The Complete Idiot's Guide to Juicing - Ellen Brown [8]
Blueberries. In addition to antioxidant vitamins, blueberries are high in salicylate, a compound that reduces inflammation. Look for berries that are plump, not shriveled, and have a slight grayish patina. Rinse them, discard any stems, twigs, or small green berries, and they’re ready to go. You can use blueberries fresh, or dry them on paper towels and freeze them in a plastic bag. Yield: 3 ounces of juice per pound of blueberries.
Cantaloupes. Cantaloupes are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. The rind should appear well netted. To tell if it was picked ripe, look at the stem end. It should be a full scar, without flesh attached, showing that it was picked when mature. Cantaloupe can be a carrier of salmonella, so wash the rind with soap and water before peeling it. Yield: 8 ounces of juice per pound of cantaloupe.
Cranberries. It’s not a wives’ tale: cranberries, high in vitamin C, do alleviate bladder infections because they prevent bacteria from attaching to the wall of the bladder. Select plump, non-shriveled cranberries and rinse them in a colander. It’s difficult to find fresh cranberries except in the fall, so buy a few extra bags when you can find them, and freeze them for use during the year by rinsing them and placing them in plastic bags. Yield: 4 ounces of juice per pound of cranberries.
Wrong Spin!
Because it can be quite acidic, most bottled cranberry juice is either sweetened with corn syrup or other sweeteners or blended with apple or grape juices (often with less cranberry than the other juice). If you want real cranberry flavor, look for smaller brands and in health food stores to find the real thing.
Cherries. Rich in potassium and B vitamins, sweet cherries come in a range of colors and all make great juices. Discard the stems, rinse the cherries in a colander, cut them in half and discard the pits, and they’re ready to go. Yield: 6 to 8 ounces per pound of cherries.
Grapes. Both green and red grapes are high in potassium, and their flavor is almost identical. Which one you choose depends on your aesthetic preference and which seems the sweetest. Rinse and remove grapes from the stems; then dry on paper towels. Yield: 8 ounces per pound of grapes.
Pulp Tidbits
There are approximately 8,000 varieties of grapes, many of which date back to prehistoric times. The main classifications we now follow are the difference between wine grapes, which are high in acid, and table grapes, which are sweet. Thomas Jefferson was the first person to try to raise wine grapes in the United States.
Juicy Jive
Melons are the juiciest of fruits, and some of the juice can be lost when you’re peeling them. Always handle melons over a mixing bowl to catch the sweet juice. Then strain the juice and toss it into the beaker with the juice coming out of your machine.
Honeydews. A good source of both potassium and vitamin C, choose honeydews that are green, not white, and slightly perfumed. Cut honeydew melons into quarters, and then cut away the soft flesh from the hard peel. Since the fruit is being pushed through a juicer, how pretty it looks is irrelevant. Yield: 6 ounces of juice per pound of honeydew melon.
Kiwi. Kiwi are a rich source of vitamin C, and their potassium level is almost as high as that of bananas. They contain both vitamin A and E, and their fuzzy skin can be used as a meat tenderizer in the same way as papaya skin. When juicing, it’s not necessary to peel the kiwi, and the skin contains some valuable antioxidants. But when pulping, do peel them. Yield: 4 ounces of juice per pound of kiwi.
Mangoes. Like other orange-fleshed fruits, mangoes are a good choice for beta-carotene. Mangoes are ripe if they’re slightly soft when pressed and the skin is mottled with red and orange. Avoid buying rock-hard green mangoes because they might never ripen. Yield: 5 ounces of