I recently found myself in possession of a juicer. I admit, my heart leapt a little bit at the thought of joining the ranks of the juice junkies. Juicing is an almost magical experience—I love watching the colorful juice drain into my glass, and the taste—whatever I juice—gives a new meaning to fresh.
That being said, there are a few things I try to keep in mind when juicing.
-Making juice on the go is great in theory, but keep in mind that you’ll have to clean the juicer, which, depending on the juicer, can be even more involved than cleaning a blender! Make sure you allow yourself enough time to clean up!
-It takes more produce than you may imagine to make a single serving of juice (8-12oz.) 8 cups of spinach, for example, will only yield a few ounces of juice–but oh, what nutrient-rich juice that will be!
-The slower you press the produce against the blades, the more juice will be extracted.
-Fresh fruit juice, though bursting with antioxidants and enzymes still contains sugar–and no fiber. Most of the time, I aim to make a juice mostly from veggies. This juice is the exception, however, and is a good place to start for those nervous about vegetable juice.
-Fresh juice should be enjoyed within twenty minutes of making it for maximum nutrient absorption.
Glowing and cheerful, this Energizing Carrot Grapefruit Basil Juice provides an upbeat, pre-breakfast start to the morning–or the perfect thirst quencher after a run in the heat. Ginger and basil give the juice a slightly mysterious, bright accent, making it no ordinary veggie-fruit blend.
Energizing Carrot Grapefruit Basil Juice
Ingredients:
(Serves 1, makes about 10 oz.)
1 handful basil
2-3 carrots
1 peeled thumb-sized knob of ginger
1 small pear
1 grapefruit
Directions:
Carefully juice 1 ingredient at a time. Enjoy within 20 minutes of juicing to take advantage of the fresh enzymes and antioxidants.
Related: Beet Carrot Ginger Protein Smoothie
Magical “Sunday” Sundae Smoothie
Strawberry Spinach Green Smoothie
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Photos: Mary Hood