Juicing

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How many do it and what are your favorite recipes?  I just got a juicer and had my first juice yesterday. I just did cucumber as I heard that it is a good starter to get used to green juices.  I am planning a shopping trip to get more veggies to experiment with today.

Have you felt a difference with the juicing?  I've read Crazy Sexy Diet (and Cancer) and some people swear by it.  I really want to make lasting changes that will positively affect my health going forward.  

Thanks for your input! 

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Comments

  • DebRox
    DebRox Member Posts: 437
    edited September 2011

    Hi blonde lawyer:



    I juice daily and I definitely feel as though I have more energy drinking fresh vegetable juice. My entire family drinks juice and feels the same way.



    My favorite morning cocktail - green lemonade consists of kale, apples and lemon. Sometimes I add cabbage and cucumber as well as they are good for hair growth.



    There is a great book called the jucing bible that contains good recipes. Really experimenting is the best. Buy organic veggies if you aren't peeling them. Enjoy!

  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 1,931
    edited September 2011

    Cabbage and cucumber are good for hair growth?  You renewed my interest in juicing!  :)  In all seriousness, juicing is a great way to reach 12-15 fruits and vegetables per day.  I like kale, broccoli, spinach, and green apple.  The apple really cuts the "green" taste.  

  • althea
    althea Member Posts: 1,595
    edited September 2011

    I juice everyday too.  My fave fave fave during the summer is watermelon juice.  I have it every day and I never get tired of it.  It's how I start my day.  I wouldn't recommend it at other times.  Melons are best consumed by themselves on an empty stomach.  That way, it moves through very quickly.  Combined with other foods, melons can cause bloating.  The only thing I add to the juice is unrefined salt, probably a scant 1/4 teaspoon per 12 oz of juice.  Put the whole thing through -- seeds, rind included.  There's hardly anything left afterwards.  

    The green juices are very good for us too.  Just be aware that cruciferous veggies can suppress thyroid function, so if your thyroid is underactive, just choose other greens.  Cabbage, ugh, don't miss that one at all.  But if you like it, drink it immediately.  It oxidizes quicker than anything else.  Spinach is divine in a green juice.  I can't stay away from it even though it's in the cruciferous group.  

    My staples for a green juice are:  lemon (peeled), slice of ginger, apple, and coconut water.  The greens should vary and just rotate through a selection.  Some of my faves are cilantro, parsley, cucumber, bell pepper, spinach, celery, romaine, radish sprouts.   

  • Haljen
    Haljen Member Posts: 45
    edited September 2011

    Just ordered my juicer from bbb. So excited, it should arrive by tuesday. A co-worker purchased a book for me called Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices by N.W. Walker D. Sc. It talks about all the veggies and fruits and what each is specifically good for. I am interested in this because I saw Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead on streaming Netflix. I saw this while my husband was going through chemo treatment for breast cancer. He is on the road to recovery now. He gets his port out on Saturday and starts tomaxifen on Monday. He is willing to give it a try, so I am going through the book to see what juices will be good for his potential side effects and which are good for my own gallbladder issues.

  • geewhiz
    geewhiz Member Posts: 1,439
    edited September 2011

    We juice daily. I have an omega and a blendtec. I make smoothies with flax and hemp protein, berries, banana for breakfast. The kiddos love it. We follow that with an after school green juice...where I always add an apple to make it palatable. Then after dinner I do a major green sludge juice with all kinds of organic veggies...parsley, Ginger, lemon, kale, cabbage, fennel, cilantro, only one carrot to keep sugar down. I used to not be able to choke this one down...but now I literally crave it by the end of the day.

  • amidala
    amidala Member Posts: 30
    edited September 2011

    I like carrot, celery, cucumber, kale with half an apple and about an inch chunk of fresh ginger thrown in.   The color is hideous but if I drink it from an opaque cup that doesn't bother me at all.  I have found that, no matter what crazy stuff I throw in the juicer, adding a piece of fresh ginger makes it all palatable. 

  • Suzanne3131
    Suzanne3131 Member Posts: 3,953
    edited September 2011

    We juice every day too!  I like to stick to greener juices to keep sugar levels low...my current(summer)  favorite is cucumber (mild diuretic and cooling properties), celery (for essential mineral salts and also de-stressing), lemon (tonic for the liver) and apple (to make it all taste nice!).  DH favors carrot, apple, celery and lemon. Juicing is a great way to feel like you can use up your fruits and veggies so you can shop with abandon!  You can juice pretty much anything, and it's almost always tasty!   To your health!

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 218
    edited September 2011

    Hi Blondelawer,

    I make my own juices everyday since i started chemo. I mix beetroot, carrot, suede, broccoli, cauliflower all together. it doesn't taste very nice but it gives me plenty of energy !!!!

    I also take turmeric powder(one large spoon) and black pepper mixed up with a bit of water everyday. i don't like it but take it like a "medicine" !!

