Juice – Page 3 – Juice Health Benefits & Recipes

26 Mar

Best Cucumbers for Cucumber Juice and How to Choose Them

Cucumbers are grown and enjoyed all over the world. Some cultures grow them specifically for pickling. Varieties like Kekiri, Dosakai are generally used for curry. Some varieties are intended to be eaten with the skin. They come in a variety of shapes, from short and round cucumbers to cucumbers up to two-feet long. The best cucumbers for juicing are those that fall into the “slicing” rather than the “pickling” category.

While slicing varieties have subtle differences in taste, all have a sweet, slightly grassy flavor that adds light, refreshing flavor to juices. When it comes to choosing the best cucumbers for juicing, the skin matters. Once they’re harvested, cucumbers begin to lose moisture, so commercial growers breed varieties with thick skins that extend shelf life. While a juicer may be able to handle the skin, thick skins have a bitter taste.

English Cucumbers

The variety most often sold in supermarkets, commercially grown English cucumbers are usually cultivated in hothouses. As they are not pollinated, seeds are small and undeveloped. In the garden, English cucumbers have a thin skin, but growers favor hybrids with thicker skins to protect them in shipping. In the market, English cucumbers wrapped in plastic can sometimes, but not always, indicated a thinner skin. Their ready availability, sweet taste and minimal seeds may make English Cucumbers the best cucumbers for juicing.

Other Slicing Varieties

With a few variations, Japanese, Persian, Armenian and Lebanese cucumbers are similar to English cucumbers in taste and are available in farmer’s markets and some supermarkets.

Cucumber Shopping Tips

Like many other vegetables, cucumbers are best picked and eaten when young. Shop for slender, firm cucumbers with bright color. Avoid those with any soft spots. In supermarkets, unwrapped cucumbers are likely waxed. Wax can be detected by gently scraping a fingernail over the cucumber. If properly washed, waxed cucumbers are fine for use in a juicer.

Although the global marketplace means that cucumbers are widely available the year round, locally-grown cucumbers come into season during the summer. They should be stored unwashed and wrapped in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for no more than a week before using.

Juicing Preparation For Cucumbers

Some cucumber varieties are advertised as “burpless.” Cucumbers have a chemical compound underneath the skin that causes some people to burp. By deeply peeling the cucumber and removing the ends, you may be able to avoid this unpleasant side effect.

24 Mar

Best Cranberries For Cranberry Juice And How To Choose Them

When it comes to cranberry juice, nothing compares to homemade. Store-bought varieties of cranberry juice cocktail are often lacking the real juice taste that can easily be created at home using fresh berries and a juicer. The following guide reviews the best cranberries for juicing that will yield a delightfully tangy and refreshing flavor.

The American Cranberry

North America’s native species yield the best cranberries for juicing. Although there are over 100 varieties of cranberries, these fruits are the best for juicing because they are larger and more flavorful than most varieties. Grown throughout the northeast region of the United States, the berries are in season in mid-fall and early winter.

Choosing Cranberries for Juicing

The best berries for your juicer are deep red in color and feel firm when squeezed. Firmness is the best indicator of quality and the berries should bounce slightly when tossed against a hard surface. Berries that have a rich color also have a higher concentration of compounds that contribute to health.

23 Mar

Redcurrant Juice Side Effects: Can You Drink Too Much?

Redcurrant juice is a powerful tool when used for optimal health, but there are certain precautions that should be taken to avoid producing negative redcurrant juice side effects.

Most importantly, whether you make your own redcurrant juice at home or buy it already bottled, it is essentially important that you select products of the highest quality. The reason this is such a concern is because redcurrants grow on plants that are prone to certain diseases that can sometimes be transmitted to people who ingest the fruit.

The most common diseases of this nature that afflict the redcurrant plants are White Pine Blister Rust and Anthracnose. Both of these illnesses are caused by fungi that grow on the plants. These fungi cause obvious physical damage to the plant, especially on the leaves, so if you grow or pick your own redcurrant plants, it should be apparent which ones are safe. If you buy your redcurrants from a store, just make sure that they are produced by a company you can trust, one that is closely regulated.

It should also be noted that redcurrant juice is a natural laxative, so if drank in excess, this quality can be magnified and could result in diarrhea. Otherwise, redcurrants are healthy, safe and can be useful in the prevention or treatment of many conditions, so don’t let the threat of a few redcurrant juice side effects scare you away.

22 Mar

Best Cherries For Cherry Juice And How To Choose Them

Cherries have soft flesh that’s both sweet and tart, making it great for juicing. The pits can pose a challenge to some juicers, however. Be sure that your machine can tolerate pitted fruits before attempting to juice your cherries. Also be sure to remove all stems before running them through the juicer. You may wish to pit the cherries yourself before juicing to ensure that none of the pit ends up in the juice.

What are the Best Cherries for Juicing?

Cherries are a stone fruit in the same family as peaches, apricots and plums. Most cherries are produced in Turkey, America and Iran. Although there are dozens of varieties of cherry, most cultivated for sale are either domesticated forms of wild cherry or sour cherry.

