Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
DISCLAIMER : This work may not be copied, sold, used as content in any manner or your name put on it until you buy sufficient rights to sell it or distribute it as your own from us and the authorized reseller/distributer. Every effort has been made to be accurate in this publication. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation. We do our best to provide the best information on the subject, but just reading it does not guarantee success. You will need to apply every step of the process in order to get the results you are looking for. This publication is not intended for use as a source of any legal, medical or accounting advice. The information contained in this guide may be subject to laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. We suggest carefully reading the necessary terms of the services/products used before applying any activity which is, or may be, regulated. We do not assume any responsibility for what you choose to do with this information. Use your own judgment. Any perceived slight of specific people or organizations, and any resemblance to characters living, dead or otherwise, real or fictitious, is purely unintentional. Some examples of past results are used in this publication; they are intended to be for example purposes only and do not guarantee you will get the same result. Your results may differ from ours. Your results from the use of this information will depend on you, your skills and effort, and other different unpredictable factors.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
It is important for you to clearly understand that all marketing activities carry the possibility of loss of investment for testing purposes. Use this information wisely and at your own risk.
The Top 10 Most Basic (but Most Important) Things You Need To Know BEFORE You Begin A Juicing or Raw Food Diet In the past few years, juicing has become a popular trend and has no signs of slowing and farmers and fresh vegetable producers have recognized the juicing trend as a ripe opportunity to grow the consumption of packaged "juice ready" produce helping those who want to make juice at home with family. But, here are some things you should know... There are many people that enjoy juicing and eating raw foods, and the number of businesses cashing in on this trend have generated $5 billion in annual revenues and juicing equipment has become so popular, it is responsible for hundreds of millions in sales. The juice shops aren't doing so bad either, especially when customers are spending upwards of $10 for 16 ounces of fresh juice! To boot, the prices of juices you can buy from your local health food store or local juice shop can be super expensive. You can't rely on big corporations that sell "fresh" juices to tell you whether they are using organic ingredients, or whether any of the
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
fruit or vegetables used have been produced in unregulated countries or comes from GMO crops. Finally, you probably can't tell whether or not your local juice shop employees keep equipment and hands clean. To boot, most people don't really know the fundamental basics of juicing and making raw food - especially if you've never done it before. Buying juice can be a very healthy but expensive daily habit and juicing is one of those habits that builds upon its success, so a little bit each day can have an aggregate positive effect on the body. There are many benefits to incorporating juicing and raw foods to your diet, namely increasing mineral and vitamin content to your daily diet. One of the biggest benefits of consuming juices and raw foods is what you learn when you do it yourself. When you take responsibility for your own health, you become more informed about where your produce comes from, what fruits and vegetables are in season, what your specific nutritional needs are and you learn how to use what you have or find what you need to benefit your health. Changing or adding a new habit is a process, so within this ebook you will learn the top ten things you'll need to know BEFORE starting a juicing or raw food diet. If you follow these 10 basic (but very important) steps to learn how to make this process easy and beneficial, you won't be sorry! In fact, you'll likely save a ton of money by years end. Here's to making something tasty and nutritious....everyday! In Good Health! Charles Gonzales kustomwebservices@gmail.com
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Step #1 : Prep Your Kitchen The first thing you need to know is how to prep your kitchen. You need to clean and store your vegetables so they are ready when you need them and they will last without wilting. When you go food shopping and you bring your fruits and veggies home, it’s probably been touched by at least 5 or 10 people. You want to make sure you clean your fruit and vegetables as soon as you get home. Cleaning Your Produce What you want to do is fill your sink with water. Then you can add either a store bought vegetable wash, you can add a little splash of apple cider vinegar, you can add some sea salt or you can add some hydrogen peroxide, maybe a little bit of castle soap. You can use many many options. Different people have different ways to clean their vegetables. Find out which one works for you, but just make sure to clean all your fruits and vegetables really, really well before you put them into your refrigerator. Storing Produce Now once you clean all of your fruits and vegetables, you have to store them in your refrigerator. Now you can store them many ways. You can put them in your refrigerator crisper, but here’s a really cool technique. You can go and get yourself some BPA free plastic containers, like the size of a shoe box. If you have a full size refrigerator at home, you can get 5 or 6 of these. Wash them out, make sure they are clean and dry. Then lay a hand towel or paper towel inside each one of the boxes. Then place all of your clean fruits and vegetables inside of those boxes. You can put all your leafy green vegetables all together in one box. you can put all your root vegetables in
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
another box and put some of your lettuces in another box. And so on. This makes organizing your kitchen and your refrigerator really easy and very convenient. Then you can just grab and go whenever you want for whatever you want. Remove Temptation Another thing you want to do is make space for some new things. If you’re getting ready to start juicing or trying a raw food diet or even adding raw food to your diet, then you want to make sure that you take out some of the foods - if you’re starting this for weight loss or you just want to get a little healthier - you want to make it easier for yourself. So, you can take out some of the temptation foods. Just make sure that they are not available in your house. Say if you are trying to give up wheat, you want to make sure that you don’t have a lot or any wheat products. It’s best to get organized so you can meet your goals, you’ll have everything in one place when you need it. Make Space For New Things You also want to make space for new things. So there’s going to be some ingredients that you may not have heard of, or maybe some vegetables or fruits that you haven’t used before or even knew they were available , and you want to make space for those things. Give yourself some counter space too. If you can remove any appliances you aren't using as much to make space for new tools like a juicer or blender or even a dehydrator, having those things within reach can be a good source of motivation.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
You can reorganize your cabinets and refrigerator to reflect this new change in your life. That is the first thing you’ll need to do before starting a juicing or raw food diet. You have to prepare your kitchen, because once you prepare your kitchen, you prepare your mind. Next, you probably have most of the kitchen basic tools required for juicing or making raw food, but let's review.
