The Joys of Juicing

A few years ago an exercise-nut friend of mine introduced me to the art of juicing. I had never been big on soft drinks, like she had, but I was suffering from sinus problems. "Let me tell you about the joys of juicing," she said. "You'll get hooked on it. I promise". And she was right.

The first step is to acquire a reliable juicer. Often E-bay has listings for new or nearly new juicers. Two that I can recommend are the Jack LaLanne one and an other equally as user friendly one made by Braun. You want one with a motor that's able to process carrots more than one time before burning out. Both of these models can get the job done, time and time again. You shouldn't need to spend more than $100.

You want your juicer to be easy to clean,too. I like the sturdy white plastic components of my Braun juicer. Pulp slides off under warm water and the juicer itself is lightweight and can easily be removed from a higher cabinet when needed.

Familiarize yourself with the parts of your juicer. Take it apart a few times and you'll be set to create some luscious nectar.

The true beauty of juicing is that the juice goes directly into your bloodstream, unlike eating a piece of fruit or a vegetable which must first be digested. You'll feel the great affects instantly. It goes without saying that juices are healthier for you than soft drinks and won't harbor those sugar calories that sodas have. It's simply a win-win situation.

I have found that drinking a glass of fruit juice in the morning and a glass of vegetable juice in the late afternoon has helped me lose weight, keep it stabilized, maintained my natural sugar levels so I don't go madly searching for candy bars when my sugar drops, and just generally has me feeling like I'm doing something great for myself, something that tastes delicious and looks equally as inviting.

Juicing will separate the fruit's juice from its pulp, so the next question is what to do with the pulp. Here are some options. One is to spoon some or all of it back into the juice. Another is to refrigerate it and use is to make scrumptious muffins and cakes, substituting part of the recipe's liquids. The third option is to keep it ( I keep mine in the freezer) and empty it each week into my compost pile.

Lastly, is the wonderful benefits that juicing can offer as a remedy for a wide range of ailments. From assisting in weight loss to addressing sinus ailments, from itchy skin to ulcers, from sluggish digestion to constipation, the list is endless. You'll want to seek out a good book that offers creative juicing recipes that seem to fit your own tastes and weaknesses.

The majority of the combinations I like contain carrots and/or green apples). They both act to smooth out the flavor and have their own strengths as well. Carrots are great for the eyes (remember the old adage?), ulcers, aiding digestion, and because they're high in carotene, they are one of several anti-cancer fighters. Apples promote healthy skin and hair, flush out the kidneys and liver, and help lower cholesterol.

So once you do your homework, find you juicer, buy your beautiful fruits and veggies, what is left but to sit back and slowly, peacefully sip your first glass of nature's soft drink. Salud! To your health!