#1 It’s an excellent way to supplement nutrition

If you have a hard time meeting your daily quota of fruit and veggies, you’re in the majority. Recent data suggests that the average American:

● Eats only about half of their recommended daily intake of fresh fruit

● Would have to up their veggie consumption by 65% to meet their daily requirements

There are plenty of reasons why you may struggle to meet those benchmarks. Life gets busy, and preparing a nutritious, veggie-rich meal takes time. For some people, fast food options abound—and without tools to economize your time in the kitchen, it may simply feel easier to stop at your neighborhood drive-thru for dinner or heat up a frozen meal.

It’s understandable. Yet, whatever the reason, rounding out your diet by juicing your fruits and vegetables is an easy and delicious way to flesh out your daily nutritional needs.

#2 It can help you get the most out of your produce

Some vegetables and fruits have an incredible nutritional density in parts of the plant we can’t always digest well in full form. Pineapple cores, for instance, hold a ton of the fruit’s nutrients, while broccoli stems can be just as nutritious as their easier-to-eat crowns.

Juicing ingredients like these and drinking vegetable juice or green juice can make these tough-to-access nutrients easily available.

#3 It’s a wonderful workaround for picky eaters

Most of us grew up plowing through our mac ‘n’ cheese and leaving our vegetables to wither on the wayside. “Don’t forget your spinach” is something we’ve likely all heard.

The apples don’t fall far from the tree, either. If you’ve got kids in the family who struggle to greet their greens with enthusiasm, juicing veg into delicious vegetable juice may be the perfect solution to get them excited about veggies. 

Moreover, there are certain vegetables many kids are particularly inclined to poo-poo—and they happen to become stars when it comes to nutrition. These include:

● Spinach – The classic enemy of the picky eater, a single serving of spinach provides 120% of our DV (daily value) of vitamin K (a bone health benefactor). It’s also chock full of vitamin A and antioxidants.

● Broccoli – For some kids, not even “They look like little trees” will work to whet the palate. Broccoli is flush with vitamins C and K, folate, potassium, and manganese. Juicing it is also an excellent way to get the most out of the vegetable (stem included).

● Dark, leafy greens – To kids, leaves like kale, chard, and collards look sinister, lurking in dark piles on the sides of their plates—and there is little grown-ups can do to make them desirable. Fortunately, they’re nearly impossible to detect, in both taste and texture, when turned into a glass of green juice alongside fruits like apple, pineapple, or orange.

#4 It supports low-fiber diets

Doctors may recommend you follow a low- or restricted-fiber diet for many reasons. Most of them revolve around allowing the digestive system to work less so that it has time to heal. While fruits and veggies are an indispensable part of the food pyramid, in their whole form, they contain a lot of fiber—which could be aggravating to people with a temperamental stomach or certain digestive conditions.

Juicing produce, however, drastically cuts down on the amount of fiber they contain when consumed. Extracted juices still contain the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are so essential for human health. 

If you’re interested in drinking juice for dietary reasons, just note that fast juicers do a better job of removing fiber, which yields much silkier, low-viscosity juice. Slow juicers, alternatively, tend to retain some fiber, giving their output a somewhat “tackier” texture.

#5 It’s helpful for an extra hydration boost

If you get bored (or simply forget) to drink your daily quota of water, fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of moisture for your body. 

Certain candidates have even more hydration potential than others, including:

● Watermelon

● Orange

● Grapefruit

● Melons (like cantaloupe and honeydew)

● Cucumbers

● Celery

So if you’re looking for a more exciting way to hydrate, try an H2O-rich fresh juice instead.

#6 It’s a perfect replenishment for pre- or post-workout

It’s not always easy to time our eating schedules around our exercise routine. Filling up on a meal—even a small one—can make many people feel weighed down or bloated before a workout.

One viable solution? Enjoy freshly pressed fruit juice. Not only can it give you a satisfying nutritional kick before a sweat session, but it’s an excellent way to boost hydration levels, too.

Does it matter which kind of juicer you use?

There are two types of juicers you’ll find on the home market:

● Cold-pressed juicers – Also called “slow” or “masticating” juicers, cold-pressed juicers create their juice by grinding fruits and vegetables and then pressing them through a mesh screen. The process usually results in some pulp and fiber in the resulting fruit juice for a natural taste. 