Step #2 : Know Your Tools Now, most people have regular kitchen tools. They have knives, spatulas, bowls, strainers, pots and pans, cutting boards and storage containers. Those things you will also need for making raw food and for juicing. If you have all those things already, then you are already ahead of the game. Knives It is really good to make sure that you have at least one or two sharp knives so that preparing your fruits and vegetables not only easy, but very safe. There are many brands of knives, but all good, average priced chef knives are made of stainless steel. There are several sizes of knives but the most common knives used for raw food preparation are an 8” knife and a 3”-4” pairing knife. Choose a knife weight that is comfortable for you and is well made. Make sure the “tang” the part you hold in your hand (or handle) feels good. Some folks enjoy having a ceramic knife to cut lettuces, but it isn’t necessary for everyone. Cutting lettuce with ceramic knives keeps it from oxidizing as quickly. Also, if you are opening coconuts, you’ll want to have a cleaver so you can break through the hard
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
shell without damaging one of your smaller knives and also without hurting yourself. It makes sense to brush up or learn some new cutting techniques as well. There are plenty of free videos that can show you techniques about how to use sharp knives so you can find that out but for the most part you just want to make sure that you have tools that are safe and dull knife is a very unsafe knife. Sharpen your knives professionally and keep them in a wooden block to keep the blade from becoming dull or getting damaged. There are several moderately priced knife sets available so shop around for what works for you. Also good knife maintenance includes never placing sharp knives in a sink full of water – that’s just an emergency waiting to happen. Leave dirty knives on the counter until ready to wash and then dry them immediately and place them safely away. Spatulas, Bowls and Strainers These are pretty basic and you can find them if you don’t have them at virtually any home goods store or even your local grocery market. Spatulas are pretty easy to find, so choose one that works with your kitchen and equipment. A spatula with a pliable head that detaches for easy cleaning is a plus. You can find many different options, and a few different sizes make scraping your equipment easier. Consider having a long handle spatula for the blender, a wider spatula for the food processor and perhaps a medium sized spatula or a flat edge spatula for decorating are three good choices. Make sure that you have bowls that are good for mixing and for holding compost or big salads. You want to have a variety of sizes
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
of bowls. You can use metal, glass bowls or wooden bowls - whatever is your choice and whatever fits into your cabinets. With strainers, you can use an open strainer or a mesh strainer or a salad spinning devices that are very useful for making lots of fresh food and rinsing it and drying it very quickly. So you can invest in those if you need those. Storage Containers You want to make sure that when you are considering storage containers, especially to keep food fresh, you want to use containers that will keep your food fresh and free of contaminants. Glass is the best choice because it is non-porous so it won’t absorb any of the flavors or spices or any oils when you are making or storing raw food or juice. When you are juicing vegetables or roots, they are very concentrated in their color, and can tend to stain plastic. You may want to consider having some glass containers that you can reuse and just wash and dry and sterilize at your pace. So that’s it for knowing your tools. Those are the basic tools you’ll need before you start juicing and adding raw food to your diet. You will also need to know specific equipment that will help you get the job done. So that is what we will get into next…
Step #3 : Equipment Ideas To Get The Job Done Any new hobby or interest requires specialized equipment, so if you are starting to juice or incorporate raw food into your diet, there are some specific kitchen appliances you’ll want to consider
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
investing in to get the job done quickly and efficiently. The first thing you’ll need of course, is a juicer. Juicers There are several kinds of juicers on the market and one of the most popular is called a centrifugal force juicer. This type of juicer has a steel blade that spins around to break the produce down and the juice filters through a mesh plate at the bottom. Most typically have a stainless steel barrel which spins around very quickly which creates the centrifugal force. One of the benefits of owning a centrifugal juicer is the price they are relatively inexpensive and you can find a variety of juicers below $150 that can suit your needs. If you are just beginning and you are not sure whether juicing is something that you want to do for a very long time then this juicer will fit into your budget and will still deliver a relatively good product. Unfortunately, there are several drawbacks of owning a centrifugal force juicer. First, the grinding blade can tend to heat up with the level of friction from the spinning blade, and that can tend to raise the temperature of the juice and diminish some of the nutritional value. Secondly, juices produced using centrifugal force also tend to separate more quickly due to the oxidation that occurs during the extraction process. Also, these types of juicers are not very efficient at juicing leafy greens. You will ultimately extract some juice from leafy greens, but in most cases, the leaves are just too fragile and will not produce much volume after being masticated. Another type of juicer is called a juice press. These juicers currently retail between $300 - $500. The difference between a centrifugal force juicer and a juice press is, juice press machines
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
