Making and Drinking Raw Juices

A little bit more than a year go, I got my hands on "Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices" book written by Dr. Norman W. Walker after a friend of mine recommended it to me. I read and re-read it couple of times. It did change the way I eat and think about my food for sure.

If you are thinking on getting into raw juicing or raw food in general, I highly recommend to start by reading this book. It explains basic principles, provides helpful info on various fruits and vegetables and also has recipes.

At this time, I begin pretty much every day with a glass or two of raw freshly squeezed juice to give my body all the nutrients it needs to begin the day.

Raw Juice Recipes

I don't have strict recipes. I combine veggies and fruits to produce about 4 cups (1 liter) of juice in total, and we share this juice between myself and my boyfriend.

Carrots, Beets, Celery and Cucumber are base of most of my juices. I would add some other veggies and fruits which come in a season and I feel like drinking occasionally. These can be: Lettuce, Spinach, Green Bell Pepper, Parsley, Apples and such. With emphases more on veggies, and less on fruits.

Lately I was experimenting with adding a handful of fresh Cranberries to balance too sweet Carrot/Apple taste out, and I love it.

Juicing Equipment I Use

I am pretty happy with my Breville BJE820XL Fountain centrifugal juicer. It is 1+ year old now, Breville probably has some newer juicer models out on the market by now.

I had to replace Mesh Filter Basket in it recently because holes in the old started getting clogged and this caused juice to spill around; having to clean beet juice from table, floor and kitchen cabinets every morning isn't fun. The replacement part worked perfectly, so I am back in businesses at least for now.

Few helpful tips and tricks when juicing:

1. If you like your juice cold, use ingredients which come directly from the fridge, otherwise let them warm up a bit before juicing.
2. I use store plastic bags to line the pulp compartment - it makes the clean up much easier. If you want to be more environment responsible, there are also Biodegradable Pulp Container Bags available.
3. I cover the juice container with damp paper towel to prevent juice splashing out of it, which happens sometimes with me.
4. I clean my juicer as soon as I am done juicing, it doesn't take too much time, and is much easier when all the pulp isn't dried yet.
5. I drink my juice right away, storing it doesn't seem to provide much benefits in time, but it sure kills some nutrients in the process.

Happy Juicing!