Jacked on Juice
My first juicer was a $30 Craigslist bargain. I used it daily and it lasted about 4 months. I learned a lot in that time - that juicer and I became tight. Our bond was unbreakable. We did everything together, we juiced.... actually thats all we did. But I will never forget those days.
I had a friend whose dog died once. She got almost the exact same dog two days later. Everyone was like, oh thats not a good idea, it's not replaceable, she needs to mourn. But I was like, girl do whatever you want.
So when my juicer broke I decided to get a new one. Everyone was like, oh thats not a good idea, you need to mourn, that juicer was you best friend. I said, I'll do whatever I want. Just like my friend, happiness returned and I never looked back.
Craigslist is a great place to get juicers if you are on a budget. Patience and persistence always pays off on craigslist and I found a champion juicer, barely used, for a bargain. Sam thinks its a bit of an eyesore and he's not always fond of the flavours that come out of it, but secretly I know his body is like: oh ya give me more!
Juicing is an art. But lucky you Im going to break it all down for you. This is going to save you blood, sweat and years of figuring it out on your own.
THE BASICS OF JUICING
WHY JUICE?
You get all the nutrients you need and more quickly and easily.
Don't particularly like veggies but need the nutrients? Juice 'em!
High nutrient and mineral content.
You make it so you know its fresh (not bottled in a store)
ITS FUN!!!!
Cleansing and detoxifying.
Helps maintain a healthy bod inside and out.
THE JUICER
From my experience it is well worth investing in a good juicer. What are the different ones?
Manual Juicers - Um... dont even bother
Centrifugal Juicer - Most available and most affordable. Not the best b/c a lot of the nutrients get harmed during the process and it produces more waste than the others.
Masticating Juicer - High juice yield and little pulp. The juice doesnt get warm and there is no froth. All good things. Many of the nutrients here are preserved and contained in the juice.
Twin Gear Juicers - These guys are where its at. Top quality and most expensive. Highest preservation of nutrients and no froth, no warmth.
THE UN-JUICEABLES
Your juicer likes things with a lot of juice, it will get real mad at you if you attempt some of these.
Avocadoes
Bananas
Citrus Peels (for the most part)
Some juicers cant handle mangoes because of their pulpiness.
Eggplant - they are juiceable but don't overdo yourself the eggplant juice. It contains solanine which in large doses is poisonous. Yikes!
GET CREATIVE
Trial and Error is how to get a black belt in juicing. Bruce Lee didn't get there in one day, ladies. Heres what you need to know. It's also important to note that I juice to raise my veggie intake, I've got fruit covered so these juices below focus on the veg.
#1 You need a BASE (Mix one to three of these)
Veggies like carrots, cucumber, zucchini, celery offer a great foundation to your juice.
#2 Add some FLAV (I usually use one)
This is usually the fruit - apples, peaches, oranges add a touch of sweetness.
#3 Optional GREENS
If you're goin for it, go for it. Add dark leafy greens and you're drink will turn into healing potion. Your body loves this shit. Remove the spine from the greens, I find it tastes better without.
#4 The SPARK (Just a touch)
This is optional but gives your juice a lil kick - ginger, fresh herbs, lemon, lime.
Got it? Great!