I love green juice so much that I would marry it if I wasn’t already married. When I see families, especially children, drinking green juice, my heart melts on the floor, but when I see people drinking juice in a less than stellar way and making common mistakes, I get crazy concerned and want to help. That’s why I want to go over common juicing mistakes I have personally witnessed, so hopefully I can put my crazy concerned look to rest. It’s important to remember – we are all learning in this big bad world of processed foods, and juicing is better than not juicing at all, even if you make these mistakes.
TOP COMMON JUICING MISTAKES
Not Drinking Green Juice On An Empty Stomach – Recently a blogger friend of mine tried juicing for the first time, and when she finished her first juice she proclaimed to me that it gave her heart burn. Immediately, I asked her if she drank her juice on an empty stomach, and she said “No, I had it after breakfast.” Fresh juice should only be consumed on an empty stomach. The whole point of drinking juice is diminished if you don’t, and can end up giving you digestive issues like my friend experienced. Drinking juice on an empty stomach allows the vitamins and minerals in the juice to go straight to your bloodstream. Having fiber or a meal already in your stomach prevents your body from quickly absorbing the nutrients from the juice. A good general rule of thumb to follow is to wait at least 2 hours after a meal to drink a green juice and wait 20 mins after drinking a green juice to consume a meal.
Waiting Too Long To Drink Your Green Juice – As soon as your freshly made green juice gets exposed to air, its live enzymes begin to degrade, therefore decreasing the nutritional content. I can immediately tell the difference in how I feel after drinking fresh juice vs. an older juice. The live enzymes of a fresh juice give me immediate energy – where as older juice just doesn’t give me the same boost. For this reason, unless you have a slow masticating juicer, twin gear or Norwalk press juicer, I recommend always consuming the juice fresh and within 15 mins of making it. This is especially important if you make your juice without a juicer using a blender and strainer. For slow or twin-gear juicers, I recommend storing juice in an airtight container (filled to the top with no air gap) for up to 24-36 hours, and for a press juicer up to 72 hours. If you decide to store your juice, remember to keep it refrigerated at all times before consuming. This is also important to keep in mind when you buy pre-made, raw unpasteurized juice because as soon as the juice becomes warm, bacteria can begin to grow that could be harmful. Always keep your juice in the fridge or a cooler if traveling if you don’t drink it right away. If you notice your favorite juice bar keeping juices longer than 72 hours, make sure they are using high pressure pasteurization technology (like Suja Juice and Blueprint Cleanse) – otherwise, they are getting away with selling you lower quality and nutritionally degraded juice.
Using Too Many Sweet Fruits and Vegetables In Your Green Juice – Sweet fruits and vegetables like watermelon, apples, pears, and carrots are very nutritious when consumed whole, but if you consume too many of them juiced, the amount of sugar and fructose you are adding to your diet could be over the top. If a juice has too much natural sugar it can affect insulin levels pretty dramatically, causing cravings and other not so pretty things to happen, like gaining weight. This is why I recommend keeping the sugary fruits and vegetables in your green juice to a maximum of 1 per serving. For example, in the juice recipe below you can add one green apple for a bit of sweetness. It’s important to keep sugar in check to be able to sustain steady and consistent energy levels. I personally do not add any fruit to my daily green juice any longer, but I still love the occasional carrot (for their eye lash enhancing properties) and beet (for their detoxing capabilities). Exceptions to this rule are lemons and limes that are naturally very low in sugar and do not spike blood insulin levels like other fruits. (One caveat – if you are trying to get your children switched over to green juice, you can start by adding 2 fruits per serving, but then slowly decrease this over time as they become accustomed to the taste.)
