What can you juice?
Most fruits, vegetables, and herbs, as well as roots like ginger and turmeric. Here are some common examples:
Veggies:
- Carrots
- Beets
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Chard
- Sweet Potatoes
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Bell pepper
- Fennel
Fruits:
- Oranges
- Tangerines
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Apples
- Pears
- Lemons
- Limes
- Melons
- Peaches
- Berries
- Kiwis
- Pineapple
- Grapes
- Cranberries
Herbs & More:
- Mint
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Ginger root
- Turmeric root
What’s better not to juice/or only juice sparingly?
Technically, you can juice almost any fruit or vegetable. That said, some, like berries or peaches, yield very little juice compared to others, like apples and cucumbers. I therefore recommend prioritizing the ones that yield a lot of juice and then adding the others as bonus add-ons.
Also, keep in mind that you still want your juice to taste great. There are some vegetables, like cabbage, that taste great in stir-fry’s or soups, but when juiced, you’ll just want to make sure that you balance the taste out with something sweet like apples or pineapples.
How much juice to drink each day?
That’s totally up to you! If you’re doing this 7-day challenge or just want to slowly start incorporating a juice here and there, I’d recommend a juice a day, preferably in the morning.
How big should each juice be?
If you’re having your juice before or with your breakfast, then about 2 cups (16fl.oz/500mL) is great. If your juice is replacing a meal, then I’d recommend doubling that. If that’s too much to drink at once, store the rest in the fridge until later.
What kind of juicer should I use?
See my recommendations on the sign up confirmation page here:
How green should my juice be? / What should my greens to fruit ratio be?
In a nutshell: the greener the juice, the healthier it’ll be, BUT, the more fruit you use, the sweeter it’ll be. The trick is to find the balance that works for you. I usually try and add at least one sweet fruit, add tons of greens, and then taste test. If it’s not sweet enough, I’ll add more fruits.
How to juice?
Most juicers come with specific instructions, so be sure to read those. Some of them will allow you to add the entire fruit and others will recommend peeling and cutting your fruit first. No matter the juicer I use, I usually like to at least remove very thick peels and skins, like watermelon rinds and orange peels. If I do include the peel, I wash the produce thoroughly first.
Tip: always start by juicing the ingredients that yield very little juice like ginger root or herbs.
Can I juice in advance and store my juices in the fridge?
I’d recommend making your juices right before drinking them or the morning of. If you have no choice but to juice in advance, try doing it 1-2 days before and then storing your juices in air tight containers or glass bottles in the fridge, then shaking them well before drinking them.
If you’re making them longer in advance, store them in BPA free plastic bottles and freeze them, then thaw them in the fridge the night before drinking them.
Should I make smoothies instead?
If you have any health concerns related to your blood sugar levels, please check with your doctor first to see if juicing is a safe and healthy option for you. Because juicing removes fiber, the sugar from the fruits enters your bloodstream much more quickly, which is fine for most people, but can be problematic for some. You can absolutely make smoothie instead, but I would not recommend using the same ingredients. What tastes good juiced does not automatically taste good blended. You’ll also need very different amounts. You’ll also receive some smoothie recipes throughout the week, but my go to formula is (for fruit based smoothies): 1 cup frozen fruit + 1 cup ripe, unfrozen fruit + 1 cup of greens (like spinach or kale) + 1 to 1 1/2 cups liquid (water, coconut water, plant milk, fruit juice), 1-2 tbsp add ons of choice (like maca powder, ground flax seed, green powders, hemp seed, or chia seed).
Can I drink more than 1 juice a day?
Yes, but please make sure you check with your doctor first if you have any health issues. You may also want to avoid this if you’re exercising a lot or have a demanding job. An in-between solution would be to have 1 juice a day throughout the week and then do a mini juice cleanse on the weekend or from Friday to Sunday. It’s generally recommended to aim for at least 6 small juices (2 cups of juice each) or 3 large juices (1 quart each) a day when doing this. Please listen to your body, if you don’t feel good at any point, there is no need to continue juicing.
Can I use store-bought juices?
Yes, but make sure they’re 100% juice based and ideally cold-pressed (those from juice bars are best). Avoid juices that are made from concentrate and/or that include added sugar.
Can I get some sample juice ingredients/recipes?
Yes, here for 7 sample recipes:
You’ll also receive new recipes throughout the week!
Can I improvise? And if so, what should I shop for?
Yes! I actually recommend this and it’s also how I usually juice. When I know I’ll be juicing, I buy some of the following:
- About 2-4 bags of carrots (the more, the merrier)
- About 3-4 heads of celery
- 2-3 large bags or bunches of spinach
- 1-2 large bunches of kale
- 10-15 cucumbers
- 4-8 pounds of apples
- 2-4 large navel oranges
- 2-4 lemons
- 2-4 limes
- 1-2 pineapples
- 1 watermelon
- Smaller fruits, herbs and roots of my choice like tomatoes, parsley, mint, ginger, turmeric, berries, etc