytonutrients like chlorophyll that

stimulate brain function, aid in digestion, cleanse the body and release good energy

boosting vitamins into the bloodstream rapidly.

We typically juice in this manner for this result while limiting our fruit content to

one small serving and ramping up our green content. Some greens that are strong

contenders to use in such a combination are wheatgrass, cucumber, celery, parsley,

leafy greens such as cabbage, collard and mustard greens, and spinach.

A typical recipe may resemble: 1 large cucumber + 8 celery stalks + 1 handful

of kale + 1 handful of spinach + 1 handful of parsley + 1 small garnish of

ginger + 1 small garnish of lemon.

Helpful tip: Drink green juices immediately in order to immediately reap the

benefits of the combination. Otherwise bottle and freeze immediately for later use

when you want to get your energy boost. Green juices are best served at the top of

the day.

Anti-Toxin Juice Structure

For juices that rid the body of toxins and that otherwise function under the

umbrella of juice cleanses, we can use a combination of folate rich darker

vegetables and fruits like beets, berries and apples. Beets for instance are not only

high in folate but manganese and Vitamin C, which help to cleanse the colon and

aid in the digestive process.

Furthermore, dark berries are antioxidant rich and help blood flow, heart health

and organ function. Blackberries and blueberries are particularly good for urinary

tract infections, strawberries for cancer with their strong amounts of lycopene, and

all berries are generally good for blood circulation, fighting bacteria and infection.


For anything that involves improving stomach function it’s a good rule of thumb to

add vegetables that promote digestion and cleanse toxins from the colon.

A typical recipe may resemble: 3 beets + 1 apple + 1 half cup of blackberries +

½ inch ginger.

Helpful Tip: To give any of your juices a boost of protein add chia. ½ cup to 1 cup

is a good measuring standard.

Another source for cleansing the body are fruits and vegetables that act as

diuretics. We typically add these sources to our juice combinations to promote

blood flow and digestion but also to remove excess water and toxins from the body

in order to give much needed relief to the heart and circulatory system.

Some of our yellow fruit and vegetables are known for doing just this: bananas,

papaya, pineapple, and ginger. Ginger is great for boosting metabolism, fighting

inflammation and aiding in the digestion process. It’s a great garnish to add to

basically any form of juice recipe.

A typical yellow tropical cleansing recipe may resemble: 1 papaya + 1 small half

cup of pineapple + ½ inch ginger + 1 handful of parsley

Helpful Tip: Add garnishes of orange, lime or lemon peel to your juices to spike

up your flavor and ramp up your vitamin C content. Be careful to only use a small

dash for flavor. Lemon and lime can be highly acidic.

Immune System Boosting Juice Structure

We can pull from a variety of sources to compose a stellar juice that will keep you

running on all cylinders and stave off the threat of illness. Greens are a given for

any of our juices. Check. Beets we know are high in folate and Vitamin C. Check.


Celery is especially potent for its ability to rid the body of uric acid. Check. But one

that may have flown under the radar is broccoli. Broccoli is a go to ingredient for

immune booster juice recipes. It aids in white blood cell production and is rich in

vitamin C.

But these aren’t the only ingredients that you need to stick to for crafting an

immune booster juice. You should reflect on which produce will be vitamin rich

(particularly vitamin C), which produce has anti-inflammatory properties, which

produce helps with organ function and digestion.

A typical recipe may resemble: 1 beet + 3 carrots + 8 celery stalks + 1 broccoli

stalk + 2 cloves of garlic.

Helpful Tip: Always choose the foundation of your juice first. It will typically be a

vegetable that you will juice in large quantities, such as celery or leafy greens, that

will provide the fundamental source of the juice properties (i.e. digestion, energy,

cleansing). You will build the rest of the juice around it. For example, you may

choose 8 celery stalks to one small apple and one handful of parsley or one large

bunch of spinach to one small apple and one to two carrots.