Treating Green Juice Like A Meal (unless on a fast or having it as a snack) – Juice isn’t a meal replacement, rather it is a meal enhancer or snack. Juicing is nature’s vitamin pill and should be consumed like a supplement within 20 mins before a complete meal. It’s really hard to eat the amount of vegetables recommended by most experts (6-8 servings) in a typical day. It’s rare to see Americans eating vegetables for breakfast, and at lunch a typical vegetable serving could be as small as a piece of lettuce or tomato on a sandwich, making it probable that your target amount of vegetable servings for the day will not be met. It takes a few pounds of vegetables to get a 12-ounce glass of juice – which gives you an entire day’s serving in one glass. Juicing should be like taking a vitamin but of course it’s a billion times better. Additionally, drinking juice before a meal (like I recommend in the Meal Plans for Health Program) reduces carb and sweet cravings and completely changes your taste buds to want something plant-based versus something heavy or processed. Juicing allows you to absorb many more vitamins and minerals than you would otherwise by consuming smoothies or eating fruits and vegetables with the fiber. The only time I wouldn’t consume a meal after juicing would be during a juice fast.
Not Chewing Your Green Juice – Juice (and smoothies) are food and should be chewed. It’s important to swish around the juice in your mouth or move your jaw up and down for a couple of seconds before swallowing it to release saliva that contains important digestive enzymes. The digestive enzymes are crucial in delivering key nutrients to your cells. When I visited with Dr. Mercola for lunch, it was fun witnessing him doing this when he drank his green juice – he swished it back and forth quite energetically! I personally like to use less of an obvious gesture and keep the juice in my mouth a few seconds before swallowing it.
Leaving Your Juicer Dirty – I know juicing can take time and life can get busy, things like cleaning your juicer right away can get pushed to the side, but let me tell you, cleaning your juicer (at least rinsing it off) will save you and your knuckles a lot of scrubbing later. If I know time is going to be tight, I’ll often throw all the parts of the juicer in a sink and let them soak with water and a little soap – that way, when I get back to cleaning the juicer, it will be much easier. Also, to save time when I juice in the morning, I’ll pre-wash the vegetables the night before, eliminating this step the next day, and allowing me more time to clean the juicer right away. I’ve gotten my juicing routine down to 20 mins using a 2 step press juicer, which is pretty darn good if you ask me! When I use a centrifuge or another type of juicer, my timing is usually around 15 mins from start to cleanup.
Juicing Spinach or Kale Over and Over Again – Variety is the spice of life, and it’s key for juicing correctly and safely and to avoid hormonal issues. Remember to rotate the greens (kale, chard, spinach, mustard greens, collards, dandelion, arugula, etc.) in your juice each week to prevent build up of oxalic acid (which can affect the thyroid gland) and provide a balanced amount of different vitamins and minerals for your body.
You Stopped Green Juicing Because You Heard That Drinking Smoothies Is Better (or maybe you never started) – For the record, I consume both smoothies and juices, but I also know there is no other way to get the extraordinarily amount of powerful nutrients trapped inside green vegetables than to juice them. Drinking juice has the power to make you feel like you have never before – it’s quite magical and something I wouldn’t give up for every smoothie in the world. Our soil is nutritionally depleted due to the use of pesticides, genetically modified seeds, and conventional farming practices, drastically reducing the amount of many vitamins and minerals once abundantly available to us. Eating a piece of broccoli now vs. 20 years ago does not yield the same amount of nutrition. It’s crucial that we try to compensate for this fact by juicing. Juicing allows you to get the extra boost you need much more efficiently than trying to chew an unachievable amount of vegetables all day. When I started drinking carrot juice, my eye lashes immediately started to grow longer within just a couple of weeks. Feeling the extra energy boost is one thing, but seeing the results in the mirror can be quite dramatic and make you a firm believer of the powers of drinking juice. Drinking juice reduces the amount of energy your body uses for digestion, giving your cells a chance to repair and rebuild. It’s the ultimate preventative medicine when it comes to avoiding disease. Don’t wait until you are already sick or trying to get better to consume juice, it’s about creating a healthy body from within now so you never get sick in the first place.
With all this juicing talk… I have to share my most recent concoction which includes both lemon and lime. This juice is so tart and delicious and perfect for a hot Summer evening!
- 1 bunch of any green of your choice (collards, chard, spinach, kale, dandelion)
- 2 cucumbers
- ½ bunch herbs like parsley, cilantro or mint
- 1 lemon with peel removed
- 1 lime with peel removed
- 1 green apple (optional for added sweetness)
- Wash all vegetables thoroughly and place into a large bowl
- Juice each vegetable in this order – greens, herbs, lemon, lime, cucumber
- Stir mixture before serving
- Rinse and clean juicer immediately
Do you know someone who might be making these common juicing mistakes? Then please share this post with them. I want everyone to feel the ALL of the magic of the juice they are drinking!
