Just bought my first juicer today. A Breville Juice fountain. I have been wanting one of these since I dont normally eat vegetables. Are there any other tiger fans who juice? Any good recipes?
The Breville is great. Pineapple is great for taking the edge of bitter vegetables. Definitely a quick way to get a lot of healthy stuff in without having to "eat" it. Especially if you don't love vegetables.
I'm about to dip my toe in the juicing pool, soon, as soon as the one my wife ordered arrives. She ordered it a week ago and is supposed to ship later this week. Apparently it is a popular model and it out of stock nearly everywhere. Anybody doing any juice fasting? That's where I'm headed for a little bit. ETA: The juicer we're getting is a Breville Die Cast Juice Fountain Elite. Font Family Font Size
I got the cheaper version, no die cast. It should arrive tomorrow. I think I am going to take it slow, but then try to do the fasting.
The shipping of our juicer has been delayed by two weeks. When my wife orders something, she usually likes to get the top of the line model of whatever it is. I found that it easier not to argue with this. Generally, she makes the right call. Shipping of our juicer has been delayed by two weeks, and even the cheaper models seem to be out of stock now. We are going to ease into juicing with a 5-5-5 plan my wife read about. The first 5 days you ease into it by replacing one and then two meals with a juice. The second 5 days you go straight juicing. The third 5 days you ease out of it.
What are you trying to achieve with juicing Herb? Weight loss? Overall health improvement? You're right to ease into it. When you first start, all that raw juice can be a little rough on the system. It helps to have a small amount of protein with it too like chicken to make it easier on the stomach. A probiotic shot like Danactive or Lifeway also aids digestion. I like the antioxidant benefits of berries so I'll keep bulk frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) in the freezer and take a large handful out the day before juicing to defrost. Then I'll toss them in with everything else. Kale is the most nutritious vegetable there is but it can be like drinking fresh grass clippings so use it sparingly. Sweet potato is also loaded with health benefits and gives the juice a slightly creamy consistency. Mellows things out a bit. I'll juice an entire tub of fresh baby spinach that you can get at stores now. Prewashed and ready to go. Spinach is loaded with all of the green nutrients you want but it's very mild and mixes well with other juices without giving that harsh grassy flavor. A juice of carrot, spinach, apple, sweet potato, broccoli and berries might be the closest you can get to the ultimate disease fighter. If you're trying to lose weight keep the fruits to a minimum. I need some sweet to take the edge off of the vegetable but just enough to balance it out, not make it super sweet. Good luck.
Thanks for the advice! I am trying to drop some (well, many) pounds and improve my overall health and nutrient intake. My wife and I have come to the conclusion that we are addicted to sugar, carbs, dairy, and too much meat. Over the past few weeks we have made a great effort to reduce our intake of all of these things and increase our intake of fruits, vegetables, and beans. We think that juice fasting will help us further reset our appetites and eating habits. I hope to make it through the 5 day 'juice only' period but I am prepared to give in a little and eat some whole fruits or veggies if I get unbearably hungry. If it goes pretty well, we will probably replace our morning fruit and yogurt smoothie with a fruit-based juice and try to spend one weekend each month juice fasting to help us stay on track (while, of course, eating sensibly from here on it with a mostly plant based diet).
I think I have taken in more vegetables in the last three days than I have in about 15 years. The crazy thing is, I love the juice. It is most importantly a lifestyle change that will help you drop the weight. I have about 30lbs to get rid of (im 5'4 190, its amazing how much hangs around the midsection). I started by eating less portions, and now slowly adding vegie juice every morning. I definitely feel better already. Who knows if it is from the juice or less portions or if I am tricking myself with my mind. I really dont care either way, I just know I feel great. I agree with Brett about keeping the fruits to a minimum as there are loads of sugar in them. I do think however, you can eat berries (black, blue, rasp) all day long. lots of fiber in them. On a side note, I made a drink yesterday that consisted of Blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, kiwi, pear, apple and grapes. It was great, but was hard to get down. It is very hard for the juicer to separate the berries, so it was like drinking sludge. The vegie juice I like is called "Mean Green". If you watch a documentary called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead", it is what they make in there. It is kale, cucumber, a small amount of ginger root (a little bit goes a loooonnnnnnggg way), celery, lemon, and a couple of green apples. I also substituted the kale with spinach this morning. Both are fantastic. You guys are on the right track! To me, starting was the hardest part. One more thing: Drink LOTS of water throughout the day.
