1) FLUID DYNAMICS
The old foodie platitude about a dish being only as good as its ingredients is never truer than here. For the ideal blend, mix the four categories below in descending order of bulk. Time is pressing….
Green Army
Kale and spinach are at the juicing vanguard with good reason (see p44) but wresting much liquid from them is hard. Force through with heavier ingredients for a better yield.
Roots Manoeuvre
A high veg-fruit ratio means a big hit of antioxidants without overdoing the fructose. It can also mean a glass resembling pond water. Adding carrots will lend a natural sweetness.
Fruit Machines
Feeling fruity? Exercise some caution: too much of a juiced thing isn’t always better. About 300ml total is optimal – much more than that and your body won’t be able to assimilate it.
Added Values
Used sparingly, hard-hitting flavours from chilli and ginger will transform a juice from ‘worthy’ to ‘worth drinking’. Buy organic so you can leave the skin on for bonus points.
2) TRACTION CONTROL
When you’re ready to pulp and grind, remember: speed kills nutrients. High-speed machines quickly raise the temperature, vaping vitamins. Meanwhile, cold-pressing is lengthy and costly. This Novis model (£279 harrods.com) alters its speed based on your ingredients, to strike a balance between hipster OCD and leaving home on time.
3) COLD STORAGE
If you’re taking the fruit and veg of your labours with you, keep in mind that sunlight and oxygen also degrade vits. A double-walled vacuum flask (£27 johnlewis.com) will protect – and chill – your juice, while a reusable straw spares your teeth the sugars.
4) SQUEEZE YOURSELF
The gaudy bottles increasingly filling the shelves of supermarket chillers are, for the most part, all bumph and no pips. The majority are pasteurised to extend their shelf life, instantly killing off the enzymes your body is thirsty for. Get on your own brand
of juiced benefits with four winter-proofing recipes by of Pandora Symes, founder of wellness coaching site rootedlondon.com. Pick out your antidote from the selection below.
i) Energy Fruit Infusion
Rhubarb has two seasons and is a sharp alternative to saccharine fruits. Juice 1 cucumber, 4 stalks of rhubarb, ½ cup of strawberries and 2 apples. Add ½tsp cinnamon.
ii) Greens With immunity
Juice 3 handfuls of spinach, ½ a head of romaine lettuce, 1 cucumber, 2 big handfuls kale, small handful of parsley and mint and 1 lime. Mix with ½ again of coconut water for a touch of sweetness.
iii) Hangover Citrus Bomb
Juice 1 lemon, 1 lime, 1 red chilli (or 2 if you’re daring) and mix with 1tbsp of agave and 400ml water. This works best first thing in the morning – and beats OJ to a pulp.
iv) Root Of Good Digestion
Juice 1-2 small beetroots, 1 orange, ½ cucumber, 2cm ginger, 2 carrots and 1 lime in that order – the rind of the last ingredients helps to draw the rest through. If you prefer it slightly sweeter, add more fresh orange.
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