Cheers,
Food Babe
P.S. Ready for a 3-day juice cleanse? It’s the ultimate way to break the cycle of consuming processed foods! Check it out here.
What type of juicer do you use? Or recommend?
Check this post for options and my commentary 🙂 https://foodbabe.com/2011/10/23/day-2-all-about-juicers-recap/
My husband came home from a rummage sale with an almost brand new Omega juicer. Do you know anything about this brand? Also, I read on your site that you stated you could OD on parsley and beet. Could you give me some more info on that. I use parsley from my garden a lot in my juices and smoothies. Thanks for all your good info.
You’ve got me excited about juicing! I’d like to buy a juicer for under 300 bucks. Any recommendations? I’m ready to do it!
Check this one out… I just tried it and it’s awesome! http://amzn.to/17uDrnJ
Your typical BedBathBeyond 20% off coupon that shows up in the mail often goes a long way on one of their juicers. 20% off $300 is much better than 20% some pillows or towels they carry. The juicers are probably the most expensive item in the store.
Oh my gosh I’ve been doing this all wrong!!!
Thank you for setting me straight!
Question: what is the difference between my green drink (protein powder added) & juicing? Is the “green drink” more like a meal? When does that fit into the scheme of things?
Thank you for responding….I value your opinion so much!
Stacey
A green protein smoothie acts as a meal replacement. Some of these rules also apply to green smoothies – for example chewing your smoothies, consuming it before solid food. You can store green smoothies a bit longer because the fiber preserves it.
I’m confused…. does that mean blending a green drink isn’t as good? Seems like you would be missing out on a lot of the good stuff by straining it or using a juicer. I just blend.
Blending is great too…and I do both, but I prefer juicing because I eat enough fruits and vegetables to get the fiber. Juicing extracts the liquid from fruits and vegetables, leaving
the fiber behind –keeps the enzymes live and active – retains all the minerals, vitamins,
and phytonutrients – nutrients are absorbed very quickly since the fiber is removed –
essential for body repair and renewal –juices are predigested and have a higher
bioavailability since they are more easily absorbed into the body.
Great, thanks. I have been wanting to try a juicer for a while. Maybe I will get one!
If you don’t have a juicer, is blending and straining through a cloth nearly as good? I would like to try it. Thank you for your help!
I love your tips! And I just subscribed to your eating guide today! My question: I have a lesser quality juicer and, until I can afford to upgrade, I’ll be using it to make my green juices. I haven’t yet had much success getting juice from greens. Any suggestions? Keep the great information coming!!
Try dry blending your greens in a food processor or blender first and then juicing them, you might be able to get a little bit more juice out of them. Hope that helps!
I’ve gotten lots of friends started on juicing, but many of them are stuck on fruit juices. I’m still trying to get them to like the veggie ones more, and I won’t give up!
This recipe looks awesome – I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for all you do – I’ve learned so much from you and I can’t imagine fresh green juice NOT being a part of my life.
Fruit juice is fine, tell them to keep going with it. Fruit fuels our bodies.
not so. fruit juice spikes insulin and gone too far could probably cause diabetes.
Please quit spreading misinformation I have lost 100+ lbs consuming nothin but fruit and fruit juices. It is sad when I see assanine statements like this. Diabetics can actually cure their condition with fruit and fruit juice.
I agree. Fruit fuels our cells with what it needs for energy, glucose. Alexandra should read Dr Graham’s book, 80/10/10 diet, to get the facts about fruits and what humans are meant to eat.
Love the fingernails.
Food Babe Thankyou for sharing all your knowledge!!!! My question is I only have a blender/food processor. Can I still get the same benefits as juicing? Do I use this same regimen using a blender?
Hi! Thanks for the tips! I’ve been juicing for a few months now and I really think I’d like it better if it was really cold. Since its better to drink it right away is there any harm in just adding ice?
I store pint glasses in the freezer and it chills the juice a little bit 🙂
I always have some sort of frozen fruit that I just throw in with my juice and they are like yummy icecubs you can eat after drinking the juice (: my fav is strawberries!
