A Beginner’s Guide to Juice Cleansing: Equipment, Blood Sugar, Pulp & Protein
-by Tera Warner and Kelly Cleason
There’s more to a juice cleanse than grabbing a few jugs of pasteurized fruit juice and swigging it back for a few days. The whole healthy purpose of a juice cleanse is to get big amounts of nutrition in a small package, while minimizing the burden on the digestive system! In this article, we’ll cover some of the most important equipment you’ll need to have, and you’ll learn a few helpful things about extra pulp, protein and poop! Dive in and take another big step closer to your health-boosting juice cleanse!
What equipment do I need to do a juice cleanse?
There are two main methods of juicing. The most obvious one is using a juicer; however, you can also make excellent juices with the help of a blender and a nut-milk bag! You can find some really fun instructions for how to make green juice the cheap and easy way (with a nut-milk bag) here.
Another cost-effective option is to purchase a paint strainer bag from your local hardware store. With your blender, you can liquidize or puree your greens, then squeeze them through a nut-milk bag, in order to separate the liquid juice from the plant fibre.
Although you’ll have to chop up everything beforehand, the advantage of the blender method is that the cleanup time is much shorter and easier. A proper workspace is also essential to your juicing success! No one is going to find pleasure in juicing on a crowded counter top, overflowing with dishes, art projects and a coffee maker. As you take the time to de-clutter your diet, I encourage you to declutter your kitchen!
Create a space where you can lay out your leafy greens to prepare them for your juicing pleasure. My work space includes my juicer; a large cutting board, a very long, sharp knife, a small paring knife, a large bowl to collect the juice, a colander, kitchen cloths to clean my veggies and greens, a nut-milk bag and an assortment of storage containers.
With practice, you will find a system that works best for you. Start simply, and experiment with your kitchen. It is helpful to place the juicer near the kitchen sink to aid in cleanup.
Every juicer is a little different. Keep the instruction pamphlets that come with your juicer for specific instructions for cleaning and maintaining your new, favourite kitchen appliance. A general rule of thumb is to dismantle the juicer prior to cleaning and remove any excess pulp and plant material before rinsing in the sink (see below for pulp-saving suggestions). The metal screens are best cleaned with a mild dish detergent, warm water, and an old toothbrush.
Wash all surfaces with mild dish detergent and allow them to dry before re-assembly, in order to prevent the growth of bacteria.
What can I do with the extra pulp from juicing?
This pulp can be used for compost or as a thickening agent for soups and stews. I use the pulp to make meals for my family while I am participating in my juice feast, in order to decrease the amount of waste and include my family in my juicing. The pulp from juicing mangos or sweet potatoes is a favourite baby food for my 9 month old.
Carrot pulp can be used to make muffins for my toddler and husband. When preparing my pico de gallo juice, I save the pulp for my family to enjoy with whole-grain, blue-corn tortillas.
The pulp from juicing can also be incorporated into a smoothie! Some adventurous juicers prepare for their families garden burgers from their juice pulp; others use the pulp for compost, pet/farm animal food, or even facial masks! Just as experimenting with juicing can be fun, finding practical solutions for your pulp disposal can be, as well.
Should I keep taking supplements and vitamins during my juice cleanse?
Do not discontinue any medications without your physician’s consent. · Feel free to continue supplementing as you see fit. Many participants discontinue supplements during the cleanse, due to the increased amount of vitamins and minerals from the juices. Supplements such as Omega-3 fatty acids as found in flax should be continued, as there is no source of Omega-3 in this cleanse.
Do I have to stop drinking coffee and alcohol on my juice cleanse?
Popular science often encourages the intake of mild to moderate levels of alcohol (most commonly wine). We encourage you to abstain from alcohol for the duration of this cleanse. While red wine contains bioflavonoids, such as resveratrol, its alcohol content places stress on the liver, which is working very hard at detoxifying the body.
Resveratrol is also available in grapes with red skin, which can easily be added to your juices. Juicing gives the intestines a break from digestion of solid food. Abstaining from alcohol gives the liver the ability to focus on detoxifying the body as a whole.
Many participants find giving up their coffee to be the most trying part of this cleanse. Caffeine puts extra stress on the liver and kidneys, which are working hard during this cleanse.
