Juicing has become an increasingly popular way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet. With all the hype surrounding juicing, it can be intimidating for beginners to know where to start. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know as a juicing newbie, from the benefits of juicing to actionable tips for getting started.
Benefits of Juicing
Juicing makes it simple to pack servings of fruits and veggies into a delicious, nutrient-filled drink. Here are some of the top reasons to give juicing a try:
- Increases nutrient intake: When you juice fruits and veggies, you extract all of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants packed inside. This makes it easy to consume more nutrients than you could typically eat in one sitting.
- Aids digestion and absorption: The nutrients in juice are broken down through the juicing process, making them easier for your body to digest and absorb. This allows your body to readily use the nutrients.
- Promotes weight loss: Fruit and vegetable juices are low in calories and high in nutrients. Replacing higher calorie beverages and foods with juicing can aid weight loss efforts.
- Boosts energy levels: Many fruits and veggies used for juicing are loaded with energizing nutrients like vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. Enjoying homemade juices can give your energy levels a noticeable boost.
- Supports detoxification: The nutrients and antioxidants abundant in juicing can help rid your body of waste and toxins built up over time. This leaves you feeling refreshed and healthy.
- Strengthens immune system: Because juicing allows you to take in more immune-strengthening nutrients like vitamin C and zinc, it offers great immune support to help your body fight illness.
With all of these evidenced-based health perks, it’s easy to see why more and more people are turning to juicing. Integrating homemade juices into your routine can quickly transform your health and energize your body.
Getting Started with Juicing
For beginners sold on trying out juicing, the next step is learning the juicing basics. Setting yourself up for success starts with having the right gear and understanding juicing methodology.
Selecting a Juicer
Obviously, a juicer is essential for whipping up refreshing glasses filled with your favorite produce. Here is what you need to know about picking the juicer that will suit your needs:
There are three main types of juicers:
- Centrifugal juicers: The most common option; fast, affordable and easy to use. Ideal for newbies.
- Masticating juicers: Use a cold press method; slower process but juices leafy greens effectively. Higher price point.
- Triturating juicers: The most high-powered option, twin gears extract extra juice and nutrients. Most expensive.
For beginners, a centrifugal juicer is recommended for ease of use and wallet-friendliness. Key features to look for include:
- Powerful motor (700+ watt)
- Multiple speed settings
- Large feeding chute
- BPA-free material
- Dishwasher safe parts
Taking the time to understand the different juicer models and find one suited to your lifestyle will ensure you choose equipment you’ll love using for years.
Produce Prep Basics
Washing and prepping veggies and fruits before juicing is a must for safety and the best flavor.
Follow these simple steps:
- Rinse all produce: Give fruits/veggies a thorough rinse under water, even if they claim to be “pre-washed.” This removes debris, dirt and bacteria that could get transferred into your juice.
- Scrub firm produce: For firm fruits and veggies, use a scrub brush or vegetable brush under running water to ensure surface dirt and grime get removed. Common offenders needing extra attention include apples, carrots, beets, and celery.
- Peel waxy skin: Waxy skins on fruits/veggies can clog up your juicer screen reducing yield over time. Peel waxy produce like oranges, mangoes, papayas, pineapples, cucumbers and squash before juicing.
- De-seed fruit: Remove all pits, seeds and large fibrous cores before juicing. These not only alter the flavor but can damage juicer parts over time. Common picks needing de-seeding: cherries, grapes, apples and squash varieties.
- Chop produce: Cut veggies and fruits down to size, fitting your juicer’s feed chute. Uniform sizing helps produce feed through the auger more smoothly.
By thoroughly washing, peeling, de-seeding and chopping produce before juicing, you’ll extract more juice and encounter fewer problems.
Choosing Your Produce
Not all fruits and veggies are created equal when it comes to juicing. The produce you select as juice ingredients makes a major impact on the nutrient value as well as taste of your homemade juices.