Flavor

To add garnish or flavor to your juice, Consider adding touches like mint, garlic,

ginger or pepper. Mint, for instance, boosts morale, is great for the skin, is rich in

vitamin A and C which are great in the fight against colon and rectal cancer, and

rich in manganese, copper, iron, potassium and calcium.

Helpful Tip: When adding garnish to taste, not very much is needed for a juice

because typical garnishes are so nutrient rich. But the little that is used certainly

packs a delicious nuanced punch to the flavor.


Which Produce Yields the Most Juice

While some juicing aficionados would argue that the amount of juice is not really

the question and that the quality is, there are certain fruits and vegetables which

tend to turn over greater amounts of juice when being juiced. In general your fruits

and vegetables which store more water content will tend to be those that produce

more juice in the juicer.

And while no one wants to drink empty calories that are fruitless (pun intended)

when it comes to getting the maximum amount of beneficial nutrients, the

following score well across the board when it comes to yielding juice and still

producing high nutritional value.

The folks at Norwalk did dedailed chemical tests comparing the output of popular

centrifugal juicers with their masticating juice (N in the table above). As you can

see, the amount of juice output and the nutrient density was higher.

Cucumbers, celery and citrus fruit are particularly great for yielding juice. And so

are melons like cantaloupe. Watermelon is of particular interest here, hence the

name watermelon. It’s chock full of juice content. All of the above are pleasing to

the palate, are soft fruits and vegetables that easily mix in the juicer, and

complement other fruits and vegetables easily.


How Much Fruit versus How Many Vegetables

For juicing beginners, some juices will be more palatable than others. Naturally,

some juices with a heavier vegetable than fruit content may taste less sweet. And

likewise, juices with higher fruit content will be sweeter and much higher in sugar.

As a general rule, beginners can try 60% fruit to 40% vegetables to avoid

overwhelming the palate on a first time juice. However as you ease comfortably

into juicing on a regular basis transition into an 80% vegetable to 20% fruit

ratio.

Be selective by way of color. Choose the rainbow: reds, greens, yellows, and orange

colors to diversify your regimen and boost your juice’s properties. If you are

consuming more than one juice a day, 50% of your juices in total should be

composed of green vegetables in order to fully maximize your nutritional values

and get all your macronutrient requirements in.


Otherwise, keep it simple. One fruit serving to 4 servings of vegetables. Your

vegetable content will allow you to reap the benefits of essential phytonutrients

with rapid absorption into the bloodstream and through the intestinal wall.

Less fruit content will mean less risk of spiking your blood sugar levels or packing

on the calories.


6 Too Much Fruit Slows Weight Loss

In having the goal of losing weight, most would agree that incorporating a lot of

fresh fruits and vegetables is a great focus to have. In theory, this is indeed true and

helpful. Organically grown plants are foods are rife with nutrients and often serve

as a quick, healthy snack.

The problem lies in the fact that a lot of us are much quicker to reach for an

orange, banana or a peach before we reach for carrots, celery, or broccoli –

understandably so. Fruit is sweeter, it’s tastier, it’s more satisfying to our palates.

But with that sweetness comes sugar.


Sweet, Sweet Fruits

Though many of us are in denial about it, fruit does contain sugar, and too much of

that sugar will bring your weight loss efforts to a stand still.

Here’s why:

High sugar (fruit) intake causes insulin levels to rise, in turn causing our

bodies to initiate fat formation. Having out-of-whack insulin levels is

something you want to avoid when trying to become leaner because it

triggers our body to hold onto and form more fat, versus getting rid of it.

When insulin levels skyrocket, the possibilities arise for conditions like

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This effects women’s hormones and can

prohibit women from being able to shed unwanted pesky pounds.

In knowing these things, we shouldn’t be scared to eat another piece of fruit with

the fear that it will effect our waistline. Simply becoming more aware of what we

reach for as a snack will help us evaluate how much fruit and sugar we are actually

consuming. For instance, if we eat too much fruit in a day (with few veggies,


protein, or fat sources) then it’s time to consider swapping that fruit for foods that

help meet our body’s demands.