Do you get any more of the vitamins and nutrients with a vitamix than a regular blender? Basically, am I missing out if I make a green smoothie with my Vitamix every morning?
I have the same question. I love my vitamix and use that for all my green drinks, but now feel like I am not getting the same benefit as if I were juicing.
Green smoothies in the Vitamix are great too. They just have different benefits. The ideal thing is to do both. Maybe you can get a juicer someday?!
What do you think about juicing right before a workout? Its most convenient to me to juice right before my afternoon workout and then cook dinner afterwards. Just wondering if that is a good idea or if it matters.
As long as it’s 30 mins or more before you should be fine. I imagine it gives you a burst of energy!!!
Hi Food Babe,
What a fantastic post & such useful info! I have been an avid juicer for 3 months and have a great recipe that I use daily – kale, romaine, cucumber, celery, parsley, cilantro, ginger & lemon. I do sometimes add beets or carrots for some added vitamins. I also have a spinach/banana/blueberries/flax smoothie every morning. I have tried mustard/collard greens (too bitter) & can’t find Swiss chard or dandelions too often where I live. Is it really that bad to stick to the same kale/romaine juice everyday? Dose the same apply to the spinach smoothie? Thank you for all that you do!
I am wondering the same thing. My greens typically consist of alternating plain spinach with a 50/50 spinach/green mix. I’ve not heard anything before this about oxalic acid and thyroid. I certainly don’t want any problems with juicing:/
Would you mind doing a post on the nutrition difference between making a green smoothie and juicing? I use a relatively high powered blender to make green smoothies (any greens with fruits and/or veggies). I drink one for breakfast and store the remainder in mason jars to enjoy throughout the day or on into the next day. I feel like I am getting more of the veggies and fruits by putting the whole thing into the blender and drinking it. However, I keep reading that perhaps juicing (vs blending) is more nutritious. Side note: Besides being delicious, I enjoy my green smoothies so much because they are easier to make and a bit less messy than juicing. If the nutritious value is significantly different, I guess that I could switch over to juicing on a more regular basis 🙂
Would you please elaborate?
I am really fatigued with all the arguments about whether green juicing or smoothies is better for you! Enough! Use common sense for gosh sakes. If you blend (vitamix) you get all the fiber for the day and this is the best route if you know you don’t eat enough fruits and veggies for the day. It does transit slower through your system, and I think this is the reason juicers claim they get that “immediate boost of energy”. Pure juice does go straight to their bloodstream on an empty stomach and I think if there’s a lot of fruit added you could surmise your blood sugar goes up temporarily. But I think smoothies are better, it takes longer to absorb but you get ALL the fruit and veggies, nutrients in their entirety. Juicers are more time-consuming and harder to clean, whereas with a vitamix you just rinse it out in seconds with hot water. I think this argument about how many fruits to put in really only should apply to juicing as it does go straight to your bloodstream. I’d rather use lots of veggies and fruits in variety, depending on what is in your fridge that day so it’s a bit different every time. I like carrots, beets, and celery and cucumbers right along with apples, pears, berries and bananas. Use frozen fruit if you like it cold. So, this is my recommendation for what it’s worth: Put anything you have in your fridge in your smoothie, drink it on an empty stomach and be sure to add a Tbsp or two of flax oil and apple cider vinegar (it doesn’t sour it). It’s that simple and don’t listen to people who want to make this whole thing some major science!
Great list but you forgot one important thing: Always mix in a little bit of some kind of healthy fat (like EVOO, hemp oil, flax oil, CO) to help you absorb these great nutrients you are ingesting
I was going to mention the same thing!
Morning,
I’ve been contemplating getting a juicer, I have a Vitamixer (which is amazing!). A few of my friends have juicers and they’ve complained about all the leftover pulp and peels, etc. They feel its a waste and some have switched to Vitamixers for that reason.
Any substantial health benefits from a juicer that I can’t get from a Vitamixer?
Thanks!
Deirdre Conroy
Leftover pulp can be composted or mixed into dog food, which is what I do.
I love doing that for my dog. 🙂 she loves it too
Couldn’t the leftover pulp be used in muffins?