● Centrifugal juicers – Centrifugal or “fast” juicers operate (as the name suggests) at a much quicker pace. They use a rotating mesh screen to quickly draw the juice out of the produce you toss in. This works to divide the pulp from the fruit of the ingredients, yielding a silky-smooth, matter-free juice.

People prefer cold-press or centrifugal juicers for various reasons. For instance, some people find cold-pressed juicers easier machines to maintain than their centrifugal counterparts; fast juicers may come at a lower price point than their slow cousins. 

But when it comes to the nutritional quality of the juice they both make? There’s no major difference. It’s all about personal preference, so juice however (and whatever) you love.

Refreshing recipes for juicing newcomers

The versatility of flavors and textures juicers can deliver makes them a desirable kitchen appliance. Owning a juicer makes experimenting, inventing, and exploring new flavors, ingredients, health benefits, and ratios accessible and nutritious. 

If you’re just getting started, we recommend these juice recipes for morning, midday, and night.

The rise and shine

Many individuals have sworn by the morning ritual of drinking celery juice (ideally before hitting the coffee maker). To put your own juicy spin on this vegetable’s cult following, try this zippy, ultra-fresh morning recipe:

● 1 English cucumber

● 1 to 2 stalks of celery

● 1 handful of spinach

● ½ lemon

● ½ lime

● Small knuckle of ginger (use less for a milder taste)

With loads of hydrating veggies, vitamin C-rich citrus, and a gingery kick, this combo makes for the perfect single-serve AM juice. For a smokey kick and an extra shot of moisture, try adding coconut water.

The afternoon pick-me-up

Some people may need an afternoon pick-me-up to get them through their day. If you’re prone to sluggishness in the afternoon, try substituting this classic, invigorating combination for your 4 pm cup of joe:

● 1 Beet (small to medium-sized)

● 1 Carrot (large)

● 1 Orange

This juice, also known as Tres-en-Uno (“Three-in-One”) is a classic juice recipe in Venezuelan cuisine. You can try making it your own with grounding flavors, too—we recommend extra root veggies (e.g. sweet potato) or dark leafy greens (e.g. swiss chard).

The evening wind-down

A warming mug of herbal tea is many people’s go-to when it comes to nighttime beverages. But why not power up your evening brew with an extra nutritional boost?

To bring on the sleepies and help you feel recharged come sun-up, try this relaxing, rejuvenating recipe:

● A small cup of chamomile tea or chamomile tea concentrate

● 1 peeled pineapple

● 2 handfuls of kale or chard, sans stalks

● A fistful of mint leaves

To make, juice the pineapple first (including the stem), then juice the dark leafy greens and mint and stir. Finally, toss in your chamomile tisane (one of the world’s best herbs for encouraging sound sleep) and 1 ice cube to bring the concoction together.

Complete your kitchen with Breville

When you bring our kitchen appliances into your home, the simplest habits become something you look forward to. Powerful, easy to clean, and a cinch to use, our juicers are some of the leading models in the home appliance industry.

Hit refresh on your daily rituals by exploring our centrifugal and cold-press machines (and the classic manual juice press). However you like to start your mornings, Breville makes coming home to your kitchen just as sweet.

 

Sources: 

Healthline. The 14 Most Nutrient-Dense Vegetables. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/14-healthiest-vegetables-on-earth#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2

Mayo Clinic. Low-fiber diet do's and don'ts.  https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/low-fiber-diet/art-20048511

Grow by WebMD. What Counts as Water? Stay Hydrated and Healthy. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/healthy-beverages

Vogue. Celebrities are drinking huge amounts of celery juice, but is it really healthy?

https://www.vogue.in/wellness/content/celery-juice-benefits-fad-celebrities-wellness

Nutrition Stripped. Good Morning Juice. https://nutritionstripped.com/good-morning-juice/

University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry. When to stop drinking alcohol, water or caffeine before bed for better sleep. https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/psychiatry/news/archive/202012/when-stop-drinking-alcohol-water-or-caffeine-bed-better-sleep

National Library of Medicine. ATTAINING RECOMMENDED AMOUNTS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THE AMERICAN DIET. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK305172/