Juicing has been a craze for quite a while now and you may be excited to try it but are unsure exactly what it is and how to get started. You may even be unsure if it is something you want to do at all. Here are some tips for getting started in juicing.
How to Get Started Juicing
First, know why people juice. Juicing is a way to make sure your body gets all the great nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that fruits and veggies have to offer. Some people use it for weight loss, but you should never juice as your only source of food as it can leave holes in your nutrition. Instead, do a juice smoothie as a meal or snack. Breakfast is a great time for most people. Make sure to also discuss this with your doctor to come up with a healthy plan for incorporating juicing into your diet, especially if you want to try to use it for weight loss.
Now, let’s look at the elements that make up the typical “green smoothie”. The typical concoction is usually is a leafy green followed by a juice base, then a fruit and sometimes people add a booster.
Typical leafy greens used are kale, spinach, and Swiss chard. Many people use cucumber juice or apple juice as a base and berries are great as a fruit added. Some boosters are ginger, garlic or bee pollen.
You will need a good juicing machine. You can get a really expensive one, but I would suggest not going out and spending much at first until you decide that it is right for you. Many people have luck with those super blenders like a Ninja or a Vitamix as well.
Make juicing easier on yourself in hectic mornings by making your own premade bags. Store one servings worth of your leafy greens, fruits and boosters in plastic bag and then all you need to do is add in your juice to your blender and go!
Look up recipes and don’t be afraid to try out new tastes. There are so many recipes on Pinterest, you could do a different one for every day of the year!
Make sure you do a little research on what you are hoping to accomplish with juicing. Different vegetables, fruits and boosters will all help you achieve different goals. Knowing what foods to add to your smoothies will help you accomplish your health goals.
Buy your juice bases with no added sugar and not as “cocktails” if possible. 100% real fruit juice with no extra ingredients is best for juicing as fruit juice can make you gain weight if you are not careful. Plus, you are juicing for health benefits, right? Why not start as raw as possible?
Along with researching ingredients, research your juicer before you buy it. This is especially important if you are not familiar at all with the different brands and features of each. Make sure you don’t spend a lot of money on something that does not fit for your needs. Read consumer reviews to get a wide variety of opinions.
Know that nothing is set in stone when it comes to flavors. You may not like the first green smoothie you mix up. You can always add extra and take out something if it just doesn’t sit right with your taste buds and you will start to get used to it. Give yourself time!
Do you juice? What kind of machine do you use? I would love to know in the comments!
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