Follow these tips on crafting optimal juice blends by picking the right produce:
Nutrient All-Star Picks
If you’re focused on squeezing the most nutrition out of homemade juices, fill your shopping cart with these nutrient powerhouses:
Dark leafy greens:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Chard
- Collards
Brightly colored produce:
- Carrots
- Beets
- Sweet potato
- Red cabbage
Other great choices:
- Apples
- Citrus fruits
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Ginger
- Wheatgrass
This product is brimming with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, vitamins and minerals shown to provide tangible health benefits. They make ideal juicing bases.
Flavor Boosters
While nutrition all-stars make the foundation of healthy juices, you’ll want to blend in some flavor boosters as well. Their bold flavors enhance the drinking experience. Top flavor-boosting picks include:
- Pineapple
- Grapes
- Berries
- Mango
- Pomegranate
- Apple
Don’t be afraid to get creative and try out different combinations until you discover flavors that excite your tastebuds!
Guidance on Organic
Opting for organic produce whenever possible is key. Conventional growing methods utilizing pesticides leave chemical residue on and inside non-organic fruits and veggies.
Since juicing removes skin and flesh, leaving only the juice, chemicals have a direct path into your glass. Choosing organic is smart to limit ingestion of these toxins.
However, not everyone has access to or budgets allowing 100% organic produce purchases. In that case, refer to the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” lists.
The Dirty Dozen highlights the 12 types of produce that are highest in pesticides. Always splurge for organic with these:
| Dirty Dozen Produce | ||
| Strawberries | Spinach | Kale |
| Apples | Nectarines | Grapes |
| Cherries | Peaches | Pears |
| Celery | Bell & Hot Peppers | Cherry Tomatoes |
Meanwhile, the Clean 15 carries lower pesticide loads, so buying conventional is less risky.
| Clean 15 Produce | ||
| Avocados | Cabbage | Broccoli |
| Mushrooms | Eggplant | Asparagus |
| Kiwi | Papaya | Frozen peas |
| Onions | Pineapples | Sweet corn |
| Cauliflower | Sweet potatoes |
Using this quick guide allows you to balance your budget while still avoiding the heaviest pesticide offenders where possible when stocking up on juicing ingredients.
Juicing Tips for Beginners
Once you’ve gotten the hang of choosing optimal produce, there are some key tips to know that will set you up for juicing success:
Follow the 80/20 Vegetable-Fruit Rule
When blending up juice recipes, stick with 80% vegetables and 20% fruits as your base formula.
Why does this produce a ratio?
- Vegetables have more nutrients and fewer calories per serving compared to sweet fruit
- Too much fruit sugar causes energy crashes and converts to fat more readily when over-consumed
- An 80/20 ratio creates balanced nutrition for stabilizing blood sugar levels rather than spiking them
By keeping your juices veggie-focused with fruit used sparingly as a sweet accent, you’ll feel energized and get better results.
Know Which Produce Combos to Avoid
Certain fruits and vegetables don’t get along well when it comes to juicing. Combining the wrong produce can equal a recipe for digestive trouble.
Steer clear of blending these clashing pairs in the same juice:
✘ Fruit with veggies
The differing fiber and enzyme contents hamper digestion when substantial portions of both go into one juice.
✘ Acidic fruits with sweet fruits
Think citrus paired with pineapple or mangos. This combo can cause stomach upset.
✘ Cruciferous veggies with leafy greens
Kale and cabbage or Brussels sprouts together often cause bloating and gas.
Pay attention to how custom combos make your body feel. Remove or decrease any individual ingredient that repeatedly causes GI symptoms or distress when juicing.
Don’t Forget to Shake or Stir
Ever had a green juice that was bright green on top but dark brown on the bottom? That sinking separation of ingredients happens thanks to gravity.
Be sure to shake or stir juice blends together before drinking. This evenly integrates the micronutrients and antioxidants while improving the taste too.
Using a mason jar makes shaking juices a cinch. Simply close the lid tight and shake vigorously up and down for 5-10 seconds before enjoying your perfectly blended juice.
Consider Juice “Chasers”
Straight vegetable juice can take some getting used to, thanks to strong or bitter flavors. But there are tasty ways to help mellow the intensity:
Add lemon/lime: A squeeze of citrus cuts bitterness and enhances lighter flavors in the blend. Start with 1⁄4 tsp and adjust to suit your preferences.
