The Complete Idiot's Guide to Juicing - Ellen Brown [11]
We’ve come a long way, and we now appreciate how nutrient-rich vegetable juices can add to our general health. In this chapter I give listings of vegetables that are frequently juiced. Each contains the nutritional highlights of the vegetable, along with how to select it and store it.
Successful Shopping
Shopping for vegetables is much easier than shopping for fruit. Vegetables don’t need to ripen to gain greatness. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Vegetables should be eaten as soon as possible after they’re picked.
In an ideal world, we’d pick vegetables from the garden outside the kitchen door and enjoy them within minutes. But we know that’s a bit unrealistic and probably wouldn’t offer enough variety.
Juicy Jive
Always rinse all produce just before juicing it or cooking it. Water can cause any leafy vegetable or herb to rot or mold more quickly than if it’s stored dry.
It’s best to buy vegetables at least two or three times a week, and always try to use up what’s in the refrigerator before replenishing them. In the listings I talk about how long vegetables can be stored, but especially with organic vegetables that are not subjected to waxing and other forms of preservation, it’s always best to deplete your supply quickly.
From Asparagus to Zucchini
Unlike fruits, vegetables have no common denominator other than they somehow came from the earth. Some grow above ground, while others grow below.
Here’s a guide to vegetables frequently pushed through the juicer:
Asparagus. Asparagus, a good source of vitamins A and B1 as well as folic acid, is actually a member of the lily family. The young shoot is the edible part, and while most of our asparagus is green, it can also be white or purple. When choosing asparagus, look for straight firm stalks with tightly closed buds. The stem end should still be firm because it dries out as it ages. In the early spring, buy very thin asparagus, but the fatter stalks will have more flavor in May and June. Asparagus begins to lose flavor as soon as it is picked, but it can be stored up to three days. Wrap the stems in a damp paper towel. For juicing, all you have to do is rinse the spears and cut them into 2-inch lengths, but for cooking it’s generally desirable to break off the woody stems and peel the bottom few inches of the stalks. Yield: 6 ounces of juice per pound of asparagus.
Avocado. Avocado is a great source of potassium, and is also high in vitamins A, C, and E. These buttery members of the pear family are so perishable that they’re always shipped to stores when rock hard. Look for avocadoes that are heavy for their size, and avoid any with soft or dark spots. An avocado is ripe when it yields slightly when pressed at the stem end, and to speed ripening you can put the fruit in a brown paper bag in a warm spot. Once ripe, an avocado can be refrigerated for up to five days. Like a banana, avocado should be added to juices in a blender and not put through the juicer. Yield: 2 ounces of juice per pound of avocado.
Juicy Jive
If you cut open an avocado and it’s still unripe, oat the exposed surfaces with mayonnaise, push the avocado back together, and allow it to continue ripening.
Beets. Beets are a “two-fer” of the vegetable bin. You can juice the prized roots and also the leaves as long as they are perky and not wilted. The roots are a good source of calcium, potassium, and iron, while the greens are rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. Choose beets that are small to medium in size, and a key to selection is that the greens should be fresh. Beets should always be scrubbed well. After all, they did come out of the dirt! When you get beets home, store beets and greens separately. Use the greens within two days, but refrigerate the beets themselves in a plastic bag for up to two weeks. Yield: 6 to 7 ounces per pound of either beets or beet greens.
Wrong Spin!
Never, ever consume beet juice alone, because it can