Produce Spotlight: Garlic
That is the question- isn’t it? Perhaps you’ve read something somewhere about somebody who upon diagnosis of some tragic disease decided to take up juicing to increase their nutrient intake to heal themselves. And you thought to yourself “yeah right”. There are plenty of myths & misunderstandings out there surrounding the value of throwing your meal in a blender or a juicer: Good for me? Not worth the bother? What’s all the hype about? Here’s the scoop:
Blending v.s. Juicing: If you were to throw an apple into a high powered blender and rev it up, you’ll be left with a pureed whole apple: raw applesauce. Throw an apple into a juicer and it’ll yield you (you guessed it!) apple juice. No pulp, no skin, just liquid. The major difference between blending and juicing is just this: the fibre is separated out when you juice. Fibre is an indigestible yet critical plant sourced component of anyone’s diet supporting proper elimination. Thus, relying solely on juiced produce will likely leave you a little backed up. Nobody enjoys that…
Benefits of Juicing: As previously hinted, juicing your fruit & veggies affords you the ability to substantially increase the number of servings you’re taking into your body without spending every waking minute chewing. You can get all of the enzymes, vitamins & minerals from sixteen raw carrots by drinking the juice rather than eating them all. The aforementioned fibre is largely what fills you up, but removing it greatly eases bulk consumption. Supplementing ones diet with fresh, cold pressed juices increases many immune system boosting elements which can be used as part of a healthy regimen or in an effort to cure the body of an illness.
Choose Organic! If you’re putting those sixteen liquid carrots in your body to boost your beta-carotene intake, be sure they’re not covered in pesticides. Any positive benefits you may be receiving from the nutrient dense juice will be negated with cellular damage from pesticides! Ask at the health food store for large quantity produce ordering. Always consume organic whenever possible, but especially if you’re concentrating your nutrition with a juicer.
They Cost How Much!? A good quality cold press juicer is going to cost you a pretty penny or two. Opting for a less costly juicer will leave you with juice that has been exposed to heat via the processing, which denatures the enzymes of your juice- just as cooking does. Enzymes are proteins present in raw foods that are necessary for metabolic processes in the body from digestion to the synthesis of DNA. While the body does manufacture some enzymes, taking in a good supply of them through your diet eases that burden on your body. Know that you’re purchasing a quality product likely with a fantastic warranty (do your homework before dropping this cash!) and look into the ease of cleaning as well. If it’s a giant pain to use this pricey piece of equipment, chances are it’ll just collect dust. Amazon.ca is a great place to start your search!
Is Juicing Right For Me? That’s up to you! It’s a simple way to increase the good stuff in your diet. Be sure not to buy into the juices you see at the grocery store though. Pasteurization is done with the best intentions in mind, but zaps all the enzymes from the juice and damaging some heat sensitive vitamins like vitamin C. Easy DIY juicing without a juicer using a high powered blender and a nut milk bag is a great way to see if juicing is something you would like to incorporate into your day to day without the big ticket juicer purchase.
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