do not have a blade. Most of them have a mastication press that breaks the bulk of the fruit or vegetable down and then is fed through a barrel where a hard plastic or stainless steel part presses the leafy greens or soft fruits and vegetables through at a slower pace, juicing them with pressure as opposed to a blade. One advantage of having a juice press is these machines don’t quite produce as much heat when in use. This type of juicer will also yield more volume. You can also use the fiber from both juicers to make raw food, but with the juice press, the pulp will be very dry which makes adding it to salads or repurposing it into something delicious, very easy and convenient, and reduces waste. Juice press machines are notorious for extracting the juice from delicate leafy greens exceptionally well. One really big draw for some people with juice press machines is they are typically sold with an attachment that can process nuts to make nut butter. Centrifugal juicers cannot process nuts and seeds. The drawback of owning a juice press is, most juice press machines are sold at a slightly higher price point. So you want to make sure if you are going to invest in a juice press that you find something that works within your budget. Also, juice press machines work a little bit more slowly, and they have a few more parts so you may have to add a few more minutes to your juicing time to compensate for the entire process - from prep to clean up. There are also really high end juicers and juicing equipment. If you were interested in investing in a high end juicer, you can look into hydraulic juice press machines. These juicers are extremely efficient, retain more nutrients overall and for some, are worth the hefty price. Hydraulic “home use� juice press machines can be
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
very expensive - one of the most popular sells for more than $4000. Overall, choosing the right juicer to suit your needs is really important. Blenders A blender is an essential part of any home cook’s kitchen. They are great for making smoothies, soups, sauces and everything in between that needs to be mixed or blended. With raw food preparation, a blender is essential. Having a high powered blender that has multiple speeds and a full size, what’s called a “jar” is essential, but these can be pricey. If you have a allpurpose blending machine with a small “one-size-fits-all” jar that can work too, and it will likely be more affordable. Though keep in mind, making enough for two people might be tough without a full size blender. If you already have a blender and you are not quite ready to invest into a juicer, that’s okay. The difference between juicing and blending is with juicing you will get a more refined liquid as opposed to with blending you will get all the fiber as well as the juice with the end product. You can use a blender to blend up your juices, smoothies, nut milks, raw nut cheeses and soups. You can also make dressings, dips and sauces and all kinds of tasty things. Food Processor You may also want to invest in a small food processor, especially if you are going to be incorporating more raw food into your diet. That will help make some raw food techniques very simple and easy. There are many raw food recipes and blended juices that you can make without having a food processor, but if you are incorporating more raw food into your life using different techniques that mock certain cooked textures, then having a food
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
processor will make life a little easier. Take time to play around with recipes to see if this is a piece of equipment you need. Specialty Equipment If you are looking to expand your raw food repertoire, you may want to consider having some specialty equipment. One of the most common equipment purchases is a dehydrator. Dehydrating foods creates another alternative to cooked food options and is also a great tool if you want to create crunchy foods like crackers, sweet or savory treats or preserve fruits and vegetables. Several dehydrators have temperature controls, automatic timers and a number of shelves with trays and liners. A square dehydrator tends to dry more evenly because the fan heats from the back and the trays are adjustable, but if you have a round dehydrator already feel free to use what you have. Dehydrating in the oven isn't recommended, as many gas and electric ovens cannot heat below 150° F and that would defeat the purpose of dehydrating. The temperature for dehydrating fruits and vegetables should be no more than 118°F. Just make sure you have the counter space to accommodate this appliance. Lastly, there are other hand held cutting devices that can make your food look amazing - because you just cannot ignore the visual side of food. The presentation of food is equally as important as the quality of the food. Look into different cutting tools like a spiralizer, mandoline, fancy vegetable peeler or peeling mechanism that you can use to create different textures that enhance the visual presentation of your food. We’ll get more into that when we start talking about recipes, but you’re really going to need to have some basic ingredients before you start juicing and adding raw foods so we’re going to talk about that next.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Step #4 : Procuring Your SIX Basic Ingredients Avoiding non-organic and GMO foods can be an expensive proposition but having as much organic produce as possible when juicing and preparing raw food is really important. Non-organic conventionally grown foods are available everywhere, but sadly many of these foods are either subject to being sprayed with chemicals or are genetically modified so they are not ideal for juicing, especially if you have to buy non-organic produce. There are several economical options to consider... CSA’s First, you might want to investigate community supported agriculture groups. They are in most big cities, and are in many rural places where there are family farms and you can participate in a community supported agriculture group where everyone pays for a share of the seasonal harvest. You can find information about CSA’s online and it’s a great way to support local farms and you’re getting some really great local and organic produce. Food Co-ops You can also find food co-ops near you to do your food shopping. A food co-op is owned by a collective of its members that offers access to foods at a price that is competitive with grocery store prices. There are several co-op grocery stores in cities all across America. With a little research, you will likely find one near you. Farmer’s Market Another way to make sure you are getting quality organic produce is to visit your local farmer’s market. Usually farmer’s markets
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
