If you are new to juicing, you’re probably wondering where to start?
How to start juicing the right way, then?
Juicing is a fantastic way to feel better overall and to take control of what you’re putting into your body. After all, what you put into your body is one of the most fundamental elements of feeling healthy.
When you make your own juice, you have full control over the ingredients. That’s what makes juicing such a perfect fit for anyone looking to make a positive change in their lifestyle.
I’m a massive juicing fan and I couldn’t be happier with the health boost it’s given me over the past few years. It’s such an easy way to incorporate more veggies and fruits in your diet, and a fun way to meet your nutrition goals.
In today’s post, I’ll show you how to start juicing the right way and give you a handful of helpful juicing tips for absolute beginners.
I’ll walk you through 6 juicing tips that will help you get started right away and avoid some of the most common juicing mistakes.
If you are relatively new to juicing, you’re in the right place! Let’s jump right in!
We collaborate with some awesome companies that offer products that help our readers achieve their health goals! If you purchase through our partner links, we get paid for the referral at no additional cost to you! Read our disclosure for more info.
Why you should juice
Juicing nutritious vegetables and fruits is an easy way to improve your nutrition intake and incorporate healthy produce in your diet.
Our bodies love these colorful ingredients, and juicing allows you to be creative with providing your body with the vitamins and minerals it may be otherwise missing.
Making your own, delicious juice can help you:
- Jump start a new diet
- Support your weight-loss plans
- Increase your energy levels
- Decrease inflammation
- Help detox your body
Of course, juicing is only one big favor you can do for your body and overall well-being. You want to combine it with further healthy choices in other areas of your life for even bigger benefits.
Combined with adequate sleep, a consistent exercise routine, and stress management, juicing is a wonderful way to give your body what it needs.
If you are new to juicing, make sure to read my full article on the health benefits of juicing!
How to start juicing: 6 juicing beginner tips
Here’s an overview of the 6 tips on how to start juicing in this article:
- Choose the right juicer
- Read the manual
- Get to know your ingredients
- Start with beginner-friendly juice recipes
- Prepare your ingredients properly
- Drink your juice fresh
Before we start, make sure to save and share this guide – thank you!
1. Choose the right juicer
When you are new to juicing, I know it can feel overwhelming to know which juicer to use. That’s why I’m here to help.
I’ve tried my fair share of different juicers through the years, and I know their pros and cons like the back of my hand.
If you are entirely new to juicing, it’s important that you are familiar with the most common different types of juicers.
These are the 3 most common types of juicers:
- Centrifugal juicers
- Masticating juicers
- Cold-press juicers
Let’s look at each of these in a bit more detail:
Centrifugal juicers
Centrifugal juicers are the most common household juicer type, and often the best juicers for beginners.
Centrifugal juicers grate the produce and force it against a spinning blade which then extracts the juice at a very high speed.
I’m a big fan of centrifugal juicers for two reasons:
- Price – they are quite affordable
- Speed – they juice your produce within seconds
Thus, when you are new to juicing, buying a centrifugal juicer won’t break the bank. You can get started without investing a fortune in your first juicer and see whether juicing is something you want to stick to in the long run.
I use and recommend the Breville BJE200XL for anyone who wants a high-quality juicer that’s still very affordable.
The juicer is quite compact, so it won’t take up too much space on your kitchen counter. Plus, the feeding chute is big enough so you can cut and prep your veggies faster.
Masticating juicers
Masticating juicers are also known as slow, gear, or auger juicers.
They crush and juice the produce at a much slower speed than centrifugal juicers. This process extracts more valuable nutrients from your produce, meaning that your juice will be even better for you.
The slow juicing process slows down the oxidation or your juice, too. Therefore, if you don’t plan to drink your juice right away, you can store it in your fridge for later without losing the nutrients as quickly.
However, masticating juicers are also bigger and more expensive. You will need more space for it in your kitchen, and the initial investment may take more planning.
All in all, a masticating juicer is ideal if you are looking to maximize the nutrients in your juices and are willing to spend a bit more time and money doing it.
Cold-press juicers
Cold-press juicers are also known as hydraulic or pneumatic juicers. These are typically the most expensive (and the best) juicers out there and they make the most nutrient-rich juices.
Hence, if you are looking for the best of the best, and you want to get the most nutritional value from your juices, a cold-press juicer may be the best fit for you.
If you aren’t sure which juicer to use, make sure to read my guide on what is the best juicer for you.
2. Read the manual
So you’ve picked your juicer, unpacked it, and you’re ready to prep your produce for your first round of juicing. Awesome!