Fruits are not Enough

Our bodies need more than just sugar; making fat and protein sources like seeds,

nuts and beans a great alternative to fruit.

Making that simple swap can solve your sugar problems for two reasons:

Vegetables are just as nutritionally dense as fruits are.

The sugar contained in fruit far outweighs the sugar found in vegetables.

Seeds & nuts provide crucial omega fatty acids that actually help facilitate

hormones and fat loss.

Because of this, us weight-conscious individuals will get closer to our goals if we

simply swap the sugar and avoid eating too much fruit. Making sure that our diet

isn’t “sugar heavy” is a big step in optimizing our health & fitness; in turn helping

us lose weight.

After all, being at a healthy weight is just a reflection of our inner health.


Vegetables and More Vegetables?

The ideal of eating whole veggies might be off putting to many, as eating veggies is

just not as appealing as munching down on fruit. Here are a few options for those

that are struggling to stomach the veggies:

Think protein when snacking, not sugar. One can accomplish this by

finding an organic powder or bar that is high in protein and low in sugar.

Doing this will give you the satiability from the protein without causing

your insulin levels to rise. When eaten in small amounts and in moderation,

foods like chia seeds or almonds are also a great source of protein and good

fats.

Juice your veggies to make them more palatable. Juicing some of your

favorite veggies can be a quick way to ingest a load of nutrients at once. Using

carrots, tomatoes, celery, and some greens can make for a surprisingly

delicious veggie treat. It’s refreshing and also acts as an energy boost.


So, Fruits are bad?

No, not really, but it is pertinent that we realize that “too much fruit” exists. With

the efforts we make an individuals to lose weight and be healthy, we shouldn’t

ignore that we could be taking steps backwards by inadvertently ingesting too

much fruit and sugar.

Simply making small changes like eating veggies, implementing protein powders,

eating more seeds & nuts and starting a juicing routine can help us solve the

problem and accelerate the rate at which we slim down.


7 The Best Vegetables for Juicing

Many of us would like to have more vegetables in our diet, but it isn’t always easy

to get them into your meals.

Juicing at home offers a simple and effective way to get the vitamins, minerals,

enzymes, antioxidants and other nutrition in healthy vegetables as delicious and

energizing fresh juices.

This section looks at some of the best vegetables for juicing, whether you are on a

diet, or just want to have health and energy boosting homemade juice regularly.

Unfortunately, many of the nutrients found in freshly made juices have a very short

shelf life as they degrade easily. There’s a special tip ahead to delay this

degradation, but even then it’s best to drink your vegetable juice as soon as you

make it for the most health benefits.

Especially on the juice diet, but even if you’re just having vegetable juices

occasionally, you really want to be making them up yourself. Store-bought

vegetable juice, even the expensive stuff from health food stores, simply isn’t

anywhere near as good.


Juice bars are a possibility, but they are very expensive compared to making your

own. They also usually use high-speed centrifugal juices, which increases

oxidization and reduces the nutritional benefits of your vegetable juice.

Particularly for highly nutritious and disease preventing greens, but also for most

other kinds of vegetables, a high quality masticating juicer is a good investment.

These kinds of juicers crush out as much juice as possible with their ‘teeth’, leaving

the pulp dry. It’s not only a healthier way of juicing, it’s also a more cost effective

approach in the long run as you get extra out of every juicing session and need less

produce each time you shop.

If you want to experience the health benefits of juicing on the juice diet, the next

section has some of the best vegetables to get started with.

Eight Healthy Vegetables for Juicing

1. Carrots

Carrot juice is delicious and an excellent way to fill your body up on nutrition for

disease prevention and healthy skin and eyes.


The high levels of beta-carotene in carrot juice make it a great source of pro-

vitamin A, while other carotenoids like alpha-carotene for cancer protection and

xanthophylls for enhancing your vision increase its health credentials.