Sour cherries are primarily used in baking; sweet or wild cherries are the best for juicing. Some of the most common sweet cherries grown in the US include Bing, Rainier, Brooks, Tulare and King. Sweet cherries are usually dark red, purplish-black or golden-red in color and the fruit will be slightly heart-shaped.

How to Select Cherries at Market

Cherries are seasonal, with most of the best fresh cherries available in the early summer. Some varieties do grow throughout the spring or fall, but they will not have the same rich flavor as summer cherries. Of course, cherries can be imported from the southern hemisphere, where they ripen during the winter months. Due to their popularity, cherries are usually available year-round in most markets, but they may be more expensive during the off season.

When selecting the best cherries for juicing, look for fruits that have firm, smooth skin that’s free of spots or blemishes. Darker fruits will be the ripest and sweetest. The cherry should be hard to the touch, not squishy. The stem should also be a bright green in color.

Cherries do not keep very long at room temperature. If you do not plan to juice them immediately, keep them in the refrigerator or freeze them. Refrigerated cherries will last up to two weeks, while frozen fruits can last for several months before losing flavor.

19 Mar

Best Mangoes For Mango Juice And How To Choose Them

Making fresh fruit juice at home allows you to maximize the benefits of drinking fresh fruit juice without being subject to extra sugar and preservatives. Tropical fruits, like mangoes provide you with a fresh way to wake up or are perfect for a sweet, summery juice cocktail. Mangoes are also an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium.

Types of Mangoes

Most of the mangoes available in United States grocery stores and produce markets fall into one of six categories. Of the six most common types of mangoes, four kinds are recommended for juicing. The best mangoes for juicing include Francis, Ataulfo, Keitt and Kent mangoes. Other mangoes may feature flesh pock-marked with fibers making them difficult to juice. Always just a high quality juicer when working with mangoes.

Francis mangoes are characterized by a sweet and slightly spicy flavor. The Francis mangoes feature an oblong shape and a bright, yellow skin. Francis mangoes also feature green overtones that diminish as the fruit ripens. Francis mangoes most often come from Hati and are typically available May through July.

Ataulfo mangoes are identified by their small, oval shape and bright, yellow skin. As they ripen, the skin changes to a deep, gold color. Ataulfo mangoes are excellent for juicing based on their sweet, creamy flavor and smooth, firm texture. Hailing from Mexico, Ataulfo mangoes are available from March to July.

One of the best mangoes for juicing is the Keitt mango, also known as the Asian mango. The Keitt mango features light, sweet flavor and juicy, firm flesh with few fibers. Keitt mangoes feature green to dark green skin that remains this color even as they ripen.

Kent mangoes, like the Keitt variety, sports a green skin. As they ripen, Kent mangoes develop a yellow dots or undertones. According to the National Mango Board, Kent mangoes are the best mangoes for juicing. They feature a sweet taste and a smooth flesh with very few fibers.

Selecting A Mango

Unlike some fruits, color is not the most important indicator of a ripe mango. To select a ripe, ready-to-juice mango, pick up the fruit and squeeze it gently. A ripe mango will give slightly, indicating the fruit is ready to consume. As they continue to ripen, mangoes often begin to feel soft in a similar fashion to peaches and avocados. You may also want to give your mango a big sniff. Ripe mangoes omit a fragrant, fruity smell from the stem-end as they ripen. Always be sure to peel your mango and remove the inner pit before adding the fruit to the juicer.

Resources:
National Mango Board: How to Choose a Mango http://www.mango.org/retail/how-choose-mango
National Mango Board: Varieties and Availability http://www.mango.org/varieties-and-availability

18 Mar

Best Carrots For Carrot Juice And How To Choose Them

The best carrots for juicing are the Nantes types, which are cylindrical and have blunt tips, but are the sweetest of the carrots, with good texture. Nantes carrots absorb more water and are both more succulent and crisp than other varieties of carrots. They also have fewer terpenoids, which is a substance that can make the juice of other carrots taste soapy and turpentine-like after they’re put through the juicer.

Harvesting and Storing Carrots

If you choose to grow your carrots in the garden, you should gently pull them out by their green tops. Newer variety carrots shouldn’t be allowed to grow fatter than one and a half inches across, or they’ll become woody and not very good for juicing. Some older varieties are still fairly succulent when they’re large.

If the carrots are grown in the garden or bought with their green tops, the green tops should be removed. The carrots shouldn’t be washed before storing. Ideally, they should be stored in sawdust or sand before they’re used. Some people do add the greens to the juicer, however, for they’re perfectly edible and give the juice the tang of parsley.

Choosing The Best Carrots For Juice

If the carrots are store bought, it’s best to buy organic, for they won’t have to be peeled to rid them of the pesticides in their skin. The greens should be fluffy, short and bright.

