Q: Why Juice?
A: Juicing is a natural way to supplement your diet with natural
vitamins and enzymes. Juice is able to enter your system with very
little work for your digestive system because it is already broken down.
Q: Are organically grown foods better?
A: By all means. Organically means "natural" which always produces
better quality and in most case, is pesticide free.
Q: Some juicer companies make a lot of health claims about their
machines, are these claims legitimate?
A: A juicer is not a healer.
No juicer has any effect on the user nor the juice it extracts. But, a
juicer must be able to liberate the hidden values from fibers and place
them into the juice under pressure without loss by aeration or static in
order to obtain the full nutritional value of such juices extracted from
fruits and vegetables.
Juicing Tips from Cherie Calbom's book "The Juice
Lady's Juicing for High Level
Wellness and Vibrant Good Looks"
1. Wash all produce before juicing; fruit and vegetable washes are
available from many grocers and health food stores. Cut away all moldy,
bruised, or damaged areas before juicing.
2. Use organic or unsprayed (transitional) produce whenever possible to
ensure that you have the purest juices possible. (See Organically Grown,
page 180.)
3. Because the skins of oranges, tangerines, and grapefruits contain
indigestible, volatile oils that can cause digestive problems and taste
bitter, always peel these citrus fruits before juicing. (Lemon and lime
peels can be juiced, if organic.) You shoud leave as much of the white pithy
part on the citrus fruit as possible, since it contains the most vitamin C
and bioflavonoids (phytonutrients with antioxidant acitvity). Always peel
mangos and papayas, since their skins contain an irritant that is harmful
when eaten in quantity. Also, I recommend that you peel all produce that is
not labeled organic, even though the largest concentration of nutrients is
in and next to the skin; the peels and skins of sprayed fruits and
vegetables have the largest concentration of pesticides.
4. Remove pits, stones, and hard seeds from fruits such as peaches,
plums, apricots, cherries, and mangos. Softer seeds from oranges, lemons,
watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, and apples can be juiced without a problem
(we at Aim for Better Health disagree about apple seeds, they are toxic and
should be removed). Because of their chemical composition, large quantities
of apple seeds should not be juiced for young children; they should be okay
for adults.
5. The stems and leaves of most produce, such as beet stems and leaves,
strawberry caps, and small grape stems, can be included in the juicing
process; they offer nutrients as well. Larger grape stems should be
discarded as they can dull the juicer blade. Carrot and rhubarb greens
should be removed, however, because they contain toxic substances.
6. Most fruits and vegetables have a high water content, which makes them
ideal for juicing. Those with much less water, such as banana, mango,
papaya, and avocado, will not juice well. They can be used in smoothies and
cold soups by combining them with fresh juice in a blender (for recipes, see
pages 13-67).
7. Most fruits and vegetables should be cut into sections or pieces that
will fit your juicer's feed tube.
8. Juice can be stored in an airtight, opaque container in the
refrigerator or in a thermos for up to 24 hours; light, heat, and air will
destroy nutrients quickly. Melon and cabbage juices do not store well. Be
aware that the longer juice sits before you drink it, the more nutrients it
loses. If juice turns brown, it has oxidized and lost a large amount of its
food value. After 24 hours, it may spoil.
9. Place a thin plastic bag - the kind that is free in the produce
section of a grocery store - in the pulp receptacle of your juicer. When you
are done juicing, you can toss the pulp or use it in cooking or composting,
but you won't need to wash the receptacle.