have a variety of vendors from small family farms to local artisanal food producers that come to sell products you may not be able to find at your local market. These can be great places to build relationships with the farms and families that grow food. Remember, you always want to use a vegetable wash as we talked about in prepping your kitchen, so that if you must buy conventionally grown produce you definitely want to make sure that you give it a really good wash before you juice or eat it. The SIX Basic Ingredients Some of the most basic ingredients in juicing and raw food preparation are fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, spices, salt, citrus and oils. You want to make sure that when you’re starting to set up your kitchen and gathering your recipes, you really organize yourself and you’ve done some research in what you want to have in your kitchen. These are just some of the basics. You can always add more ingredients, and when you find the things that you really, really like you can bring those items into your kitchen. Once you have the basics down, it will become really fun to experiment with different recipes and ingredients. Green Vegetables It is recommended to keep a nice array of green leafy vegetables at all times as basic ingredients in your kitchen. Green leafy vegetables contain minerals, proteins and fiber and a lot of nutritional value. You can blend them into soups and sauces as well. Many dark leafy greens are considered bitter greens, and lettuces and young greens are considered sweet greens. A good balance of both is a good nutritional strategy. Fruits
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
You also want to make sure that you have some basic fruits - like oranges, lemons, limes when in season and apples. Citrus fruits are a staple in raw food preparation and add beneficial vitamins to juices and raw food dishes. Using them as “just� juice is fine, but lemons, limes and oranges are a must have kitchen ingredient. Packed with nutrients, the acid of citrus fruits helps accentuate the flavors of several foods and are extremely versatile. Keep a handful on hand at all times. You also want to keep a few apples around. They are not only great for juicing, but can add a touch of natural sweetness to many raw food recipes without adding additional sweetener. Root Vegetables Root vegetables are really diverse, but you may only be able to find some of them during colder seasons. Keep vegetables like carrots and beets handy will ensure that you get a variety of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in your juices and raw food. Additionally, roots like ginger and turmeric come in handy when you want to add additional nutrients or flavor. Nuts & Seeds Raw, unpasteurized nuts and seeds are great to have around because they make great, nutrient dense snacks. Consider keeping pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and some almonds and brazil nuts around by the handful. They can easily be added to raw food, salads, home made dressings, and some can be sprouted and blended, or can simply crafted into a nut or seed milk and used as a base for smoothies. Make sure to keep a variety of produce and dry ingredients around so that when you are learning how to combine foods and
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
flavors that you’re not limited to what you have or what you don’t have at home. Spices & Salt You also want to have spices and salt. Those are really important because no one enjoys bland food. Learning how to use spices functionally or just for flavor is fun and can really expand raw food genres. Fats Lastly, when it comes to healthy fats you want to definitely invest in a good oil. Remember you are going to just be eating it the way that it is and you want to have healthy fats in your diet. Find an unfiltered organic, first cold pressed oils are best. That’s it’s for the basic ingredients. Next, we’re going to get into the must haves of juicing. These tips will undoubtedly make juicing easier, more time efficient and tasty.
Step #5 : The FOUR Must Have Ingredients For Juicing You want to make sure that you have leafy green vegetables always at your disposal when you start juicing. You want to make sure that you have a pretty good balance of fruits and vegetables so when you start juicing you can figure out your recipes for the week and you’ll know that maybe for three days this week, you’ll be making vegetable juice, and for two days you’re making fruit juice….and you want to make sure that you have a balance that works for your diet and your lifestyle. Having a good balance of vegetable juices to fruit juices.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Leafy Greens So, we’re going to start with green juices - so make sure you have greens. You want greens like dandelion greens - which are full of trace minerals, kale, cabbage, lettuces and celery. Make sure that you incorporate some herbs too. These will add flavor and nutrition. You can also juice the green tops from beets - say if you buy beets from the farmer’s market you’ll have the green tops and the root. Just make sure you have some leafy greens because they are high in minerals. You can also use wheatgrass if your juicer has the capacity to extract the juice from these delicate greens. Celery has essential salts and cabbage contains nutrients like vitamin c, vitamin k and manganese. Cabbage is also high in glucosinolates - the anti inflammatory and antioxidant compound found in cabbage that are linked to cancer prevention. Sub Acid Fruits Also, make sure that you have sub acid fruits. Sub acid fruits include apples, pears and grapes are great to juice and add as a base to a smoothie. So if you are making a smoothie with a fresh juice base, you can juice the sub acid fruits first and then add them to the blender. Remember, mixing greens with sub acid fruits is one of the most popular juicing combinations because the bitterness of the greens is tempered by the subtle sweetness of one or two sub acid fruits when combined. Acid Fruits Make sure that you have some acid fruits too. Like oranges, lemons and grapefruit are all really great when you can find them fresh and seasonal and you can add them as well to blended drinks or even other raw food recipes. Make sure you have your greens, sub acid fruits and acid fruits, but you also want to have
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
some root vegetables. Most of the acid fruits can also contain high amounts of citric, malic and lactic acids that can be detrimental to tooth enamel so use them sparingly. Oranges however, are the least harmful to tooth enamel. Root Vegetables These will add lots of flavor and lots of nutrients to your juices. Roots like beets and carrots are really delicious and nutritious options that you can incorporate into your juicing recipes. When they are in season, they are delicious, but in most places you can find them all year round. You can also add roots to spice things up including ginger, turmeric and radishes. These will add spicy heat and abundant nutrition to your juices as well. So those are the four must have ingredients to have on hand when beginning a juicing regimen and will make it very easy for you to make juice everyday and increase your consumption of plant-based foods. Depending on where you live you can get all these ingredients at your local food market, CSA or food coop and are great to have around for juicing or making raw food. Next, we’ll review the four must have ingredients for making blended drinks!
