Recipes

Juicing: Your New Main Squeeze

by Jenna Cooper

Looking good and feeling great is a mantra in the City of Angels, so its no wonder that  juicing has become the fresh, delectable trend among health conscious individuals. If you’re looking to eliminate toxins, lose weight, or reduce inflammation, consider juicing your new best friend (with benefits).  Before you take the first step, here are some elements you may want to consider:

Your equipment matters:

Alas, you may have to face the harsh reality that, yes, your equipment does matter – when it comes to juicing.  Thus, it is necessary to know the difference between a juicer and a blender.

A blender emulsifies the ingredients, creating a thick, fiber-filled concoction.  “Since smoothies still contain all of the fiber of the fruits and vegetables, you can actually store smoothies longer without losing too much nutritional value,” according to MindBodyGreen.

A juicer extracts juice from raw fruits and vegetables, discarding the fiber, thus having a shorter shelf-life (i.e., it’s best to drink the juice directly after it’s made).  In addition, a juicer provides a highly-concentrated beverage. Therefore, one is able to consume a greater amount of nutrients, which are assimilated directly into the bloodstream, giving the body a break from digesting solid foods.

Think long-term:

Much like the description in an article from The Washington Post, “Blending’s more of a one-night stand, while juicing’s a long-term affair.”  If you’d like to try and maintain a relationship (that’s worth maintaining) with juice, let go of the inclination to find it any place other than your home.  You’ll save money and time, if you invest in your own juicer.  Price and value go hand-in-hand.

Know the type you’re looking for:

There are three different types of juicers: Centrifugal, Masticating, and Triturating.  According to PBS:  “Centrifugal juicers, which grind and strain produce at high speeds, are the most affordable machines, but also less efficient – some say the high speed generates heat, and decreases the amount of enzymes in the resulting juice. Masticating juicers “chew” produce and can make more juice out of the same amount of vegetables, while triturating juicers, the most expensive and efficient option, “press” produce and retain more nutrients.”

Be materialistic:

Think quality while purchasing the materials you’ll need.  When choosing any fruit or vegetable, make sure that it’s organic, in order to eliminate pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.  Although it’s important to wash off the exterior of all fruits and vegetables, it’s important to consider systemic pesticides.

According to Mother Earth News, “Systemic pesticides are chemicals that are actually absorbed by a plant when applied to seeds, soil or leaves. The chemicals then circulate through the plant’s tissues, killing the insects that feed on them. Use of these pesticides on food crops began in 1998, and has steadily increased during the past 10 years. Unlike with traditional insecticides, you can’t wash or peel off systemic pesticide residues because they’re in the plant’s tissues, not on their exteriors.”

Keep it real:

The importance of keeping it real lies in raw food.  Essentially, raw food is alive, containing enzymes that assist in the digestion and absorption of foods.  Nevertheless, when raw food is heated above 115 degrees Farenheit, enzymes are killed.  As stated on HealingDaily.com: “…raw food is so much more easily digested that it passes through the digestive tract in 1/2 to 1/3 of the time it takes for cooked food.  Eating enzyme-dead foods places a burden on your pancreas and other organs…”

At the end of the day, don’t settle for less than the best.  You and your body deserve to be treated, kindly.  Cheers to your new main squeeze.