    Take care !!

  • Suzanne3131
    Suzanne3131 Member Posts: 3,953
    edited September 2011

    Marie-Edith ~ What is suede?

  • blondelawyer
    blondelawyer Member Posts: 327
    edited September 2011

    I found that I really like it and am already craving juice if I don't have it!  I am trying ot keep sugar low as well, so using only green apples or pears for fruit and using mostly veggies.  I will keep playing with combinations and I hope that it helps.

  • Sable43
    Sable43 Member Posts: 91
    edited September 2011

    Hello to all of you!

    Would love to know if anyone here is drinking Aloe Vera Juice as well. I've read about some of its benefits and would really appreciate input if anyone on the site has tried it and, if so, do you continue to use it?

    Thanks in advance!

  • MariannaLaFrance
    MariannaLaFrance Member Posts: 777
    edited September 2011

    I don't have a juicer, but I stop by Whole Foods at times for a big juice in the morning. I've found that I cannot tolerate the green ones.... do you start to acquire the taste? I usually do "The Cappy", which is an apple, carrots, and a splash of pomegranate juice. I once tried one with beets and it was so spicy (along with ginger) that I couldn't choke it down.  

  • impositive
    impositive Member Posts: 629
    edited September 2011

    I try to juice daily.  I have tried so many concoctions and have learned to like them all.  The "green" definitely takes getting used to.  When I end up with something I don't care for, I add a little liquid stevia and it helps to make it more palatable. I find that when I'm juicing, I dont have my normal food cravings and I eat less at mealtime. Any one else notice that?  I read that with today's diet, we are literally starving for nutrients.  Maybe the food cravings are decreasing because I am finally getting the nutrients from the juicing! 

    I use apples and lemons to sweeten the juice but by lunch time, I want something less sweet tasting.  I have tomatoes right out my back door so lately I have been making a tomato based juice.  Tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumber, kale or spinach, a clove of garlic and sea salt.  The salt really makes it good. Because of the tomatoes, it's a little "pulpy" so I strain it before I drink it.  I probably crave that one more than the sweet ones.

    I have recently tried to get my 16 year old to drink a fresh juice at least once a day. I start with fruit and add in a little green (usually romaine lettuce or spinach).  He chokes it down like it's medicine,lol. I think it has more to do with the color than the taste.  I serve it in a wine glass as sometimes "presentation" helps but maybe I should put it in something opaque like Amidala does! 

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 218
    edited September 2011

    Hi Impositive,

    I have also noticed that i have less cravings and feel full with the juice. And if i don't have it then i have cravings for it !!!! It's weird !!!! I used to eat a really bad diet and lots of junk food !!!

    Hi Suzanne3131

    Well i beleive suede is a white round root vegetable, with pink on the top. That's what they call it at the shops in Australia. The girls at the till often mistake it for a parsnip and i don't mind because it's cheaper !!!! To be honest i've seen it called all sort of names and i don't think anybody really knows, sorry about that but i'm from France and here it's definitely called a "navet".

    It tastes horrible but the reason i'm using it is because in certain science like "bio-electronic", it is supposed to be the best vegetable (along with beetroot) to promote a healthy "terrain", less prone to illness.     

    I have only read all this and i don't know if it works but i'm trying!!

    Take care :)

  • jezza
    jezza Member Posts: 698
    edited September 2011

    I think Marie-Edith you spell it Swede? It is a purpleish root vegetable on top and yellowish in the body.The turnip is the one that is purpleish on top with a white bulbous bottom.Parsnip?...very different.

    I'm also from Australia...was brought up in Tasmania where swedes, turnips ans also parsnips are very popular. An aquired taste but I love them all!

    jezza

  • cupcakies
    cupcakies Member Posts: 71
    edited September 2011

    any recommendations or reviews for brands or types of juicers? i heard some are very difficult to clean

  • 345grace
    345grace Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2011

    I had huge constipation issues during chemo, long story short, finally came across aloe vera juice ! Soo mild and subtle, healing.  1oz to 8 oz a day.  Really helped with the nausea, too.

  • 345grace
    345grace Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2011

    Any suggestions on type of juicer to buy?  Kinda medium price, in case I burn out on the juicing quick!. I see they 100-$1000.   I would like to do kale,mustards,carrots,beets,ginger,fruits, etc etc.  Just planted the fall/winter garden, should have plenty.

