The FastDay Forum

Thinking about incorporating some regular veg/fruit juices into my diet, after watching 'fat, sick and nearly dead ' last night. I am not going to do a juice diet as I am at maintenance now, more for energy benefits. Does anybody use a juicer regularly? I looked on Amazon and the one that I liked (and suited my pocket and kitchen size) was a manual one - Lexen healthy juicer, anyone used this? Pros/cons? Thanks

me too - feel quite inspired to juice some veggies after watching the documentary! I have a masticating juicer which was expensive and very good quality, if a bit large, down in the depths of the basement. Will dig it out and start juicing - I like the green juice they featured on the programme, which was a combination of celery, lemon, kale, apples and ginger (I may have missed an ingredient?) but I am sure it's down to personal taste and what's in season. I don't want to only have juices but replacing lunch or breakfast on feast days with a juice would work for me.

I went through a juicing phase, regularly having juices as a meal replacement or snack. Quite enjoyed it, although I must say it was way easier in the summer than in the winter.

Have loads of apples in stock though, because you get through tons if you're juicing regularly!

My favourite was probably apple, celery, cucumber and mint. Yummy and very refreshing/energising. I also loved anything with lemon and/or ginger in it.

Best thing is really just to experiment with different fruits and veggies to find ones you love!

Carrot, apple, ginger and lime is one of my favourites, and a lovely long green juice of whatever I can find (not celery though, too bitter for me).

One of the things that stops me juicing more often is the cost of the veggies - I wouldn't be able to do it every day, I'd forever be at the shops and we'd have to remortgage the house! And my juicer is an attachment on my excellent bosch food processor, so it doesn't tackle everything, especially leafy veg like kale. For that, it's a green smoothie - at least then you get all the fibre too.

Fabulous documentary last night. Really interesting people and presented in a refreshing way too. Really fancy having a go at a short juice fast... Watch this space!

I belong to a vegetable box scheme, and mainly bought a juicer so I could use up leftovers and also find a use for vegetables which are difficult to eat in great quantities. I can really recommend it, you get whatever vegetables are in season and it's much cheaper than buying them at the supermarket or green grocer's.

It's also fun to receive a variety of things you may not be familiar with or have thought to buy yourself. On the other hand, if you prefer to plan your meals it may be a bit annoying not knowing for more than a week in advance what you're going to receive.

Now that it's summer I'm juicing less, because the vegetables I receive are lighter and easier to eat - not so many beets as I got during the winter when I bought the juicer. I want to start doing it again, because of the inspiring documentary. I tend not to follow recipes, just combine bitter vegetables with sweet fruit, leafy and stringy vegetables with juicy vegetables, bland vegetables with lemon or ginger, etc.

I watched the same documentary last night re juicing - Dr Mark Furhman, who was featured, is the real deal. He has an amazing book called 'Eat to Live' and it is inspiring. He has also written books on fasting to cure disease and if you really want to take 5:2 to the next level I'd recommend what he has to say about the food pyramid. Also, highly recommend the work of the author Michael Pollan who famously said, 'eat food, not much, mostly plants' - this isn't saying you have to be vegeterian or starve but it remains sound advice - especially the 'eat food' bit = not easy in the processed age in which we live.

I have been thinking along the same lines, instead of juicing I'm going to start drinking at least one green smoothie a day. I made one this morning, with spinach,half a cucumber, lemon juice, parsley, a few strawberries and water. I put everything in my blender and whipped it up and drank it after my workout.

I watched this and was inspired to reacquaint myself with my juicer. Sadly banished to the back of the cupboard. I hate to waste fruit n veg and try to cook, bake, freeze a lot of it but I shall now be whizzing to my hearts content and creating juices. Also seems a cheap and easy way to get some goodness into not so small child, instead of the sugar laden, is there any fruit in it, juices she glugs down with breakfast. Think I may have to work up to green ones though!

No juice here. Best to eat the fruit & veg whole, then you get all that fibre with the sugars. Juicing quite a bad thing IMO.

I use a vitamix blender. My breakfast 5 days is a protein smoothie with various veg and fruit and coconut oil. By using a quality blender there is no waste. You are blending skin seed etc altogether. Mega vitamin and minerals and fiber. I got mine from QVC on easy pay. While it is expensive it is worth every cent. You can do soups, ice cream and drinks. It's invaluable.

Thanks for all the replies, lots of great ideas for drinks here.
Grassmarble, I too have a veg box, excellent thought to use up those outer leaves.
Badalya - I have always thought the same, however seeing this programme made me think again. I do have some concerns though,the blender Clairemarie mentions might be the way to go. I will have to have another look and see if I can afford something like that.

Badalya - I have always thought the same, however seeing this programme made me think again. I do have some concerns though,the blender Clairemarie mentions might be the way to go.

Even with blenders which don't waste any of the fruit & veg, you destroy some of the non soluble fibre. I'll stick to whole fruit & veg. less cleanup as well.

Badalya - I have always thought the same, however seeing this programme made me think again. I do have some concerns though,the blender Clairemarie mentions might be the way to go.

Even with blenders which don't waste any of the fruit & veg, you destroy some of the non soluble fibre. I'll stick to whole fruit & veg. less cleanup as well.

I'm with you, Badalaya. I like to chew!

[carorees]

No juice here. Best to eat the fruit & veg whole, then you get all that fibre with the sugars. Juicing quite a bad thing IMO.

That is a very good point, but if it is a choice between juices or no veg/fruit (as in the veg/fruit phobic child) then I think juicing can be good. I guess it is important to ensure you are not replacing the whole fruit/veggies you might have eaten with juices; they should be added to your fruit/veg intake not replace them.