Carrots are also a good source of vitamin C, with some vitamin K and B vitamins

thrown in for good measure.

Rich in potassium for healthy heart and muscle function, carrots also contain

magnesium, calcium and phosphorus, along with important trace minerals like

manganese, molybdenum and copper for maintaining hair color.

2. Celery

Fresh celery juice is full of health benefits and is especially healthy for your blood

pressure and cardiovascular system, for reducing inflammation in your body,

cleansing and detoxifying and even protecting your cells against cancerous

changes.


3. Cabbage

Raw cabbage is a powerful healer for the digestive system and is particularly good

for preventing and even treating gastric ulcers.

Like many cruciferous vegetables it is full of sulphur based compounds that show

promise for reducing your risk of cancer.

Fresh cabbage juice has a strong taste and potency and is best mixed in with several

of the other vegetable juices here.

4. Beets

Deep red beets, also known as beetroot, are a premier detoxifier for your liver. Full

of betaine, a substance that helps reduce fatty deposits in the liver and benefits

your cardiovascular system, beets are an especially powerful vegetable juice.

Due to their potency, it’s best to drink only a small amount of fresh beet juice when

you’re beginning with the juice diet. Perhaps just half of a regular size beet, working

up to a whole one once you’ve experienced how cleansing they can be.


5. Parsley

Much more than just a garnish, parsley is another excellent detoxifying vegetable,

most notably for your liver and kidneys. Parsley is so good for your kidneys that its

juice is often recommended for kidney stone prevention and even treatment.

Considered even more powerful than beet juice, parsley juice should be avoided by

pregnant women and those on blood thinning medication. It is also best in small

doses, with around an ounce (roughly half a dozen good sized parsley branches)

generally a good starting amount.

Like most high nutrient green vegetables, you won’t get much juice out of parsley

without a masticating juicer so it might be better eaten until you get one.

6. Cucumber

Fresh cucumber juice is another excellent tonic for your kidneys and large amounts

are recommended to help dissolve kidney stones.

Cucumbers are also an excellent source of the mineral silica, which is used in the

connective tissues throughout your body, including the skin on your face. Extra

silica in the diet may help to firm up and improve your skin tone and many people

in online health forums comment on the beautifying effects of fresh cucumber juice.

7. Tomatoes

Great tasting tomatoes make for a wonderful vegetable juice, rich in vitamins and

full of antioxidant lycopene for a healthy cardiovascular system. Juicing tomatoes

makes their health nutrients highly bioavailable and mixed with some of the


other juices here (like a personal favorite of carrot, celery and parsley for instance)

they make for a concentrated shot of health and energy.

8. Kale

Nutritional superstar kale is a big green vitamin pill with excellent levels of pro-

vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins and particularly the hard to get vitamin K. It is also

full of minerals like calcium, potassium, manganese and copper.

Other health benefits of fresh kale juice include a high concentration

of organosulfur compounds that are being studied for their anticarcinogenic

effects, particularly against stomach cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer and

breast cancer.

You won’t get much juice from kale without a decent juicer, so it’s probably better

in a smoothie until you can upgrade to the masticating version mentioned earlier.


8 Buying Produce

Buying produce can ultimately be a lesson in patience and perseverance. Two rules

of thumb when buying produce should always be:

1) You cannot judge a book by its cover (or produce by its skin)

2) Not all produce is created equal.

You’ve no doubt become well-versed in the various hierarchies of produce ranging

from farm fresh locally raised goods to bio to organic to store-bought to GMO. They

each have different qualities and equally pose different risks to the consumer. But

what remains consistent is prep.

Regardless of where you buy your produce, your juice prep always starts with

thoroughly cleaning your fruits and vegetables (even “pre-washed” produce). Even

the most pristine produce can become contaminated in the transition from the

marketplace to your kitchen.

Imagine placing your produce in a dirty shopping bag for example. So you should

absolutely wash your produce thoroughly with a vegetable produce wash usually

available in your grocery store to help remove any contaminants that may exist on

the skin.