Step #6 : The FOUR Must Have Ingredients for Making Blended Foods and Juices You can start with juices as a base for smoothies. For example, you can use juices, nut milks, probiotics or herbal tea blends as a base for your daily blended food or smoothie.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Fresh Juice Using sub acid or acid juices as a base for smoothies is very common. Juices including apple juice and orange juice are delicious and contain monosaccharides - aka simple sugars. These juices are generally sweeter than vegetable juices so just use them in moderation. You can also make vegetable based smoothies - either sweet or savory. Adding juices from cucumber, kale and a variety of lettuces can be a great base for blended green smoothies as well as a juice base for a blended savory soup. Nut Milks Using nut milks is a great way to add protein and additional minerals to your daily blended drinks. Raw nuts and seeds including almonds, brazil nuts and hemp are great alternatives to dairy based smoothies. Simply soak a handful of nuts like almonds in purified water for up to 10 hours to release the enzyme inhibitors. Then, once soaked, strain and rinse them, and add them to your blender with about 10 - 16 ounces of filtered water and a pinch of mineral salt. Blend on a high sped until smooth. You can strain your nut milk with a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and use the nut flower separately (either moist or dried in a dehydrator) if you like, or simply leave the fiber in the milk. Brazil nuts and hemp seeds do not need to be soaked and can be blended directly into nut milk. You can also experiment with other nuts and seeds including hazelnuts and sunflower seeds for a variety of nutrients and healthy fats. The benefit of brazil nuts is underestimated. These large, fatty nuts contain selenium which is essential to the health of skin cells, and has been known to help produce thyroxine, an essential hormone produced by the thyroid.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Coconut water and coconut flesh can also be used as a nonlactose base for raw soups and smoothies. Coconuts, especially fresh coconuts, contain good fats and lots of potassium. Probiotics The most common probiotics used for smoothies and blended foods are kefir and yogurt. Both are dairy by-products that have been naturally fermented and contain living acidophilus and lactobacillus cultures that are well known for keeping the gastrointestinal system and other harmful bacteria (AND yeast and mold) in check. Most probiotics also contain B vitamins, Vitamin D, calcium and protein as well and can make smoothies and soups creamy and highly nutritious. There are also lactose-free alternatives which can be used as well. Make sure to do research on manufacturers. If you choose a live probiotic that is NOT shelf stable, remember it is perishable and needs to be refrigerated. Even some probiotic capsules require refrigeration – just read the labels. Additionally, there are shelf stable probiotics that do NOT require refrigeration and can contain billions of additional probiotic bacterial lactobacillus and acidophilus strains. Many health professionals recommend a good balance of both. Lastly, Herbal Tea Blends Brewing herbal and medicinal teas is another great way to increase the nutrient profile of your raw foods and drinks. Simply brew the tea beforehand. You can add them after allowing it to cool or you can add it to your smoothie or blended soup warm. There are several tea blends you can brew as a base for a smoothie or blended soup.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Either yerba matĂŠ or green matcha tea is great as a smoothie base. You can brew your own herbal tea blend, or you can brew flowers, like calendula, echinacea or hibiscus to add a tart sweetness to a smoothie. For soups, teas brewed from roots like dandelion or burdock can add nutrition and dimension to the flavor of your soup. Once you have your base, you can add fruit, vegetables and other supplements of your choice. You can make quite a variety of foods with these basics and they are really delicious and healthful. Now, if you are done drinking and want to start eating, next up are the four must haves for making raw foods.
