It seems everyone I know — most recently, my longtime hairdresser, David — is into juicing these days. I’d never considered getting a juicer myself. Who needs another space-hogging appliance?
But the more I learn about juicing fruits and vegetables, the more I think it might be a good way to eat (or drink) more of those key foods, especially for those who fall short of the recommended daily intake. Plus, David (who is 50, like me) looks fabulous.
If you’re thinking of giving juicing a try, here are some things to keep in mind.
Did you know?
A main difference between juicing and blending is the thickness of the juice. A blender’s blades mix pulp and juice together, whereas most juicers use centrifugal force to separate juice from solids, producing a thinner liquid. With a juicer, you can use whole fruits and vegetables, including small seeds, skins and rinds. When using a blender, remove peels (though some skins, such as apple and pear, can be left on), rinds and seeds — anything you don’t want to end up in your drink.
What to juice?
Think green: Jolia Allen of Vegetarian Times suggests going for green vegetables. These taste plenty sweet (toss in a bit of apple if you need it sweeter), she says, and have far less sugar than fruits.
Key nutrients: If you’re looking to boost your intake of certain vitamins and minerals, toss these in your juicer. For vitamin C: carrots, pineapple, parsley. For calcium: kale, collards. For potassium: oranges, tomatoes, spinach.
Recipes
From “The Everything Juicing Book,” by Carole Jacobs, Patrice Johnson and Nicole Cormier (Adams Media, March 2010):
Popeye’s Secret: 2 kale leaves, 1 beet top and greens, 1 fist of spinach, 1/2 cup broccoli florets. All of these vegetables contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risk of cancer.
Salad in a Glass: 1 cup broccoli, 3 butterhead lettuce leaves, 1 carrot, 2 red radishes, 1 green onion. Broccoli is rich in vitamin K, which helps blood clot normally.
Garlic Delight: 3 Roma tomatoes, 2 red apples, 1 clove garlic, 1 sprig Italian parsley. Tomatoes and parsley are both good sources of vitamins A, C and K and of potassium, which helps keep blood pressure in check.
Smart juicing
Save money. Juicers go through vegetables fast. Allen suggests buying seasonal produce (such as strawberries and spinach) at their peak and freezing them to use during the off-season, when they cost more. Or buy in bulk from a local farm. Better yet: Grow your own.
Chill out. Because friction from the juicer warms up the juice, use frozen produce or toss a couple of ice cubes into the machine to cool things down.
Preserve. If you have a bit left over, add a squeeze of lemon or orange juice to keep your juice from oxidizing (which makes it turn brown) and save it, no longer than overnight, in the fridge.
Three uses for leftover pulp from your juicer
• Add it to foods such as casseroles, soups and meatloaf.
• Eat it just as is — it’s pure fiber.
• Chuck it on the compost pile.
Three things you should not put in a juicer
• Citrus peels. The pungent, bitter oils will overshadow the taste of the juice.
• Pits. Remove the hard pits from cherries, peaches and other stone fruits to av oid damaging the blades.
• Your fingers. Always use the food pusher to avoid contact with the ultra- sharp blades.
Shopping guide
Your choice of a juicer depends largely on what you intend to juice and how much you want to spend. Here’s a sampling of what’s out there, from low-end to high, including two popular mid-priced models.
Metrokane Mighty OJ. This citrus- only juicer is easy to use and clean. It’s so old-school, I actually own one but never thought of it as a juicer. All-chrome model No. 3506, $50 at
Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer Express. A “no-drip spout” tilts upward when you’re done, preventing juice from messing up your counter. The recipe book includes more than 100 LaLanne- inspired blends. This is the one my hairdresser uses. $100 at
Juiceman Wide-Mouth Juice Extractor. With a 4-inch tube opening (most others are just 3 inches), this machine can accommodate whole apples and even cuts of pineapple with the rind intact. Model No. JM550S, $100 at
Hurom Slow Juicer. This works by “chewing” the produce instead of chopping and separating juice from solids by centrifugal force.
It’s slow-going but can handle tougher items such as nuts and soybeans. Model No. HU-100, $359 at