There are different benefits from juicing – without the fiber, the live enzymes and nutrients get quickly absorbed by the body. The pulp can be used in recipes – lots of great ideas on-line!
It’s my understanding that the lack of fiber that goes with juicing will put your body on notice that it’s starving (even though in reality it’s getting what it needs). When this happens, it starts to consume itself (burning fat and purging toxins). I’m on day four of a ten day juice cleanse, and I’ve lost 8 pounds so far.
Every morning I prepare (6) sixteen ounce servings of juice (half green and half green with the addition of sweeter root vegetables such as beets and carrots), and throughout the day I alternate servings between the two. My energy levels have been better than they have been in as long as I can remember, and the results have thrilled me.
This has been a life changer. I miss regular food. Even fast food commercials pain me. But when I look at the clarity in my eyes and I look at the scale, I know it’s worth it.
It’s expensive. But I’ve spent a lot of money on more frivolous things than my health.
Thanks for this info, I was really losing valuable nutrients by putting my juice in the fridge and stretching it to two servings.
How about adding filtered water to the juice? I have been diluting to a 1:1 juice to water ratio.
I do this when on a juice fast to make drinking the juice longer… I don’t see any harm in this as long as you are drinking it right away depending on what kind of juicer you have.
Good morning! I have food allergies to contend with and am struggling in the juicing and smoothies. Cucumbers, apples, lemons, limes are out for me. Can you suggest some more options? Thanks.
Celery can replace the cucumber, and you can use pears instead of apples.
I have a personal question- I drank juice with kale twice and it gave me horrible gas. The third time it did not. The third time was months after the first two times. Would the combination of kale with different fruits and vegetables effect me differently? Thanks
It’s possible and it depends on when you last ate something too. Too much cabbage and pear together can really stimulate the digestive area if you know what I mean! Usually gas is a symptom of malabsorption, so I would remember to chew your juice anytime you are drinking it and maybe take an additional digestive enzyme supplement (renew life makes a great one).
What a fantastic post & such useful info! I have been an avid juicer for 3 months and have a great recipe that I use daily – kale, romaine, cucumber, celery, parsley, cilantro, ginger & lemon. I do sometimes add beets or carrots for some added vitamins. I also have a spinach/banana/blueberries/flax smoothie every morning. I have tried mustard/collard greens (too bitter) & can’t find Swiss chard or dandelions too often where I live. Is it really that bad to stick to the same kale/romaine juice everyday? Dose the same apply to the spinach smoothie? Thank you for all that you do!
Not sure where you live but swiss chard is really really easy to grow, I live in the Pacific NW and it grows almost year round. I am not a huge gardener but we grow swiss chard and kale in our vege box. Hope that helps.
What’s your opinion on the Nutri-Bullet? I love it.
Good question – Is the Nutri-Bullet as good as a juicer for this??? They say it’s better but is that true?
Nutri-Bullet is great for smoothies but it is not the same as a juicer. Smoothies and juices are both great for different reasons
I am so happy to finally have a guide to juicing! It’s funny that when I get older, wiser, and more health conscious, I want things like a juicer for my birthday or as a Christmas present! lol thanks for opening my eyes up to a new way of living and treating my body the best way I possibly can.
Disagree about the fruit juice and fruit sugar, please do not scare people about this, I have been on a juice fast for 2 weeks and it has mostly been grape juice with a few green juices sprinkled in. Fructose fuels our bodies as we are frugivores and does not spike insulin levels unless you were to chug down 64 oz in a 5-10 min span. The fruit sugar myth has GOT TO STOP.
Most people think that eating fruit causes diabetes. I’ve found that eating lots of fruit and veggies at every meal has fueled my body with energy and caused my weight loss. I don’t eat meat and dairy products and don’t feel hungry. I got the fruit lifestyle from Dr Graham’s book on the 80/10/10 diet. I also make a green juice every morning. It is the most thoughtful and fact based lifestyle I’ve heard of and wished I had done it much sooner.