Now that we’ve gotten that item of business out of the way, you should carefully

source your produce. Farmers’ markets in a general sense will tend to be your

cleanest option because the produce is locally raised, limiting risks of exposure to

foreign contaminants on the skin or parasites that can embed themselves in the

meat of your produce. Will it be cheaper? Not necessarily so. Stay abreast of when

your local farmers’ markets take place each week and when they are likely to mark


down prices (i.e. peak season vs off season for certain produce). Keep these dates

in mind when thinking about buying your produce in bulk.

Melons and berries and leafy greens are best bought locally. You’ll minimize the

risk of exposure to foodborne illnesses transported from third world export hubs

for instance or parasites that are indigenous to foreign territories.

Organic produce greatly reduces the risk of exposure to pesticides and genetic

modification. That being the case, they can still run the risk of being exposed to

parasites. And organic is usually more expensive than your standard store bought

fare. Reserve exotic produce that isn’t typically locally farmed for your organic

purchases. Any sort of must have fruit or vegetable ingredient that is usually

imported you should always buy organic.

And when it comes to buying as is, you can usually buy carrots, potatoes and sweet

potatoes with no preference for store bought or farmers’ market.


9 Preparing Produce

Juicing is time sensitive. To best reap the nutritional rewards of a juice there are

only a few hours that give you a window in which to consume it. Afterwards a juice

degenerates. In fact from the moment of its creation it begins to oxidize. After a few

hours, bacteria will begin to form.

And your juice will no longer have the same potency it had at its outset. So it’s best

to consume your juice immediately. If you can’t, you should seal it in an airtight

bottle and refrigerate it.

After you’ve purchased your produce, keep it refrigerated in a clean bag or

container. You should have pre-washed it before you refrigerated it. But you should

ultimately wash it again before juicing. And even more importantly, you should

thoroughly wash your juicer before and after each use in order to rid it of any

bacteria.


If you’ve shopped for the week, plan out your juicing recipes for the week as well,

reserving the fruit and veggies that may spoil quickly for the beginning of the week

and those that conserve well for later in the week.

Avoid cross-contamination by making sure your juicing area is pristine. You should

only be focused on juicing in that area. Nothing else and no other cooking produces

or goods should be there.

Once you’ve juiced your ingredients, either consume the juice immediately or store

immediately. The rest that remains you can freeze or use the fiber later in other

food recipes. Or you can dispose of it immediately.

Those are your keys to starting you off to juicing greatness. Remember to keep it

clean and keep it simple.


10 Extra Juicing Tips

Organic produce is recommended for vegetable juicing to avoid pesticides,

especially on the juice diet where you are detoxifying with the raw juices.

If you can’t get organic, then soak and scrub your veggies with warm water and a

dash of vinegar to remove waxes and sprays. This is particularly important with

celery, kale and cucumber, but if there was just one vegetable for juicing that you

could buy organic, I’d make it carrots.

Organic carrots usually aren’t that much more expensive at a good fruit and

vegetable market. Since they can absorb toxins from the ground they are grown in

they are much better to buy organically whenever you can.

An extra tip for healthy juicing is to add an ice cube or two and some fresh lemon

juice to the bottom of your collection jar. This helps delay oxidization and

degradation of the juice, but it’s still best to drink fresh vegetable juice as soon as

you make it up.

Never leave your juicer dirty. Residue from fruit & vegetables is much harder to

clean one it has dried. The best approach is to drink your juice immediately and

then clean (or at the very least, rinse) your juicer components immediately.

If you are washing your juicer components in a dishwasher, it’s best to rinse them

quickly under a warm tap before putting them in the dishwasher, else you might

find the residue dries before the dishwasher cycle starts.

It is common for the juice bucket to get stained slightly orange if you juice a lot of

carrots. Rinse it immediately after pouring your juice into a glass, to avoid this.

Always soak in warm, soapy water.


