What Do I Need To Start Juicing?

You may think that all you need to start juicing is just a juicer and some fruits and vegetables to juice. But if you’re going to take juicing seriously there’s a little more to it than that. There are many questions to ask yourself like why are you juicing? What are you trying to achieve? How long are you looking to juice? How much do you want to spend on juicing?

If your budget is limited juicing is still very possible. The availability of cheap juicers has meant there has never been a better time to try juicing on a budget. Many people think that they need to buy a juicer to start juicing but it’s possible to juice with a blender if you already have one.

But you will need to strain the juice with something like a nut milk bag. These are available at most good health food stores or online. Of course a juicer makes juicing easier since it’s a dedicated appliance just for making juice.

What Type of Juicer?

What type of juicer you buy with largely depend on your budget. If your budget is less than $200 you’ll probably end up with a centrifugal juicer. This is what most people start with. But if you’re more serious and have a larger budget you’ll want to look at masticating juicers.

centrifugal juicers work by shredding and tearing produce with a spinning disc. Masticating juicers use a rotating auger to crush and squeeze produce. Centrifugal juicers generate more heat and don’t extract as much juice as masticating juicers. That means that masticating juicers produce a higher quality juice with more enzymes and micronutrients. So it’s worth considering a masticating juicer if you can afford it and are thinking about making juicing a regular part of your life.

Storing your Juice

You’re probably also going to need something to store juice in. Of course it’s best to consume juice as soon as you make it but there will be time when you want to store it or have excess juice. The best thing to store juice in is a glass jar (mason jars work well) with an airtight lid or a glass bottle with a airtight cap.

Juice will keep in the fridge for a short time but don’t plan on storing it for too long. I never store my juice longer than 24 hours and I normally consume within 12 hours of juicing if I can’t drink it right away. Fresher is better when juicing. You want to read my other post, “How Long Can I Store My Juice?” for more information about storing your juice.

Fail To Plan & You Plan To Fail

Before you start juicing you will also need to have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve and how to achieve that through juicing. There are many different reasons for juicing and how you approach juicing will depend on your goals. For example you may want to lose some weight by using juice as a meal replacement. Or you may just want to detoxify your body by juice fasting.

Your goals and approach to juicing should determine how often you juice, what you juice, how long you juice for and what (if anything) you consume alongside your daily juices.

It’s especially important to plan out your juices if you’re fasting as this is all you will be consuming. Making a juicing diary will help you plan out what you need to buy ahead of time. This makes trips to the produce section or farmers market a lot easier because you already know what you need to buy.

A Few Words About Health

If you have some health issues that you want to address with juicing it’s important to know which fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices can be used to best benefit you. But even if you don’t have serious health issues it’s always advisable to consult with a doctor before making changes to your diet.

It’s important to mention that juicing although mostly beneficial does have its own risks and things you need to be aware of. Anyone with kidney problems for example will want to be careful when juicing dark leafy greens like spinach, broccoli and kale.

Oxalic Acid

The reason for this is these contain something called Oxalic Acid. If you consume too much Oxalic Acid and don’t drink enough water it can lead to kidney problems. For most people it’s not a problem but if you have a history of kidney problems you’re going to want to limit your intake. Again I must stress that consulting with a doctor prior to juicing is really very important.

Juicing and Blood Sugar

Another potential problem with juicing involves those who are diabetic. If you’re juicing a lot of fruit the juice with contain a lot of natural sugar. That’s not as bad perhaps as refined sugar but it’s still enough to spike blood sugar. Juicing removes a lot of the fiber contained in fruits and vegetables which can help regulate blood sugar levels.

If you’re worried about your blood sugar you can try adding back some fiber or blending green smoothies which contain lots more fiber. Remember that the sugar is concentrated in fruits and that the more fruit you use the higher the sugar content will be. Always try to use more vegetables than fruits in your juices, especially if you’re diabetic.

Less Fruit More Vegetables

We know that fruit tastes good but don’t let your juices be all about fruit. Vegetables are more nutrient dense that fruits. That means you want plenty of vegetables in your juice. Fruit may make your juices taste great but it’s not all about taste is it? You’re juicing for your body and your health, so don’t hold back with the vegetables.

Stay Focused and Expect Challenges

Juicing is rewarding but it can be hard, especially if you’re used to eating whatever you like whenever you like. If you’re juice fasting it can be quite a challenge especially at the beginning. Just remember your goals and expect to be challenged with cravings for things you should be eating. Don’t give in and don’t give up even if you do give in. If you fail remember that tomorrow is another opportunity to start again. Don’t be too hard on yourself but also don’t allow yourself to give in too easily.

I hope you found at least some of this information useful and you start your juicing journey soon. Remember that juicing really is a great way of getting and staying healthy. Good luck and leave me a comment to let me know how your juicing is going!


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6 Comments

  • Reply Rich Donahue January 17, 2013 at 5:41 pm

    Hi Denise,
    “I never store my juice longer than 24 hours and I normally consume within 12 hours. Fresher is better when juicing.” – My thoughts exactly.

    I got a juicer for Father’s Day almost 3 years ago and I couldn’t be happier with it. It’s a centrifugal and it’s been replaced a couple of times under warranty, but I still love it. I’ll be moving up to another brand soon. I think you have one of the Omega vertical juicers don’t you? Thanks for the article and take care.

    • Reply Denise January 22, 2013 at 4:39 am

      Thanks Rich! I started two years ago with a Jack Lalanne Power Juicer Pro (centrifugal) but upgraded to an Omega VRT350 (vertical masticating) last year. The juice quality is far superior and I find that the juice from a masticating juicer lasts longer than that from a centrifugal juicer. The only drawback (apart from the higher price) of masticating juicers is that they require more prep. Sometimes I miss the huge chute on my Jack Lalanne!

  • Reply Frank January 21, 2013 at 4:17 am

    Great Article Denise! Very true & informative…your website looks awesome, keep up the great work!
    Frank

    • Reply Denise January 22, 2013 at 4:35 am

      Thanks Frank! Your website is also very informative and looks far better than mine LOL 🙂

  • Reply Rachael January 29, 2013 at 5:50 pm

    It’s really nice to read an article that while boasting the benefits of juicing, warns of a few drawbacks if you have health issues. Juicing has turned into such a huge trend that I do worry about people not having all the information they need to do it safely and effectively. I’ll be sending this article to a few of my friends that want to get started juicing.

    • Reply Denise January 30, 2013 at 4:09 am

      I see juicing as a nutrional tool to be used with caution and understanding. Many people seem to rush in and buy a juicer without taking time to find out about how it will affect them personally.

      Everyone is unique and just because something works and is safe for one person it doensn’t mean it will the same for another.

      It’s always adivsable to seek the advice of your doctor before changing your diet and especially so if you have existing medical conditions. But juicing can be used to prevent and even reverse disease in many cases. You just need to be aware of your existing conditions and how juicing might affect them.

      Thanks for reading and sharing this article. I hope it helps people to juice safely!

    Leave a Reply to Frank Cancel Reply