How I Learned To Love Juicing

There’s no doubt what got me started on my juicing journey. It was the night I was flipping around Netflix and came across Joe Cross’ award-winning documentary, Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead. Originally released in 2014, the film follows an Australian businessman on his 60-day journey across the US as he adheres to a juice fast, loses 100 pounds, regains his health, and discontinues the medication he’d been taking for years. That got my attention. And I bought my first juicer.

A juicer is basically a centrifuge with a blade or disk that spins at high speeds, grating fruits and veggies, straining them through a fine sieve, and making the nutrients in the resulting juice immediately available to the body. The first thing I noticed is that I can’t just sip my juice. One taste and it’s like my body is crying out for more. I gulp!

Now, you may already be buying cold-pressed juice from your grocery store, so you know how delicious the right blend can be. But, because produce begins losing nutrients almost immediately after it’s been juiced, investing in an at home juicer meant I could drink fresher, more nutrient rich juice. With a decent home juicer starting around $99 and many store bought juices costing $8 or more, it didn’t take long for it to pay for itself. Besides, it was fun to experiment and find the combinations I like.

From there, I spend around $20 on produce per week for one glass of juice a day. Cross recommends a ratio or 80% vegetables to 20% fruit. But I started a bit fruit heavy and worked my way toward that ratio. Now it’s your turn. Begin with several large handfuls of greens, some apples, carrots, and whatever additional produce you like. Organic is best, since you’ll be juicing skin and all. But if you can’t find it, use a good produce wash.

Just toss your produce in your juicer peel, core, seeds, everything—and watch the gorgeous colors flow out the other end and blend into something truly life giving. I practice delayed gratification,not allowing myself a sip of juice until my juicer is washed and dried and ready for tomorrow. Then... wait for it... Mmmmmmm!

SOME TIPS I’VE LEARNED ON MY JUICING JOURNEY

Juice product “pieces”you’d usually toss such as pineapple cores, broccoli stems, broccoli, cauliflower, or eggplant leaves, eggplant or banana peels, kiwi skins, and melon rinds.
While produce with a consistency of bananas or avocados won’t juice, you can mash them with a fork and mix them into your finished juice.
When juicing leafy greens, either roll them into a tight ball or wrap them around something like a piece of celery or a carrot.
If you don’t have a certain type of produce on hand, substitute a few drops of its essential oil.
Squeeze citrus and freezethe juice in ice cube trays. Then use the cubes in your juice.