Try to juice on an empty stomach. Anything over 2 hours since your last meal

should be fine. This ensures adequate and speedy delivery of nutrients to your

bloodstream, without any interruption from your digestion process.

Furthermore, those looking to lose weight should be aware that one of the main

benefits of juicing is that it suppresses hunger. If you drink it while eating a meal,

this effect won’t be felt. Most of us have trained ourselves to eat everything on our

plate. So make sure that you don’t even start to prepare a meal till 20-30 minutes

after consuming juice.

Keep your juicer cleaned and ready to juice at all times. If you are hungry and need

a snack, chances are that you’ll reach for those easy chips or chocolate bar, if you

have to spend 5 minutes cleaning your juicer. Pre-empt your hunger pan and have

it ready to go at all times. This ensures you can quickly make a healthy glass of juice,

whenever you feel hungry.


11 Frequently Asked Juicing Questions

Is it good or bad to eat the pulp?

Eating the pulp is absolutely fine! Most people throw it away or compost it but it’s

perfectly edible. Most of the good-tasting parts have been extracted, as well as

much of the food’s nutrients, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with the

pulp if you don’t feel like wasting food.

Do you have to peel fruit before juicing it?

In most cases, no. Apples, pears, and even pineapples can be put into the juicer as

is without any peeling. The skin of citrus fruit is often bitter, so you should probably

avoid adding that if you want your juice to taste good. If your fruit is non-organic,

you may want to consider peeling it so as to keep pesticide and chemical

preservatives out of your juice. Many of the most beneficial nutrients are actually

just under the skin, so it’s often best to avoid peeling unless you have a good reason

to do so.

Can I store my juice and drink it at a later time?

This isn’t really a good idea. The main reason is that the nutritious enzymes present

in your freshly-produced juice began to degrade after just a few minutes. If you put

your juice in the fridge and drink it later that day, you’ll have lost some of the

benefits of having juiced your food in the first place.

Is there such a thing as too much juice?

Yes and no. No, it’s not unhealthy to drink the same juice every day - particularly if

you’re sticking to basic fruit and vegetable combos that are undoubtedly healthy.

However, since juicing is often associated with weight loss, some people forget


to consider the fact that freshly-squeezed juice still has a great deal of calories. It’s

preferable to starting your morning with a croissant and a bagel, but just because

you’re drinking juice doesn’t mean you can’t gain weight or consume unhealthy

amounts of sugar.

Why is homemade juice better than bottled

juice?

It might be tempting to forego juicing altogether in favor of the so-called “fresh-

squeezed” juices you find at your supermarket. But fresh homemade juice gives

you so much more. As alluded to above, the juice you make will have enzymes and

nutrients that deteriorate if not consumed right away. No matter how local the

juice you buy, it will never be as healthy as the juice you make. Not to mention all

of the sugars and other things that get added to bottled juice. When you make juice

at home you know exactly what’s in it. That’s what makes it rewarding. That’s what

makes it juice!

I’m diabetic, can I juice?

Firstly, please consult a doctor before making any dietary changes that could affect

your condition or interfere with medication. Generally, it’s better to stick to

vegetable juice if you suffer from diabetes. Your doctor will be able to advise you

though.

Can I use a blender?

Yes you can. However, you must strain the juice to remove the fiber and other

“bits”. A simple strainer bag will come in handy here. It’s a bit of a pain and can be

messy so if you are in doubt, it’s usually worth picking up a cheap juicer. Many

people stop juicing because they find it takes too long if they are not using the right

equipment.


How do you get liquid from leafy vegetables?

This can be difficult if you are using a centrifugal juicer. Leafy greens such as

spinach don’t have much juice in them. It’s worth pointing out, however, that the

juice they do have is extremely powerful and very good for you. If you like juicing

leafy greens, invest in a masticating juicer or buy a cheaper manual masticating

juicer to use exclusively for leafy greens and wheatgrass. This is the most

affordable option, but requires some elbow grease.

the juicing factor...jul 01, 2015 · in our juicing produce guide, we go into great detail about...

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