I am a bit confused. I had always assumed juices and smoothies were the same thing. I make smoothies with fruits & veggies (kale as the main green) and usually have those in place of a meal when I am rushed – as they are fast. I make them in my smoothie maker – similar to a blender. Is there someplace I can go to find out the difference in these and learn a little more about the benefits of both, and how to make both? My smoothies are fairly thick because of ice, frozen fruit or chia. I had a smoothie the other day at an organic fair and it was like water and very warm. The flavor wasn’t bad but it would have been much better cold. Can anyone clarify for me please? Thanks so much
Hi Kathy – it can be a little confusing… a blender uses the whole fruit and/or vegetable and blends them together. A juicer is a completely different appliance and it removes the juice from the vegetables and leaves all of the fiber and pulp behind. They are both beneficial for different reasons.
Drinking green juice delivers as many nutrients to the body as possible at once and drinking green smoothies are good for the beneficial fiber and are more filling. Hope that helps!
Is there a special juice I can make for my husband who is having an episode of “silent reflux”?He is taking the meds,but we are very nervous about the side effects and always looking for a natural way of healing….thank you!
Question:
I don’t drink juice because it simply made me gag. I tried a number of times and finally sold my juicer when the opportunity arose.
But I DO like green smoothies. A lot. So I was wondering if there is the same issue about drinking them on an empty stomach. Sometimes I drink them with a small meal.
Thanks for the information on juicing. As a morning smoothie drinker, I’m concerned I’m making similar mistakes as the ones you outlined. Can you provide us with the some information for smoothie drinkers? I’m also in need of diverse and simple smoothie recipes.
Thank you for all you do!
Can you go into more detail about the greens and thyroid? I am hypothyroid and have read not to use kale, spinach, etc. Any additional information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I read the same thing:
“Don’t – Use raw cruciferous vegetables like collards, kale, cauliflower, arugula, Brussels Sprouts and broccoli. These raw vegetables have thyroid suppressing properties and are best eaten cooked or fermented.”
Thank you so much for this post!! I found out about you when I read your story about the Kraft mac and cheese (with Lisa) and started juicing after I started reading your blog. In ONE week I started exercising again after a 4-year hiatus and 2 babies. I just didn’t have the energy before! But after juicing I just felt so alive! I’ve been kind of slacking because life is so busy but reading your post reminded me of how good juicing makes me feel and also alerted me to the mistakes I was making. Thank you, thank you for all your great work!
I have a older commercial juicer , about 15 years old . When I’m finished juicing ,I wash my juicer right away , I usually takes just a few minutes . /// I wash my fruits and vegetables in a 1 or 2 % peroxide wash . I have also used a few drops lugols iodine as a wash . In researching the use of bio-pesticides and other things used in Organic Farming we could still see many man-made toxins . I wash and rinse my greens a few times . I peel almost all the fruits and vegetables. //// Another theory /// we all start digestion in mastication (chewing) ,many animals chew their food for several minutes or even 20 minutes , This releases enzymes but also allows many nutrients to be absorbed by the tongue (sublingual) , Kids love juicing and love doing all the prep work , that means growing or shopping . I have gifted several friends with juicers and all still use them . A bit of ginger juiced puts the zing in juice , ginger is the most alkaline of all fruits or vegetables .
What are your thoughts on adding green leaf liquid stevia to green juices instead of using any fruit at all to makie it more palatable ?
I bought an extremely expensive blender so I could drink wonderful healthy smoothies everyday, I prefer this method. Is it still as healthy and beneficial as using a juicer? Thanks!
Keep up the great work! If you can afford a blender in the future adding juicing to your routine would be awesome too…
What do you think of turmeric root ? I add it to my juice every morning
Thank you
Adriana
It’s amazing! https://foodbabe.com/2013/01/29/turmeric-cooler-an-anti-inflammatory-juice/
First of all, thank you for the articles and the service to those looking to improve their health.