But before you start, make sure you read through the manual!
Although most juicers seem quite self-explanatory and intuitive, you want to study the user manual carefully before you start your machine.
This will help you understand all the features and functions of your new machine, which is critical for making the best juice you can.
3. Know your ingredients
Now, what should you juice exactly?
Which veggies and fruits should you be juicing in the first place?
First of all, you obviously want to start by making a list of fruits and vegetables that you like.
Although you can incorporate new and adventurous ingredients into your juicing recipes, it’s good to start with flavors you are familiar with.
Secondly, remember that some produce are easier to juice than others. In fact, there are a few fruits that you can’t juice at all, such as:
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Blueberries
- Mangos, etc.
These fruits simply don’t allow for much juice to be extracted. Therefore, I’d recommend eating them as they are!
4. Start with beginner-friendly juice recipes
Now comes the fun part! It’s time to try out your first juicing recipes and flavor combinations!
When you start juicing, I recommend beginning with a handful of easy, simple vegetable and fruit recipes. Starting with familiar flavors helps you understand how your juicer works and get a feeling of how different ingredients work together.
If you have never made juice before, chances are that you need to get used to the new flavors first.
Even if you love carrots and apples, drinking them from a glass is a whole different story. It simply takes time to find the perfect balance and get familiar with the taste of your juice.
With that said, the best way to start juicing is to start with familiar veggies and fruits.
Once you get used to the taste, don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations and new produce!
Spice things up with a piece of fresh ginger, some cinnamon, or even a pinch of cayenne pepper for some heat, for example.
If you have some leftover greens or kale leaves, toss them in with some cucumber, green apple, and even kohlrabi.
Be creative! Coming up with your own custom recipes is the whole beauty of juicing at home!
5. Prepare your ingredients properly
Before juicing your produce, make sure you always rinse and wash them thoroughly.
Since you will be making raw, unpasteurized juices, you want to make sure your produce is as clean as possible.
Should you peel your veggies before juicing them? Not necessarily!
There’s a high concentration of beneficial nutrients in the outer layer or many fruits and veggies. Therefore, if the peel doesn’t affect the flavor or color of your juice, leave it on.
The best way to clean your vegetables and fruits is to prepare a quick vegetable wash. This helps you minimize any residuals from pesticides, fungicides, and other chemicals that you shouldn’t put into your body.
Here’s how to prepare your produce with a quick vegetable rinse:
- Fill a medium-sized bowl with lukewarm water
- Add 1–2 tablespoons of vinegar and a pinch of salt
- Soak your veggies in the bowl for a few minutes
- Brush the produce gently with a soft vegetable brush
- Rinse under running water
For leafy greens: soak them for a few minutes, squeeze out any extra water, and rinse under running water.
6: Drink your juice fresh
Last but least, make sure you drink your juice as quickly as possible.
As I said above, your homemade juices are raw and unpasteurized.
Hence, pay close attention to good hygiene in your kitchen and only make as much juice as you need right now.
Storing your raw juice in the fridge is a bad idea for two reasons:
- Unpasteurized juice will have microbes in it – so you don’t want to offer them ideal living conditions in your fridge
- Oxidation starts immediately when you juice your produce – so the longer you store your juice, the less nutrients your body will get from it
I know, it sounds like an awful lot of work to prepare your juice fresh every day. But trust me, it’s the best way to get the biggest benefits from your juice.
To make your life easier, pick a juicer that is easy to clean. The easier it is to use, the more likely you are to use it regularly.
Also, try to find a spot on your kitchen counter for your juicer. Having a dedicated little juicing corner in your kitchen makes it easier to keep juicing more often.
If you hide your juicer in the cupboard, it’s going to stay there!
Final thoughts: How to start juicing
There you go! I hope you found a few helpful tips on how to start juicing without feeling overwhelmed with all the different types of juicers and lovely ingredients packed with pure goodness for your body.
Juicing can offer a ton of health benefits, and it’s a fun way to incorporate more vegetables and fruits to your diet.
Compared to store-bought juices, homemade juice is always the better option health-wise. It helps you pay closer attention to what you’re putting into your body, which is one of the most fundamental elements of staying healthy.
If you are entirely new to juicing, the juicing tips above will help you get started the smart way and avoid messy juicing mistakes.
Now, have you found the perfect juicer for yourself yet? If not, check out these recommended juicers for beginners!
If you liked this guide, please share it with others, too! Thank you!
Happy juicing!