To juice or not to juice. That is a juicy question these days.
There are those against it, saying that you are better off eating the fruit or vegetable whole because whole foods are better assimilated by the body and contain that ever-important fiber. Also cited are concerns over the blood sugar rise caused by concentrated juices.
Proponents agree that you should eat lots of whole vegetables and fruits daily, but believe that there is value in supplementing the diet with the juices. The value lies in the mineral salts contained in plants. We all understand the need for minerals. And many people swallow lots of mineral tablets to try and get them. However, many nutritionists maintain that minerals that have been through the plant cycle are far better for the body than those which are directly extracted from the soil. For example, to meet the need for Sodium, one might ingest sodium chloride. Alternatively, eating something like celery will provide the body sodium phosphate. So, as understood by the proponent, a body depleted of minerals by our modern lifestyles can most quickly be aided by the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetable juices.
I'm in the latter camp. I've greatly helped my health with vegetable juices. The manner I prepare the juices keeps them dilute enough that my blood sugar stays normal (I was pre-diabetic).
I started by borrowing a juicer. The product was delicious. But the quantities of vegetables needed kept me going to the store too often. And cleaning the machine was time consuming. I finally started adding two cups of water to a quality blender, then added vegetables and let them liquify. The final step was to pour the solution through a fine strainer (cheese cloth works well). I'd use a ladle or such to squeeze the juice out of the pulp. Then I either used the pulp in cooking or put it in the garden.
The juice is a great was to start out the day. I get my mineral salts while sitting outside in the first light. My favorite consists of a couple of carrots, a handful of spinach, a small beet with greens, two stalks of celery, and maybe some garlic or ginger. The combinations are endless. Cleanup is quick. Rinse the blender and strainer. The juice is diluted with water to a good concentration, and I haven't spent much.
You probably already have a blender. Give it a try to see if juicing is for you.
About the Author
Paul Stout has developed http://drug-pill-med.com as a search engine/web directory to help people locate the best values in medicines, medical information, health resources, and medical supplies.