• Get the Right Produce. Buy the right amount and type of produce that you will need. Are you juicing just citrus fruits? Vegetables? Leafy greens? Many people drink one to two eight ounce glasses of juice per day. You will need about one pound of produce per eight ounce glass of juice.
• Buy Organic, if Possible. Organic foods are grown without pesticides or other chemicals. Plus organic foods do not use genetically modified seeds. Read this Juicers Compare article to see which are the 15 cleanest and 15 dirtiest fruits and vegetables.
• Clean the Produce. Thoroughly wash and scrub the produce. You can use a fruit or vegetable wash and a brush to get the produce really clean. Note, even thorough cleaning will not remove any pesticides that may be in and on the food.
• Prepare the Produce. Cut off any bruised or damaged parts. You should probably peel non-organic produce. While this will reduce potential nutrients in the peel, it will also reduce the concentrated pesticides that may be in the peel. Remove pits and hard seeds. You can leave stems on the produce except for carrot greens. Carrot greens are considered mildly toxic.
• Cut the Food. Cut the produce so it easily fits into the juicer’s feed tube.
• Easily Catch and Dispose of the Pulp. Line the pulp catcher or receptacle with a plastic baggie. This will catch the pulp and save clean up time – eliminating one part of the juicer that needs cleaning.
• Drink Up!. It is best to immediately drink the fresh home made juice. The longer the juice sits, the more the juice will oxidize, losing nutrients. If you do not drink all of the juice right away, store the remainder in an airtight container in a refrigerator. Drink stored juice within 24 hours or so.

Published 3/10/2010 12:00:00 AM

Tags: Juicing Steps