Some of the Best Carrot Varieties For Juicing

Some of the best carrots for juicing are the Bolero, a bright orange Nantes type. The Ingot is another good Nantes carrot with a good flavor and texture. One of the most popular carrots that people grow in their gardens is the Nantes Half-Long, also called the Coreless and Scarlet Nantes, which is very sweet, tender and has no fibrous core, which is another plus for juicing. The Touchon is a sweet, French Nantes type and is especially good for the juicer. The Nelson is an early carrot and many gardeners claim that it’s one of the sweetest.

17 Mar

Cherry Juice Side Effects – Can You Drink Too Much Of It?

As a beverage that has recently increased in popularity, cherry juice has drawn the attention of many consumers due to its potential health benefits. While cherry juice may be a healthy addition to the average diet, consumption of cherry juice may not be recommended for everyone. Possible side effects of consuming cherry juice may include allergies and gastrointestinal problems.

When consuming any plant food, it is possible to develop an allergy. Therefore, it is possible to develop an allergy to cherry juice. As with other food allergies, indications of a cherry juice allergy tend to manifest as oral symptoms. In particular, those who suffer from hay fever allergies may also find that they have an allergic reaction to fresh cherry juice. This may also be the case for those who are allergic to apples, plums, hazelnuts, zucchini, bananas, and peaches. The good news for those who enjoy cherry juice but are concerned about cherry juice side effects is that allergies tend to only be triggered by juice that is derived from fresh cherries. Cooking tends to destroy the proteins that are responsible for allergy symptoms. Symptoms which may indicate a cherry juice allergy may include swollen lips and an itchy mouth and throat which may spread to the ears.

Because cherries are acidic, frequent and daily consumption of cherry juice may result in an upset stomach. When consumed with other fruits and vegetables, drinking large amounts of cherry juice may also result in diarrhea and upset stomach.

Most people will find cherry juice to be a palatable, if not highly nutritional, addition to their diet. However, in some cases, cherry juice side effects may occur. For most people, these side effects tend to not be very severe. But, as with any adverse health reaction, consumers should reduce their intake and seek medical advice should they experience symptoms after drinking cherry juice.

16 Mar

Best Blueberries For Blueberry Juice And How To Choose Them

Aah! The taste of fresh blueberry juice. When juicing your own fruit juices, it can’t get any better than a bold, fresh taste full of flavor and nutrients. Using blueberry juice as your base, and mixing it with the juice from other fruits, can create quite a stunning mixture. Try pairing blueberries with plum, apple, pear, or other berries.

Blueberry Varieties

The North American harvest season for blueberries is anywhere from May through September. To get the cheapest and best blueberries for juicing, try to purchase berries during this time. There are nearly 20 different species of blueberries, a native fruit to North America. If you are planting your own blueberry bushes, there are easily 50 different plant varieties from which to choose.

The four basic varieties are highbush, half-high, lowbush, and rabbiteye. The most popular types are highbush and lowbush. Highbush blueberries are most commonly found in grocery stores and are believed to be among the best blueberries for juicing, due to their large size and juice content. Lowbush, or wild blueberries, are often found in the freezer section, but are not recommended for putting into your juicer.

What to Look For

Look for blueberries with a powder-blue color (not too light or too dark), firm (not too hard or too mushy), and uniform in size (not too small or too big). Wild blueberries tend to be smaller, firmer, less juicy, and tangier in flavor with some sweet and some sour.

Choosing the best berries for your juicer will result in the best juice possible. Fresh blueberries from your local produce supplier will yield the highest amounts of juice for your homemade blueberry juice recipes. Happy juicing!

16 Mar

Cucumber Juice Side Effects – Can You Drink Too Much Of It?

Cucumber juice side effects are nonexistent. There are no negative cucumber juice side effects. The human body is easily able to absorb only the vitamins and nutrients it needs from cucumbers and cucumber juice. The body is just as able to then get rid of what it does not need from excess of it.

If cucumber juice quenches one’s thirst, drink up! It is very healthy, refreshing and a great way to cleanse one’s palate. Cucumber juice is also a great topical treatment for skin as well. It is safe to enjoy as much cucumber juice as you desire.

15 Mar

Tangerine Juice Side Effects – Can You Drink Too Much Of It?

There are health benefits when you drink the juice but there are also some tangerine juice side effects you should know about when you consume too much of this juice.

Health Problems that Can Occur

If you have an allergy to tangerines, it may cause a skin rash because of the oil in the fruit. It can also cause problems with bowel movements if you drink too much. This can lead to issues with a person’s gastrointestinal system and also cause intestinal problems.

Warnings for Excessive Consumption

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, drinking too much tangerine juice may cause a stimulation of cytochrome P450 which is needed to absorb medications or agents given to patients. It is advised for a pregnant woman or breastfeeding woman stay away from tangerine juice.

Prescription Drug and Supplement Reactions

The effects of drinking too much juice include additive effects when using antibiotics and it can possibly decrease cholesterol levels excessively. Another one of many tangerine juice side effects includes the inability to absorb prescription drugs into the blood. This means the effect of the drug to benefit the user is decreased.

Juice Health Benefits & Recipes

Health benefits of natural juices and recipes for making them

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