Step #7 : The FOUR Must Have Ingredients for Making Raw Foods We all know nature makes raw food, but you can make gourmet raw foods that your family will love, that are highly nutritious and look and taste great. The foundation of making raw food is centered around the following four must have ingredients. You’ll need to have these foods around to make raw food, sides, soups and desserts that not only look good, but also taste good. All by itself, raw food is pretty nutritious and there are many recipes and recipe books out there as great resources. These next four ingredients help make them especially delicious. They are easy to acquire, relatively inexpensive and are naturally abundant in vitamins, minerals, and good fats. Learning how to use them together and in an appropriate ratio, to mimic cooked
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
food flavors and textures is a big part of creating raw food. Here they are.. Acid First you want to make sure you have acid fruits around at all times. Whether you are making a marinade, dressing or simply making vegetable side dishes, the acid from lemons, limes, oranges or grapefruit help add tartness and complement the natural flavors of leafy greens and root vegetables perfectly. Acid from the fruit is really essential when making vegetable marinades for raw vegetables. Adding some zest from the peel of acid fruits can also add flavor and dimension to your foods. Another acid you can keep on hand is apple cider vinegar. ACV is naturally fermented and is well known for its high levels of acetic acid - which can increase the absorption of other important nutrients from the foods you eat. Also, apple cider vinegar can add tartness to raw foods, dressings and patĂŠs, Oils / Fats Fats are essential because many vitamins consumed require fat in order to be dissolved and used by the body properly. The most common oil used in raw food preparation is an unfiltered oil. Generally most people use either organic, first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil that has some olive sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Some prefer using coconut oil because of the flavor and also because it is known to be a more healthy alternative to corn, safflower, canola or sesame oil. Monounsaturated fats are best when making raw foods. You also want to have a healthy dose of Omega fatty acids, so keep foods like chia, flax and sunflower seeds around. Some solid
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
foods that contain good sources of fat and also add flavors include avocado, olives, coconut and nuts in general. Salt The body needs healthy sources of salt to perform essential bodily functions. Real salt, including pink mineral salt and sea salt, contain trace minerals that help support proper nerve function and thyroid function. Also, using salt with most vegetables helps release the water content from the cells of the vegetable. So next time you are making a raw side of greens, and you add salt, you will see after a few minutes how much water is released from the cellular wall of the vegetable. Salt also acts as one of the primary seasonings in raw food. However, many vegetables contain natural sources of salt, so always add salt in stages and taste as you go along. You can always add salt, but it is difficult to remove. Many people enjoy using liquid sources of salt that include Organic Shoyu or Bragg’s amino acids. Both are fermented soy products so just make sure if you choose to use these products that they are GMO free. Spices Lastly, spices can turn any raw food dish into a culinary explosion of flavor. Most spices can be found fresh, dried and ground. Having a variety of herbs, both fresh and dried, can really add dimension to your raw food dishes. Consider having an herb garden to keep a few commonly used fresh herbs at hand. The most common spices to have on hand when making raw food include, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, dried basil, dried oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
For savory dishes, use a combination of garlic powder, coriander and cayenne pepper. For ethnic dishes, use a combination of coriander, cumin, turmeric and nutmeg. When making savory dishes use a hint of sweetness use basil or paprika, and cinnamon or cardamom for making dessert sweets. Many spices and herbs contain essential oils that can be beneficial to the body as well, and many have been used throughout the history of the world for medicinal and cultural purposes. For example, mint has been used across the world as tea and a symbol of welcoming in many cultures, and nutritionally mint has been recognized to have antibacterial properties that freshen breath and ease stomach discomfort. Even the smell of mint essential oil has been shown to ease the mind. Using all four ingredients, in some varying flavor ratio, will provide a foundation of endless creativity when making raw foods. Once you have this down, choosing fixins and superfoods to add will be second nature…unless you’re not sure which superfoods to add. So, we’ll get into that next.
Step #8 : The Superfood Dilemma The “superfood” category has become a "catch all" name for many common and exotic foods. Primarily, it refers to several fruits, vegetables, roots and seeds and that tend to be more nutritionally dense than the average fruit or vegetable, root or seed. Super foods have been used for centuries, and with great success by many in recent years, yet very few are backed by long term scientific proof of efficacy. Therein lies the dilemma. Most super foods fall into two general categories - basic super foods and exotic super foods. Some of the most common super
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
foods are easily available at your local grocery store including almonds, kale, avocado and pomegranate (when in season). These are foods with beneficial and abundant vitamin and mineral content and they are widely available at local health food stores. In recent times, many of these foods have been celebrated because of their unique nutritional profiles and ability to contribute to positive outcomes on human health. Other basic super foods include chia seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries and cacao. These foods have become very popular because they are much more commonly used in health food products today than ever before. Many of these super foods are available at health food stores and specialty stores. These foods have become mainstream superstars because of their unique flavor, their quality and their dense nutritional profile. In fact, some of them have been around for a really long time. Chia seeds and cacao beans have been around for centuries, but have only recently become a common ingredient in many commercially produced foods. They are always added to foods to increase nutritional value. There is a third category of super foods that include really unique foods like açai, maca root powder, sea vegetables, Incan berries, lucuma powder, shilajit and gracilaria, etc. These foods are native to several countries, and can be very difficult to find at health food stores. However, there are many online retailers that warehouse exotic superfood supplements and in various forms including dried solids, ground powders and/or pureed. Again, it is important to research the sources and origination of the superfood and also to make sure whatever you purchase is organic. If it isn’t certified organic, you may want to take the opportunity to contact the manufacturer and ask questions, or
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
simply choose a different product. The goal is to receive the health benefits, not additional additives or chemicals. Do as much independent research as possible to avoid misinformation and scams. Your health is on the line‌ Deciding to include super foods into your blended and raw foods diet should be taken seriously because most of these supplements do not have enough historical or scientific data to prove efficacy and have not been regulated by the FDA. It is best to use caution, moderation and common sense. Here's a short list of the most popular super foods... 1. HEMP SEEDS : Hemp seeds have been known to help reduce the risk of chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, and arthritis. Other studies have shown that hemp seeds can reduce the stickiness of blood platelets. Of course, talk to your doctor first. 2. GOJI BERRIES : Goji berries are bright red and native to Asia. They have been used as medicinal food for thousands of years and are a dried fruit just slightly smaller than a raisin and contain many seeds. The Goji berry tastes, to some extent like a cross between a cherry and a cranberry. The polysaccharides are probably the most vital nutrient in goji berries, most notably the lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP). Research reveals that LBP polysaccharides are exceptional sources of the fundamental cell sugars important for proper immune function and intercellular communication. 3. CACAO BEANS, NIBS & POWDER : Raw cacao beans have powerful antioxidant properties, they contain several natural stimulants which enhance focus and concentration,
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
and in it's various forms, it encourages the production of endorphins, which helps improve mood. 4. AÇAI BERRY : The purple açai berry is native to the Amazon, and is packed with nutrients, fiber and amino acids. The fruit is manufactured into a pulp, is very versatile and can be found in most health food stores. 5. CHIA SEEDS : Part of the lamiaceae family – aka the mint family, Salvia Hispanica is native to Mexico and Guatemala. It became a huge sensation starting in the 1970’s known in pop culture, but is now known to the world as a superfood containing amino acids and omega 3 fatty acids. In order to receive the amazing benefits, it is best consumed in food or drink and sprouted (soaked in water). Using super foods is a personal choice, and many people have experienced positive health outcomes using superfoods. Just remember to use caution, research with reliable sources and stay informed. Finally, there's been a lot of talk about consuming probiotics and good gut health…so let’s get into that next.
