Fruits are incredibly healthy and essential to maintain a healthy diet. They are rich in nutrients, making them something that we must include in our daily meals. However, not everyone has the time to deseed, devein, and eat fruits as a whole. Also, there are several who do not like the raw taste of fruits. So, what’s the next best alternative? Making your own natural fruit juices! Making your own fruit juice is a hundred times better than buying sugar-laden artificial juices from the market. Are you unsure of how to make juices? Well, then here’s a guide on the best juicing techniques to help you make the most nutritious juices!
Are Juices and Smoothies the Same?
While this might seem evident to juice lovers, it would surprise you that a large number of people do not think there is a difference! A lot of people are of the opinion that they can make both using the same techniques and equipment. People believe that they can make fresh juice using a blender, or smoothies utilizing a juicer. However, the art of making a smoothie is very different from the art of juicing. When it comes to juicing, techniques, consistency, and texture are not very important. It is mostly about extracting enough juices and nutrients from the fruit. However, while making smoothies, the composition is of the highest importance. Therefore, juices and smoothies are very different entities that you cannot make it the same way.
What To Take Care Of While Juicing
Since texture isn’t very important when it comes to juicing, balancing the flavor is the main thing you need to worry about. Juicing is all about extracting the right kind of flavor from fruits, and balancing it with enough water and other additives. While buying juices from the market, you don’t get any control over what goes into the juice, and how sweet or sour it is. However, when you make your own fruit juices, you get complete control of what you put into it and how to balance all your flavors.
Best Juicing Techniques Out There
Juicing Technique 1
A good juice has several components to it, and they typically include something sweet, a high-yield fruit, something tart, herbs or spices, and something earthy. Any combination of these elements yields a very flavorful and energizing drink that you will love to sip on. However, balancing these elements so that none of them overpower the other, is what you need practice to achieve. The earthy flavor can be added by grinding root veggies or even leafy vegetables like spinach, chard, and kale. Here’s a look at various combinations of ingredients you can use to create the ultimate juice.
Something Sweet :
- Grapes
- Pears
- Melons
- Kiwis
- Mangoes
- Pineapples
- Berries
Something Tart:
- Lemons
- Limes
- Oranges
- Lemon Zest
High-yield:
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Fennel
- Tomatoes
- Melons
Earthy Flavor
- Roots: Beets/Carrots/Turnips/Parsnips
- Greens: Kale/Spinach/Lettuce/Chard/Mustard greens/Dandelion/Broccoli
Herbs
- Basil
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Mint
Spicy:
- Ginger
- Hot peppers
Juicing Technique 2
The best way to understand what flavors work, try to juice components that you would like to eat together. Such combinations usually taste great with one another, making for some great juices. Most people think that juicing is very different from cooking, and hence don’t seem to think of combinations this way. If certain elements taste well in a salad, chances are that they taste great as a juice as well. Once you have the initial blend, taste the juice, and add sweet, savory or sour ingredients as necessary to balance the taste.
Juicing Technique 3
Always combine high-yield fruits with high-potency elements to get a nutritious beverage. Fruits and vegetables with high water content are high yielding. Examples of such veggies include cucumbers, celery, and apples. Always add potent elements like ginger, mint, and carrots along with these to get a drink that is rich in nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. Always balance gentle and mellow elements with ones that have a very intense taste, like beets and carrots.
Juicing Technique 4
Always remember to taste as you go so that you adjust the flavors accordingly. Never leave the tasting for the end, by when it might be too late to change the flavor. Taste after you add each element to see what more your juice needs. Sometimes you might overdo the sour or sweet, but if you understand the mistake, you can balance it out using other flavors. However, if you taste only at the end, it might be too late to make corrections and adjustments.
Juicing Technique 5
Many people have issues figuring out whether to leave the peel on or not. In most cases, juicers are able to handle the skin of the fruits easily. Even with regard to fruits like pineapples that have a thick covering, juicers should be able to handle it. However, make sure you check the specifications on your blender and juicer to avoid causing damage to it. Also, if you like to juice with the skin on, make sure you buy high-quality organic produce that does not have any contaminants. Here’s a look at a few fruits and veggies that you NEED to peel mandatorily.
- Kiwis
- Waxed Produce
- Citrus fruits if you mind the bitterness
- Melons if you can’t stand their taste
- Cucumber skin if you want the juice to be brightly colored
Juicing Technique 6
There are necessarily three different kinds of green veggies:
Neutral Greens – Lettuce
Earthy Greens – Kale/ Beet greens/ Chard
Peppery Greens – Dandelion/ Mustard/ Arugula
The Neutral ones are easy to handle, whereas the Peppery ones have a powerful and intense flavor. Neutral ones help in improving the volume and consistency of juices and can be paired with just about anything. However, you need to be cautious while handling the earthy and peppery ones as they cannot be hidden. The safest option is to either make them the star of your juice or avoid them altogether, as they cannot be masked. Also, acidic elements like lemon, herbs, and cilantro work well with earthy greens.
As you can see, there’s a lot more to juicing than just putting stuff together and turning the juicer on. Avoid mixing potent ingredients together and never put only mild ingredients, as that creates a bland juice. In many ways, juicing is a form of painting, wherein the true beauty of the artwork depends on the quality of hues used. In case, aesthetics matter to you, avoid adding peels and skins so that your juices never look brown or grey in color. If you want to spruce up your color factor, add juiced beet, but remember to balance the flavors using lemon and cilantro. Use this ultimate juicing techniques guide to create the perfect beverage that not only energizes you but also tastes brilliant!