I have been drinking green smoothies for about 10 years.. Long before it became as popular as it is today..I drink 1 quart a day.. I have a vitamix as I like to include the fiber in the drink…
I rotate my fruits and greens from day to day.. I usually use two fruits (peach, pear) which makes up about 20% of the drink.. The other 80% is greeens.. Usually 2 different greens per drink.. (Kale, Chard, Spinach, Dandelion, Beet greens, etc) Also lately I have been adding (every few days) raw beets… It then becomes a red drink…
I could never give these up.. I really miss them if I have to go a day without… I am convinced that one of the biggest returns is the immune system.. Having life long sinus problems, that has been eliminated.. Have not had a sinus infection or even a common cold in the 10 years that I have been drinking these…
I haven’t tried juicing but hopefully I can get a juicer soon. I know a few people who buy a large green juice and drink it throughout the week. I told them I thought it was better to drink it right away so, yay, I was right. 😉
To the person who asked about an Omega juicer: I have an Omega 8006 and love it to pieces; very wise decision and simple to take apart to clean! I began juicing with wheatgrass and a hand juicer while dealing with cancer. Found it so beneficial, investigated and compared juicers for a year and decided on the Omega because it is a masticating juicer at only an 80 rpm. Had not heard about the appropriate time spacing before/after juicing and this article and posts have been truly helpful.
I have also had a Vitamix for years but find the degree of pulp to much to handle; would prefer to eat raw, hence the juicer as the other option.
If you are getting too much pulp with your vitamix, may I suggest using a little more water.. I use the vitamix every day and I never have a pulp issue.. You can regulate how thick or thin you want it by how much water you add. I am convinced that the vitamix would make liquid out of plywood. (not trying it though)
Foodbabe,
I love the content you share and your passion for organic living. This is a very helpful post. One thing I would like to see sometimes is a more slightly objective review which might build even more trust for you. For example, its okay to share personal experiences as support for certain claims but that needs balanced with research. If the research doesn’t exist for whatever reason, I think its important to say something like, “these claims are not supported by research”. As an example, it seems logical but I don’t know that there is any research to prove that we absorb more nutrients when fiber isn’t present. Fiber would slow the absorption but the roughly the same amount of nutrients are absorbed. What are your thoughts?
I am somewhat new to juicing and loving it!! i was happy that I didn’t know only one of your truths! (I need to switch up my greens; i only use spinach. Tried kale but it was too strong for me.) In your recipe, you mentioned juicing the listed ingredients in order. What is the reason for that and should I juice in order every time?
Thank you Vani for explaining common mistakes with juicing. My family is new to juicing and has been enjoying the benefits of fresh juice! I typically juice two carrots, two beets, one orange for sweetness, one cucumber, one zucchini, sometimes a green pepper, two celery stalks and a bunch of kale or spinach.
We try to juice three to four times a week before dinner. Should I tweak the juice ingredients?
Please continue to share information. I have learned so much from you!
Your ingredients are great – the main thing is not to use too much fruit and rotate your greens! Other than that, use what you like…. You are doing great!
Food Babe, I have a question…how much is “a bunch”. It would be so helpful to say use so many ounces when giving a recipe. In the stores, bunches seem to come in various sizes, and in my case, I pick my greens out of my garden so how many do I use?
Also…sometimes there are bug holes in my greens. My husband read that plants react negatively to bug attacks and may create some toxin or something that might not be good for you. Do you know anything about this? Should I go ahead and juice the “buggy” leaves?
Thanks for your great website
Thanks, FoodBabe! I love all that you do, and appreciate the hard work you put into it!
I have one small question- is it really a big deal if I don’t peel my limes and lemons before juicing? When I’m in a hurry, I don’t (they are organic ones!) and don’t really notice a difference. Is this ok? Or is there something I should worry about and that’s why it’s called to peel them?
Thanks again!!!
Demo guy at Vitamix roadshow said there are too many oils in the peel and it could upset tummy. I always wondered why they peeled the citrus and his answer made sense to me
Unfortunately ‘Organic’ produce is still allowed a certian amount of chemicals on it, I was most upset to learn they can still use antibiotics on ‘Organic’ food. Also if your Organics are not from the USA there is absolutely NO ONE who inspects fields or anything to USA standards (even if they are lacking by allowing some things they still inspect and you can be fairly sure your USA organic fields are not downstream from some toxic factory plant or slaughter house). The best thing is to buy from trusted local sources.
http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/04/06/antibiotic-use-organic-apples-pears
I usually make my green drinks with either apple or pineapple. Do you see any problem with pineapple? I try to put in as little as possible to make it palatable. I also find that adding tomatoes can be done instead, and then I make it spicy. However, I have a Green Star masticating juice, and I have a terrible time with tomatoes. I always get a juice backup. I don’t see you recommend the Green Star. It works great on kale and any other greens though.
