Juicing is a high health hype. Juicing is so much talked about. Juice made at home, or bought from a shop – which one do you prefer? Juicing can make you utterly confused when you’re trying to improve your health. There is so much information on what to eat, drink and do – and one new thing after another seems to emerge every week. Juicing however entered the arena sometime in the 1990s’ – and has stayed its course. It has become a fixture in many health conscientious homes. Proponents of Juicing say is a way to get around the additives in shop-bought Juice, as you know what is in the liquid. They also like that Raw Juice boosts the daily intake of vitamins and minerals. Those that vote against Juicing, say it is because of the sugar content, and that people replace food with juice – which seems more of a diet fad than good. To Juice or Not to Juice – this is the question?
Tip: Join our mailing list for more posts how to feel, be and do good: Learn More
Juicing – What is it?
Juice from fruit or vegetables has been around since way before supermarkets were invented. Preserving and hand-pressed Juice was part of how our ancestors prepared for long winters and took advantage of every bit of what the land provided.
Juicing – Part of the New Green Evolution
These days you can find a Juice bar in every corner. Smoothies, Raw Juice and Detox cocktails are part of the modern new green world. It is almost comical to watch a 30 something hop into a chick Health Bar and knowingly ask for their favorite green sludge with a shot of whey to go. Long gone is the midday pub crawl of the 80s Yuppie generation, and the older generation is now slightly dumbfounded by the new green (R)evolution.
If you are not part of the ‘new green’ people or live far away from the corner Raw Juice Bar – you are likely to ask yourself: To Juice or Not to Juice? Is it really that amazing for your health, that you willingly slurp up what looks like so weird and green in color? Does it help with nutritional intake, and what does it do for your health? Why not simply write the whole thing off as a fad, and go to your local supermarket and pick up your usual carton of orange juice? Or – should you invest in a Juicer and start experimenting?
Juicing Exploration – The Fab and Fad Factors
Juicers are inexpensive too – Click!
Juicing is the extraction of liquids from fresh fruit and vegetables, using a machine called a Juicer.
- The Fab factor is that you know what you drink, and get a real boost in vitamins and minerals by drinking it.
- The Fad factor is the loss of the fiber. You can, of course, use the fruit and veg ‘waste’ in baking, soups or opt for a more expensive machine — that masticates rather than presses, and therefore includes all the good fiber too.
If you are used to a glass of juice for breakfast, consider what is in the cartoon you buy, as very often preservatives, sugars, and other additives are hidden inside.
- The Fab factor with Juicing is being able to pick and choose what goes into your Juice and allows your creativity to flow.
- The Fad factor is that is can feel expensive to buy fruit and vegetables – however, on the whole, I would argue that health gets improved by reducing processed products which in the long run is cheaper than any medical costs.
Fab or Fad?
Aim for a healthy balanced (whole) food diet, and have your five a day – which means two whole fruits and three to four vegetables a day. The same goes for your daily juicing. Mix up fruit and vegetables, choose them in different colors to get a good mix of vitamins and minerals – and have fun with it. (Check out my tips below).
- The Fab factor is the very real increase in nutrients and boosters. Many proponents of Juicing talk about clearer skin, more energy, healthier gut and even how it has helped them combat a disease.
- The Fad factor is that you need to check with you Doctor in case you take regular medicines, as some vegetables and fruit don’t work well with drugs. In this link, you can find advice on what to avoid in your juice if you suffer from an illness. Another Fad actor is the sugar content as fructose can add up if you put too many fruits in your juice. One fruit to 3 vegetables is what I normally use, and I make sure not to drink more than 2 medium glasses per day. Check below for great juice tips and books 🙂
Juicing – To Juice or Not to Juice?
Do you Juice? This question would have been met by a blank stare just a few years ago. These days you are more likely to get a ‘Yes!” than a ‘No!” answer.
If you don’t Juice, you might get interested and try. However, if you want to continue buying your juice, I recommend reading the label carefully and go for one without additives and as few preservatives as possible.
I Juice! Every day we have freshly made juice for breakfast, and another one to accompany our light lunch. It fits well with our overall balanced health food approach, as energy, vitamins, and minerals are needed to sustain our active, exercise filled days. We find it to be a great immune booster too, and these simple immune boosting juice recipes will convince the most hardened non-believer.
We are not alone in our love of juicing. Healthambition.com recently convinced us that Juicing for Colds is the way forward, and indeed we have not had a common cold for years now, which seems to coincide with when we started juicing.
We experimented with a few Juicers before settling on our favorite Philips HR1861 Whole Fruit Juicer, that came with a great juice recipe book by Jason Vale, a.k.a Juice Master.
Juice Machines – Tips
If you want to try Juicing you can look at the wide variety for sale, and decide what fits your Juicing needs and budget. As an occasional Juicer, you can go for one that does the trick, like this one from Andrew James – if on the other hand, you want one for every day I do recommend my Philips one that really combines ease with quality. If you are on the road a lot, you can travel with a Nutri Bullet that really combines small size with super quality. The superstar is the more expensive Vitamix, which masticates the fruit and vegetables to make sure every bit of nutritious goodness comes your way.
Juicing – Fad or Fab?
Fad or Fab? We have noticed a difference to how we feel overall, and do not take any supplements anymore. We also see how much clearer our skin is, and have not felt that sugars (or weight) have increased. If you are worried about the sugar content in juice, I hope my post has convinced you that it is all about the bigger picture, and the daily overall intake of healthy foods. In our case – we do not use any processed foods at all, nor do we indulge in pastries, bakery treats or high teas. We do have a piece of dark chocolate every day though 🙂 and juice, of course.
Juicing – Just Do It!
If you want to increase your overall feeling of healthy, balanced food I really recommend investing in a Juicer. The simple fact of knowing what is in your juice, and being able to use every bit of the fruit and vegetable that you buy makes it all worth it. Juices made at home also taste so much better – and you can add what you like best, and experiment to get to your favorites.
As long as you make sure to mix fruit and vegetables in your Juice sensibly, and drink them fresh – you will enjoy this fab addition to your health prevention lifestyle change journey. If you are worried about the fad of juicing – use common sense, check with your Doctor – and just check it all out – you might just love it?!
Recommended and Related:
-
- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly on Juicing – HalfTimeFit.com
- 5 Simple Immune Boosting Juice Recipes – Juicing With G
- Questions and Answers on Juicing – The Mayo Clinic
- Is Sugar Content an issue when Juicing? – Juicepress.com
- Juicing Health Risks and Benefits – WebMd
- The Health Benefits of Juicing – Mercola
- Juicing For Colds – healthambition.com
- Pros and Cons of Pure Protein Whey Shots – Livestrong.com
- Juicing: The Complete Guide – Sunflower-Press.com
Thanks for excellent inspiration! In our household we have now practiced juicing for some weeks, and we have become “addicted” to juicing. But, I do recommend going for the juicer you suggest, Goodista. I bought one locally, and it is not powerful enough. So, I will definitely order the one you recommend. We feel invigorated, and yes, the skin becomes clearer and you feel so good!