Juicing like a Queen

I have been wanting a "proper" juicer eons now but because I wanted a "quality" one, it was going to cost us some big bucks.  I finally found one that suited my needs and I was able to pay it off over two months. It finally arrived and guess what I was too scared to use it ... it intimidated me.

Well I have finally started using it and trying some juice recipes that were give to me at a Juicing Workshop that I recently attended. They have been really yummy!

You may wonder why I want to juice, so here are my reasons, so if you are new to juicing some of this may help you. If you already have been juicing, you probably know way more than me.

I wanted to find a quick and effective way to meet my dietary requirements for fresh fruit and vegetables and there are many vegetables and even fruit that I do not like to eat raw (even cooked for that matter!). I am happy to drink them once they have been juiced, for example celery and broccoli.

A benefit of juicing is easy assimilation - in whole fruits and vegetables, some enzymes, phytochemicals, vitamins C, A and E, along with minerals like iron, copper, potassium, sodium, iodine and magnesium are trapped in the indigestible fibre and cannot be assimilated by the body. Once they are "liberated" from the cellulose in the pulp, those nutrients can be taken into the cells of the body within 15 minutes! Juice nourishes us, our body actually converts the food we eat into juice so that it can be absorbed. Juicing quickly provides the most easily digestible and concentrated nutritional benefits of fruit and vegetables -- and best of all it tastes great!

Another great benefit of consuming fresh juice is that it provides high levels of antioxidants which can protect the body against aging (please do!), cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, arthritis and many other degenerative diseases.

Also juice can reduce the acidity and toxicity in the body. The acidic state of the body (cause by eating processed foods, tea, coffee, alcohol, etc) can be neutralised by drinking certain raw juices. Flush those toxins out and get those organs functioning better ... yeah!

My new Hippo
(Green Power Hippocrates PLUS Twin Gear Juicer)

Choosing a Juicer

There are several varieties of juicers on the market which vary in their abilities, quality and price.

There are centrifugal juicers which chops the produce into small pieces then thrown them against a spinning bowl that separates the fibre from the juice. These are relatively inexpensive compared to the other types but have a shorter life span, clog up quicker, do not extract all the juice fully, cannot juice leafy greens or wheatgrass and you need to drink the juice within 15 minutes of juicing as the processing method destroys the nutrients and live enzymes. (Approx NZ$150 - $399)

Single gear masticator juicers grind the produce into very small particles and presses or mashes them through a screen which separates the juice from the fibre. This type extracts more nutrients because it generates less heat and friction so more enzymes are preserved. You get more juice extracted, the juice usually can last in the fridge (in a glass container) for up to 48 hours and you can also juice greens, make nut butters, pasta, frozen desserts, hummus, etc.  The juicer lasts longer but be aware it is a slower juicing process. (Approx NZ$299 - $850)

Twin gear masticator juicers are basically the same as the single gear but has two gears, costs more, gets more juice extracted and the juice can be stored up to 72 hours. (Approx NZ$899 - $2500)


Well I hope that has helped some of you, if you managed to read through all the boring stuff to the end. I'll be posting some of my (well the one's I've tried and enjoyed so far) great juicing recipes shortly.