What can be tastier and more revigorating than a freshly juiced, ice-cold glass of fruit juice, or smoothie, on a very hot summer day? Especially when you're thirsty and hungry at the same time, I believe there aren't too many alternatives that can fit to your needs, than such a wonderful beverage.
Juicing and blending various drinks doesn't seem brain surgery. Everyone can do it. However, to obtain extraordinary tasting juice cocktails and smoothies, there's a lot to learn, just as in cooking. Therefore, if you would like to surprise your family and friends with some excellent natural juices, here are a couple of bits of advice.
Rule of thumb - use only fresh fruit and vegetables
When I'm saying fresh fruit and vegetables, I don't mean freshly bought. An apple or a tomato you just bought from the supermarket can be quite sale and old, with a crappy silo taste, which will result nonetheless in a not-so-tasty drink. To make sure you buy fresh vegetables and fruit, visit a farmers' market, if possible. Or, simply sample whatever you buy, and only then decide for a bigger purchase.
There are fruit and other things that should never be juiced. Have you ever tried juicing a banana? I've got to admit, back in the day I did. It simply doesn't juice. Whatever you do, you'll end up with some white paste, and a clogged juicer. There are other fruits, vegetables and seeds not to be juiced. Top of the list are: cloves, nuts, apple cores, pits (from apricots, mangos, peaches, prunes etc.), prunes, frozen fruit, raisins (you may want to juice grapes though).
There are fruit that you should never blend with milk.
Fruit shakes are delicious, but combining the wrong fruit with milk, can result in a ruined day due to at least a couple of visits to the restroom. Some of the fruit that you should avoid blending with milk are oranges, lemons, grapefruit (in fact, any citrus fruit should not be mixed with milk), kiwis, grapes and pineapple. Banana shakes are quite tasty, however, depending on how well your digestive tracts functions, it may or may not result in bloating. In some people, this type of milkshake can lead to some heavy bloating, so it would be best to try it out in smaller quantities at first.
Use Quality Juicing Equipment
If you want to obtain as much as possible juice from apples, or carrots, or whatever you want to juice, a quality juicer is necessary. So, save and invest in one of the latest models, a type of juicer that will leave the remains of an apple, almost like a dry compost. The same goes for blenders. In case you're looking for some alternatives on such small appliances, here's a place where you can start looking: juicyblender.com
Stay Healthy
Even though fruit and vegetable juices are as healthy as it gets, one may go a little over the board with the sugar added to their drinks. More than 100 grams of white sugar per day becomes toxic for your health. Keep it out as much as possible from your drinks, or consider healthier alternatives, such as honey for example.
