MUST KNOW FACTS ABOUT JUICING
Its important to know the facts for results to unfold.
1. Juices need to be fresh and cold-pressed
There are two different kinds of juicing machines – the centrifugal juicer and the masticating juicer. The centrifugal juicer spins the juicing material very fast to obtain the juice and the masticating juicer uses a slow grinder to reduce the juicing material into a pulp. Then, the pulp is pressed to obtain the juice. The masticating juicer is also referred to as a 2 step-juicer for this reason.
Why is the masticating juicer better than the centrifugal juicer?
The slow motion of the masticating juicer preserves the integrity of the juicing ingredients, while the high speed of the centrifugal juicer oxidizes the food and produces lower quality juices. Masticating juicers are also more efficient than centrifugal juicers and extract more juice from the food.
2. Quality Matters
Ingredients must be organically grown and chemical free or non-GMO. Juices from conventionally grown foods contain high levels of toxic pesticides and herbicides residues, concentrated by the juicing process. Vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, the active compounds in the juices, are higher in juices extracted from organic food.
Juices must be consumed shortly after they are processed. Juices can be preserved in the fridge in an air tight glass container for up to 12 hours. Green juices degrade faster than other juices and should be consumed first.
3.Content matters
We recommend organic vegetable juices versus fruit juices. A small amount of apple may be added to the vegetables (about ½ an apple for 8 oz of juices). Apples are important for cleansing. Pectin a component of the apple has been used to protect against radiation and chelates radioactive cesium. There are fruits that we recommend in small quantities. Orange and citrus fruits for their content in vitamin C and soursop for its ability to fight cancer.
4. Color matters
Color expresses the type of the phytonutrients contained in the juice. Carrots for instance contain beta carotene a phytonutrient that gives its color to carrots, an important nutrient for our eyes and skin health. A variety of colors reflects a variety of phytonutrients, all important for our health. We like to compose our juices with an orange base, then add a red or burgundy variation and a green base with a variation of dark or light green. The red orange base is carrot. Depending on the goal of the juice fast we will add some beet for physical strength or celery for high blood pressure, ginger and turmeric to combat inflammation.
If the base for the green juice is romaine lettuce then we will add the following ingredient in smaller quantity: swiss chard, water cress, beet tops and stems, herbs like cilantro and parsley or cucumber depending on the condition.
5. Taste matters
Bitter juices are important to stimulate the liver and get blood sugar down if we are dealing with insulin resistance or diabetes. Green juice is slightly bitter by nature but for insulin resistance, diabetes and fatty liver we like to add small quantities of bittermelon. Bitter flavor is also good to break a sugar addiction.
Sour from lemon or lime juice, not only adds flavor to the green juice but also has healing properties. A sour taste stimulates digestion and bile production. Our food industry has banned these two flavors and replaced them with sweet and salty, addictive flavors resulting in higher consumption of foods.
6. Quantity matters
The goal of the fast will dictate the amount of daily juices and the duration of the juice fast. The juice fast can be a substitute to a water fast and mimics its effect. A low amount of juices with a calorific value lower than 400, about the equivalent of 24oz of green juices, will generate ketosis, the same metabolic process as in water fasting. Ketosis burns fat for energy when there is no glucose from food. The juice fast can be combined with physical activities, in contrast with a water fast that depletes energy and promotes bed rest. Further, physical activity can also promote ketosis, so the combination of both exercise and juice fasting is a valid approach to detoxification. This method was developed by Dr. Buchinger, a German doctor in the early 20th century. Several clinics practice this method in Europe. A short juice fast can be the prelude to a water fast or a way to break a water fast. A juice fast can be a longer fast, more than 10 days, for extreme weight loss for instance.
A juice fast can be conducted for a cleanse, to reboot the immune system or to treat a variety of conditions such as high blood sugar or high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Larger amount of juices, up to 60 oz daily, can be used as a liquid diet with detoxification benefits.
7. A juice fast is more sustainable than a water fast
A juice fast is more sustainable long term than a water fast, so it is better for any condition that warrants an extended fast, such as extreme weight loss, a spiritual journey, fibroids and early cancer.
A long-term water fast may induce a potassium loss, a potential problem that can be avoided with a juice fast. If someone wants to do a water fast for a long period of time (more than 21 days) a juice fast presents some benefits. Both juice fasting and water fasting can be combined.
