Juicing has taken off in a big way in recent years. Not only is juicing the perfect way to pack in your five a day, it also allows you to get a little creative in the kitchen. The benefits of adding a touch of juicing genius to your healthy eating plan are endless – just as long as you have a basic awareness of the few items you’ll need to steer clear of along the way.
For those just starting out, trying the weird and wonderful recipes littered across the Internet will undoubtedly keep you busy, but sooner or later you may encounter a few faux paus that could stop you in your tracks.
Here we reveal the ingredients that shouldn’t be on your juicing shopping list.
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Bananas
Despite forming the basis of almost every smoothie and providing the desired creamy consistency, bananas are the worst offenders in the juicing world. Due to their thickness and low water content, bananas are simply unjuiceable and can in fact produce a rather bitter taste.
Bananas do offer a number of benefits: they provide an instant hit of vitamin B6, manganese, vitamin C, potassium, fibre, protein, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin A and iron. However, your best bet is to eat these delicious fruit as nature intended rather than clogging up your kitchen appliance.
Coconuts
Coconuts undoubtedly pack a punch in the nutrient department, however you may have to purchase an entire coconut tree to produce a drinkable juice drink. Instead of juicing, why not create your own coconut milk. By combining coconut flesh with water and vanilla you can enjoy this super-fruit in all its creamy glory as well as harness the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that fight infection and rehydrate.
Leeks
A great vegetable for creating a comforting winter broth, you could be under the misapprehension that leeks work well in juicing, too. However, it is recommended that you leave leeks aside for soups and other main meals.
Leeks create a small amount of juice but this vegetable’s multiple layers and tough raw state can cause more harm than good, particularly to your juicer.
If you are intent on juicing leeks, use the softer inner layers of the vegetable and combine with other juice-friendly ingredients to create a tasty concoction.
Aubergines
Again due to their dense nature and soft consistency, aubergines and juicing don’t mix well. The aubergine produces very little juice and, much like bananas, actually produce a rather bitter taste.
Once again, it’s not to say that aubergines don’t have great health properties. They contain vitamins B1 and B6, potassium, copper, magnesium, manganese and are terrific antioxidants. But stick to grilling these beauties with a bit of feta cheese rather than piling them into your juicer!
Squashes
Squashes are available in many forms, however, the winter squash is particularly difficult to juice. In fact, the amount of calories that you will burn trying to cut into its tough rind may outweigh the nutrients available in this hard to prepare fruit.
Grapes
Perhaps most surprisingly of all, grapes aren’t great for juicing. While they do make a great sweet treat for individuals of all ages, grapes contain a particularly high level of sugar that can turn health juice into sweet drink.
If you do want to use grapes alongside your other ingredients, ensure that you do juice them in moderation.
While most other fruit and vegetables are fantastic for juicing there are also a number of ingredients you should take care when using – particularly if you are stuck with a cheap, basic juicer.
Some of the best ingredients for juicing include celery, wheatgrass, kale, spinach and other leafy greens. With a list of nutrients as long as your arm, these items should be central to any well-rounded juicing regime.
Sadly, not all juicers are able to cope with their fibrous, stringy texture. In fact, centrifugal juicers will struggle to extract much of the juice from these items. And hardy greens can also clog up the moving parts and even burn out the motor after a period of time.
For complete versatility and freedom to juice the whole range of fruit and vegetables, consider purchasing a cold press juicer instead. Not only are cold press juicers more robust and durable, they also squeeze more from your fruit and vegetables and can keep your shopping bill down in the long term.
If you are new to juicing we have found a website in the UK that has a lot of really helpful information to get you started including guides on cold press jucing.