Step #9 : Put These In Your Gut! If you’ve ever taken prescription antibiotics to help fight an infection, or you’ve used antibacterial hand sanitizer or soap then you might be convinced that bacteria are bad for you. Actually, there are several bacterial strains that are good for your gut and promote good health. The problem is, prescription antibiotics can not only kill the bacteria causing the sickness in the first place, but they can also kill the naturally forming bacteria the body needs to have good digestion and strong immunity.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
It is very easy to purchase shelf stable probiotics as well that have several strains of lactobacillus and contain billions of bacteria that can be useful and helpful to the body. To have and keep these healthy bacteria in your body, it is best to consume cultured or fermented foods that contain probiotics. Fermented foods have been exposed to bacteria that have the right conditions to grow and eat the sugars from the foods being fermented. In turn, the bacteria helps break down certain nutrients in the food and improves the digestion as well as gives the body a healthy amount of enzymes and probiotic “good” bacteria. Probiotics In General These friendly living microorganisms, (aka acidophilus, lactobacillus and bifidobacterium) are found in all fermented foods that have not been exposed to heat above 122°F. All fermented foods must be started with a Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) and are really amazing and fun to experiment with to boost the nutritional impact of the seasons harvest. You do have to use caution…these are bacteria after all. Probiotics are essential to maintaining intestinal health, can help reduce adrenal fatigue (caused by stress which most of us have daily) and they provide naturally occurring enzymes and amino acids to not only boost your immunity but boost your libido too. (Win/Win) All probiotics are rich in B vitamins (B6, B12) vitamin D, and the co-enzyme Boitin (aka Vitamin H) – which is responsible for the electrical activity of the Heart. Probiotic Drinks Kefir is a fermented milk beverage made with whole cow, goat or sheep’s milk with kefir grains. There is also a way to make a nonlactose kefir from coconut water or plain water with sugar by using
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
water kefir grains. Both lactose and water kefir grains are classified as a S.C.O.B.Y. (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Kefir is known to contain the family of B vitamins, protein, calcium and folic acid and it tastes similar to yogurt. Kefir can contain several different strains of lactic acid bacteria also known as lactobacillus – friendly digestive bacteria. In recent years, studies have proven that these “friendly” probiotic bacteria are useful for maintaining urogenital, intestinal and colon health. Probiotics help restore the delicate balance of microflora and regulate our intestinal pH levels – making them more neutral and they are vital to the proper development of the immune system. The cells in the digestive tract are connected to immune system, so the theory is that if one can positively alter the microorganisms in the intestinal tract, then one can positively affect the immune system’s defenses. In fact, the effects of certain probiotics have been widely celebrated for playing a role in the prevention of carcinogenesis. A scientist in the late 1800′s, Elie Metchnikoff theorized that “aging is caused by toxic bacteria in the gut and that lactic acid could prolong life”. Health begins in the gut. Kombucha This raw, fermented probiotic drink is commonly brewed from black and green tea, cane sugar, the scoby and time. It is dairyfree, has a “vinegary” taste and can contain alcohol content, so read the labels and find a flavor that works for you. Kombucha is a non-dairy alternative to milk kefir and yogurt and is naturally effervescent. You can find kombucha at most health food stores – Kombucha has become THE rockstar of raw fermented foods that is convenient and nutritious.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Fermented Foods Many foods can be fermented safely and are also very delicious. Some of the most popular foods that ferment well include cucumbers, cabbage, root vegetables, miso and tomatoes. Pickles and raw kraut are becoming more widely available at mainstream health food stores and most people can easily find organic miso. During the summer harvest of tomatoes, it is popular to make fermented salsa that starts with fresh, organic tomatoes, spices, herbs, onions, garlic and whey or water kefir. Kraut & Fermented Salsa During the summer tomato harvest, it is fun to make fresh fermented salsa. Use tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, herbs, salt and a “scoby� starter like whey (from your milk kefir) or actual water kefir. Left to breathe, but gently covered for a day or two will provide an all natural probiotic fermented food that is delicious and nutritious. During the fall cabbage harvest, it is fun to make fermented kraut. You can add herbs, dried fruit and sea vegetables to add flavor. Though you must always add salt because it is essential to keeping any bad bacteria from growing and spoiling the entire batch. So to sum it up, probiotics that come from food sources are more readily bioavailable than when they come from a supplement. Taking probiotics can reduce your risk of catching colds and getting sick and can reduce the risk of yeast imbalance. You can easily add these foods and beverages to your daily regimen for nutritional support because you can find them at most grocery stores. In addition to purchasing commercially manufactured probiotics, you can also make many of them right at home. You will need to purchase a scoby locally to start your first batch.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
Lastly, and most importantly, before you have prepped your kitchen and gotten organized, or acquired your tools, and sourced your local produce it is imperative to understand the landscape of genetically modified foods. So that’s what we’ll explore next.