  • Suzanne3131
    Suzanne3131 Member Posts: 3,953
    edited September 2011

    I have had many juicers, and currently have a Breville Juice Fountain...It's actually the second one I've bought, since I wore the other one out after years of juicing daily.  I think I paid $160 (at Bed Bath Beyond with their 20% coupon) and I think its a good deal.  It is the type of juicer that deposits the pulp into a bucket, which is much more convenient than say, the Omega juicers, which keep the pulp inside the canister.  It also comes with a pitcher that separates the foam when you pour, so you get a nice smooth juice.   The motor is very, very powerful and it has a switch for high speed (for harder veggies and fruits) and a low speed for softer juicier things like tomatoes or berries.  Cleaning a juicer is just part of the juicing experience....it's not that big of a deal once you get used to it.  The Breville comes with a good brush for cleaning the filter basket, which is really the only part of the juicer that is difficult to clean.  I have found that scrubbing the mesh on the outside of the filter basket is WAY easier ....it feels counter-intuitive at first, but saves a lot of time and aggravation!  I loved my first juicer, which was a Moulinex, that operated like this Breville.  (Juice comes out one side and pulp goes out the other)  I could not find a Moulinex on the market, so I bought the Breville instead.  It seems just as fine!

    In comparison, I have had an Omega (canister-style) juicer.  Even though I do think the Omega extracted the maximum juice from the produce, it was such a pain that I didn't want to use it.  I would have to stop and empty out the canister alot, or the thing would freak out and get all offbalance.  Also, it was very difficult to clean, although you can buy paper filters to line the basket, and that did help with cleaning.  I would never have another one.   

    Marie-Edith and Jezza ~ It sounds to me like a "suede/swede" is what we call a Rutabaga.  They are they ones with the purple crown and yellowish round bottom.  If they are white on the bottom we call them Turnips.  Parsnips here look like white carrots.  Interesting lesson!  But wow yuck, I never dreamed of juicing a rutabaga...I can't even eat them when they are cooked!  Surprised 

    For all you ladies who keep a garden, the pulp from juicing makes the finest compost!! 

  • blondelawyer
    blondelawyer Member Posts: 327
    edited September 2011

    I have the Breville Juice Fountain Compact which I got for $100 on Amazon.  I like it because it is smaller than others and really does seem to do a good job--the pulp feels pretty dry to me.  Clean up is really not that bad.  I set it up next to my sink, so when I am done I just wash the pieces, dump the pulp, and set them out to dry.  If it were difficult to clean, I probably wouldn't do it :)

  • blondelawyer
    blondelawyer Member Posts: 327
    edited September 2011

    I just made some juice and from start to finish including clean up it took 8 minutes.  

  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 1,931
    edited September 2011

    ooh, i am going to check out the breville juice compact - i live in an apartment, so small is good.  i really enjoy the juice that i make - kale, broccoli, celery, tomato, chard, and apple.  delicious!

  • HeatherLS
    HeatherLS Member Posts: 29
    edited September 2011

    I juice almost daily and prefer making juice in my vitamix and straining it through a nutmilk bag. I appreciate that the vitamix is already on my counter and I dont have to take out and put away another appliance daily :)

    My favorite is beetroot, celery, carrot, cucumber, ginger, lemon, spinach. LOVE IT.

  • DebRox
    DebRox Member Posts: 437
    edited September 2011

    One thing to keep in mind before purchasing a juicer is to determine whether to purchase a centrifugal or masticating juicer. 

    A masticating juicer is preferred for juicing greens as it extricates the juice far better than a centrifugal one.  You will spend less on vegetables because it more efficiently grinds and squishes the juice out of vegetables.

  • 345grace
    345grace Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2011

    Thank you, guys.  I'll let you know how it goeswhen i receive the new juicer.  probably breville @ amazon.

  • Sable43
    Sable43 Member Posts: 91
    edited September 2011

    To 345grace;

    Thanks for the info. on Aloe Vera Juice. I just started using it, only drinking 4 oz. daily. Noticing a mild headache and was wondering if that was a detox effect of sorts. Hasn't helped with constipation yet but keeping fingers crossed.

  • Haljen
    Haljen Member Posts: 45
    edited September 2011

    Just got my juicer last night. I got the breville juice fountain plus from BBB. I saw the movie fat sick and nearly dead and was inspired. So far I've done one fruit mix & one veggie mix. The fruit is of course delicious and the veggie will take some getting used to. Can wait to try the next concoction. :) Any suggested recipe books? Can you juice a banana?

  • Haljen
    Haljen Member Posts: 45
    edited September 2011

    Thanks! :)



    Tonight's concoction, honeydew, kiwi, lime and hint of mint.

  • impositive
    impositive Member Posts: 629
    edited September 2011

    I started out with a Jack Lalaine centrifugal juicer ($99).  Great for the firm fruits and veggies, not great for greens and soft things and clean up was a pain. I did like the wide mouth.  I didnt have to cut things up first.  I now have an Omega (single auger) ($250) and I LOVE it.  Clean up is a breeze and it does a great job on greens, even wheatgrass. (You cant juice wheatgrass in the Jack Lalaine!)  The downside is the small mouth. I have to cut up my fruits and veggies but I'm willing to take that trade off.  I found myself not juicing with the JL because I dreaded the clean up.

    For those still looking for a juicer, youtube has some great video comparisons.  I watched hours of video before I made my choice. 

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