Splash juice with water: Diluting heavy veggie juices like kale or wheatgrass gives lighter, more drinkable results without added calories. Build up from 25% juice/75% water until you acquire the taste.
Have a fruit juice “chaser”: Sip on straight carrot or celery juice. Follow with a yummy fruit juice like apple beet as a sweet complement. Drinking contrasting juices enhances the flavor experience.
Getting creative with accents and custom pairings lets you fully enjoy vegetable-based juices as a true beginner.
Juicing Safety
Like any food prep method, appropriate safety steps must be taken with juicing to prevent the risk of foodborne illnesses. Follow these best practices to keep your homemade juices contamination-free:
- Wash all produce thoroughly before juicing
- Scrub firm produce with a vegetable brush under running water
- Always wash hands for a full 20 seconds with soap before juicing
- Sanitize countertops, cutting boards and knives before use
- Never use bruised or damaged produce when juicing
- Thoroughly wash juicer parts directly after juicing
- Store fresh juices in tightly sealed containers and drink within 24 hours
- Keep all produce refrigerated until ready to juice
Being diligent about hygienic prep habits ensures juicing safety.
At restaurants or juice bars, take note that employees receive food safety training on properly handling produce and juicing equipment. Only buy from reputable spots with high food prep standards in place.
Troubleshooting Common Juicing Problems
Despite good intentions, there are a few issues almost every beginner runs into when making homemade juices. Arm yourself with solutions so you can readily troubleshoot problems:
Pulpy juice
- Cause: Small juicer holes clogged with pulp; failing to strain
- Solution: Stop juicer, use included tool to scrape away pulp buildup; add strainer
Foamy film on juice
- Cause: Air sucks into juicer if produce fed too fast
- Solution: Slow down produce addition into feed chute
Leaking juice
- Cause: Juicer parts misaligned; piece cracks from over-tightening or wear
- Solution: Check components placed correctly; replace damaged part
Not enough juice
- Cause: Low-moisture produce selection; juicer needs descaling
- Solution: Choose hydrating fruits like citrus, melon and berries; descale machine
Juicer overheating
- Cause: Working machine too long continuously; obstruction
- Solution: Give it breaks between uses; inspect/remove jam
Now you’ll know how to get your juicing back on track should problems pop up!
Setting Yourself Up for Juicing Success
Embarking on your new juicing lifestyle can feel overwhelming as a beginner. Be kind to yourself while building this healthy habit.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Similarly, don’t expect to go from fast food addict to daily green juice guru overnight. Cut yourself some slack during the transitionary period.
Here is a realistic game plan to steadily ease juicing into your routine until it sticks:
Week 1
Make time for juicing 2x this week. Try a veggie-based juice both times.
Week 2
Juice 3x this week. Attempt a green juice utilizing kale or spinach as ingredients.
Week 3
Jump to 4 juicing sessions this week. Get creative exploring new flavor combos with various produce.
Week 4
Make juicing your habit this week with 5 juice days. Mix up your recipes using a wide variety of veggies/fruits.
Ramping up slowly prevents burnout while giving your palate time to adapt. Incorporating more veggie-packed juices week-over-week makes achieving a plant-based juice habit much more manageable.
Soon whipping up daily juices will feel like second nature!
Expanding Your Palette
Once juicing becomes routine, keep your blends exciting by branching out. Here’s how to continue challenging your palate:
- Try new vegetables like beets, radishes and leeks
- Experiment with various fruit points like mangos, guava, and plums
- Blend greens like chard, bok choy, romaine or fresh herbs
- Incorporate juicing add-ins like fresh ginger, turmeric, cinnamon sticks or garlic cloves
- Create savory juicing recipes utilizing veggies like tomatoes or zucchini
The possibilities are truly endless once you’ve nailed down the juicing basics. Let your creativity run wild, concocting nourishing potions!
Ready, Set, Juice!
As you can see, getting started with juicing is incredibly simple by following fundamental best practices. Now that you know how to select juicing gear, prep ingredients, troubleshoot problems and blend balanced recipes, you have all the tools needed to embark on your newfound juicing lifestyle.
Here’s to your health and developing some serious juicing chops! Bottoms up!