Step #10 : Know Your GMO's What the heck are GMOs anyway? GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants and/or animals that have been genetically engineered or cross bred with the DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals. This very unconventional and unorthodox combining of genes from different species does not occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding. Another quandary is, a handful of companies even own legal patents on a variety of food producing seeds which makes growing certain crops commercially, for many farmers, a legal issue. Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of several chemical herbicide products and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite industry promises, hardly any of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, enhanced nutrition, drought tolerance, or any other consumer benefit. Sadly, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights. Have GMO’s been proven safe? In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on a variety of studies conducted by the very same corporations that create and lobby for them and also profit from their sale - to the tune of over $300 billion dollars. Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In over 60 countries around the world,
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of genetically modified foods. Are GMOs labeled? Unfortunately, even though polls reveal that a significant majority of Americans want to be informed about whether the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public. Several states and corporations have lobbied against consumer labeling, causing confusion about the long and short term risks of consuming GMO foods. How common are GMOs? In the U.S., genetically modified ingredients are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food. The most common genetically modified foods you’ll find when making raw foods are… ALFALFA - As the fourth largest crop grown in America it is primarily used to feed livestock and is perhaps the most popular sprout of all time. It has been known to cause digestive disorders in cows and pesticides can show up in dairy by products. Use caution when purchasing seeds for home sprouting. Make sure to buy organic sprouts and organic alfalfa seeds. SOYBEAN- At least 92% of soy in America is genetically modified. The US is the largest producer of genetically modified soy with other global producers including Argentina, Brazil and China. Soy is used to produce other food ingredients and additives including lecithin, which is a commonly used emulsifier in processed foods.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
SQUASH - There are several thousand acres of squash and zucchinis that have been bioengineered to be resistant to viruses. PAPAYA - Almost 75% of the Hawaiian papaya crop is genetically modified to withstand the effects of the papaya “ringspot” virus. CORN - This is the number one crop grown in the US, and is at least 85 percent genetically modified (mutated) to contain foreign (non corn) DNA, other bacteria and several pesticides. It is commonly used as a primary feedstock in confined animal feeding operations across the country. It can be found in almost all processed foods on the market. So it stands to reason that when considering juicing or raw foods, you should always consider buying organic first. If you can’t find what you need, buy conventionally grown foods that have not been yet exploited by genetic modification or buy foods that have not been exposed to high levels of toxic chemicals and pesticides. Thanks to the Environmental Working Group, the top foods that are categorized as safe to eat, and have been conventionally grown are known as the “Clean 15”. Here they are… 1. Avocados 2. Asparagus 3. Cabbage 4. Cantaloupe 5. Eggplant 6. Grapefruit 7. Kiwi Fruit 8. Mango
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Onions Pineapples Sweet Corn Sweet Peas Sweet Potatoes Sweet Onions Watermelon
On the flip side, you’ll want to buy the following foods on the “Dirty Dozen” list below organically grown! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Apples Celery Cherries Domestic Blueberries Imported Grapes Kale, Collards & Spinach Lettuce Nectarines Peaches Potatoes Strawberries Sweet Bell Peppers
CONCLUSION Lastly, for many, juicing and eating raw food is rooted in values and principles. When choosing to add juices and raw foods to your meals, make sure you know your why. Understand why you want to make this change in your life. For many, adding a health habit is a life or death decision, but it doesn’t have to be…you can take control of your health and use these 10 steps to prepare your
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
kitchen, your mind and your body to achieve your health and nutrition goals. Eating organic, non-gmo foods sourced locally is good practice for health and commerce. Get to know your food producers and learn the facts about your food. You also have many basic tools that will make juicing and creating raw food sides, salads and dressings easy and delicious. It just takes a bit of practice and consistency. Keep yourself on track by starting a library of digital recipe books that can easily help get the creative juices flowing to create new sides, soups, salads, dressings and desserts to keep healthy as a lifestyle. Good luck and good health! Charles Gonzales kustomwebservices@gmail.com
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing
these days. This is something completely different.
Top 10 Things To Know Before You Begin Juicing