Pineapple is great!
wow excellent article and such great information in the comment section…thank you all.
I just tried my first juiced drink (fruits and veggies) and it was …life changing 🙂
So i am digging around for recipes and tips. thanks again evryone. be well
That is amazing Robert!
I would like to know if we can use almond milk also do you have juise recipes for kids? Thank You 🙂
Vani – You might want to take a look at Zija International’s nutrition supplements, made from the Moringa tree – this IS the most nutritionally dense botanical on the planet – it was National Geographic’s “tree of the year” in 2008, as well as used by NIH in 3rd world countries, and profiled by the Discovery Channel. The website to look at: drinklifein.com
I do not have much counterspace in my townhouse. I just had to replace my processor and have to probably replace my ordinary blender and cannot afford a Vitamaster. which everyone seems to recommend (for $300-500). Can I still do green smoothies with, say, an Oster? I prefer having the fiber with a smoothie and would like to use spinach/kale with a fruit for flavor. I see from the blogs the warnings on kale and arugala and suggestions for using a fat. Should I also use a milk for nutrition and would a regular blender also work with greens? What about the green powder some people use? I would very much appreciate if this website would recommend brands of products and where they can be obtained when reading this website. Have trouble finding things and don’t want to have to go thru shipping and charges involved. Thank you very much for any help.
Carol.. I used an oster for my green smoothies before I purchased a vitamix… I balked at the expense but knowing that I used it everyday I finally went for it…
But the oster did a good job. On high speed. It didn’t get them quite as smooth as the vitamix but they were plenty doable. I mix my fruit and greens with purified water, and whichever you use for liquid, the more you use, of course the thinner it will be.. Experiment is the key, until you get it the way you like. But no, you do not need to have a vitamix to get the benefits from the greens… I too like the fiber.. Happy blending.
Dear Babe,
I’m 71 now. When I was young we would climb up the tree and pick the ripe fruit and eat it there and then.
Let’s take a peach as an example….. because these are tested facts……
I would have to eat 42 of today’s supermarket peaches to obtain the same nutrition that I got from climbing the tree all those years ago.
Like you I have a lot of respect for Dr Mercola.
Many thanks for your fine site and it’s information.
Tell (New Zealand)
Hello,
I have a few questions, I do drink half a lemon in water with cayenne in it, I only use cold water.
Is that OK?
and, I do drink greens power, but it says: do not use with citrus fruit.
Why is that?
and you advise to drink the green juice on an empty stomach, but I drink the lemon on my empty stomach..
I get a bit confused here.
Or is it Ok to start with lemon, and after 15 mins the greens power or green juice is OK?
I am very happy with all your information.
My biggest problem is that I work an irregular scedule for work. (VERY irregular) and it is hard to feel better because of that.. I never wake up not tired.
anyway, thanks again for all the info. I love it!
Hi Hilde- warm or room temperature water is best for lemon water. Drink both on empty stomach so yes, you can drink lemon water and then juice shortly after. Sorry you have such a crazy schedule! Just do the best you can. Every little change will help. Good luck!
I stopped juicing because I read an article about oxalic acid buildup and it scared me. Is there a way to juice and avoid this buildup?
Yes – rotate your greens!
I’ve found juicing a great supplement to green smoothies since investing in a Vitamix. It’s been one THE best health appliance we’ve ever purchased! Juicing in addition to this really helps boost health benefits. My husband is active duty Army with a physically demanding job (he’s a combat soldier) and having a thick green smoothie every morning that is packed with chia seeds, protein powder, a green superfood powder, almond milk and fruits hold him over till lunch. After taking green drinks to work one day his platoon sergeant offered to trade him his Mc Donald’s for the green drink! That was such an encouragement to us that we are affecting others. Thanks for the inspiration!
thanks for the recipe… but ini looking at it i didn’t see anything regarding how much it makes. is this for only one person? are you supposed to drink it all? if only making for one, should the quantities be reduced?
It says “serves 2” right before the ingredients are listed… carrots improve eyesight! 😉 Just kidding!
oops! my bad! hH, more carrots for me.