Caffeine is also a diuretic, which causes the body to excrete water. Staying hydrated is an essential part of this program. · Remember that this is only a ten-day cleanse and that many participants feel less need for caffeine after the second, full day
Don’t I need fibre and protein during a juice cleanse?
Cutting out the fibre is actually the key to the transformational aspect of juice cleansing. By removing the fibre from the juice, your intestines will have a break from digestion and the ability to focus on absorption. By cutting out the fibre, you’re putting your body in a unique, cleansing physiology.
Juicing greens and other produce removes the fibrous material. This allows the body to focus on the absorption of nutrients, as opposed to the digestion of fibre and the elimination of bulky stool.
By eliminating the fibrous bulk from digestion, the intestines are able to rest to focus on absorption and assimilation of nutrients.
[tweet_box design=”box_01″]The intestines can hold up to 10 extra pounds of fecal matter in the form of poorly-digested food, bacteria, mucus and other waste.[/tweet_box]
This can lead to painful fermentation in the intestines. Many participants with IBS, Crohn’s Disease and other digestive issues find great relief from juicing. We have been conditioned to think that our bodies require animal protein sources in order to produce muscle.
Everything we eat has protein in it. If you are consuming enough calories, you can rest assured that you are consuming enough protein. An example that I enjoy using is the elephant: Elephants are the largest land mammals, with the largest bones and muscle mass. They obtain their bulk from eating greens! They are able to process grasses into muscle mass and bone to support their massive body. They also prepare enough protein for milk production for their young.
How much does it cost to do a juice cleanse?
A typical day of juicing costs me around $12. That is easily the cost of one meal out of the home.
This $12 elixir doesn’t even take into account the added benefit of health, extra energy and my sexy body! Juice cleansing is also practical, feasible and safe, if certain key principles are followed, such as the consumption of enough fresh juice and water during the cleanse.
I have a blood-sugar condition. Can I do a juice cleanse?
If you have diabetes or some other blood sugar-related condition, you can still do a juice cleanse; and, in fact, we
have a specific menu planner that we created for a blood-sugar friendly juice cleanse. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to register for the Complete Juice Cleanse materials. While you’re registering, you’ll be able to add specific menu planners to your order. This will make the juice cleanse a total no-brainer for you!
The main thing to remember is to avoid fruit juices (although some low-glycemic fruits, like blueberries and small amounts of apple, can be consumed, if tolerated). Fruits are less nutrient-dense than green vegetables. Green vegetables are richer in minerals, and carry a far lower glycemic load. As always, it is important to seek the advice of your medical doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise program.
When juicing, aim for 80% of the juice to be green vegetables and 20% fruits and sweet vegetables. This ensures that you are consuming adequate nutrients, in addition to maintaining a healthy blood sugar.
Diabetics, pre-diabetics and individuals with candida need to be especially mindful of their combinations. In fact, whether you are diabetic, pre-diabetic or simply looking for a low glycemic approach to juice cleansing, all the recipes we have featured in the 10-Day Juice Cleanse Menu Planner are appropriate.
Regardless of your current health condition, however, it is wise to check with a qualified healthcare practitioner before embarking on any cleanse, feast, detox, diet or fast.
How much juice should I drink during a juice cleanse?
We recommend that you drink at least 4 quarts or 128 ounces of juice per day during a juice cleanse. Depending on your own constitution, you may need to drink even more. Be mindful of your water consumption, as well. The 4 quarts of juice is in addition to your water intake.
Make sure that you are consuming enough juice: You need more liquid than you would normally drink, so keep yourself hydrated and drinking on a regular basis. It is very easy in the beginning to drink a portion of your juice and then switch to water (or even worse, be tempted to binge on “comfort foods.”)
To many participants, the initial taste of green juice can be unappealing. Our culture does a wonderful job of associating pleasure with sweet tastes and buttery mouth feel. Overcoming an unhealthy relationship with processed foods can be a challenge for us all.
The human brain is hard-wired to seek out high-fat, high-caloric foods, in order to nourish us in times of famine. Be mindful of this. Listen to your body, and drink to your fill.
Drink plenty of water (about 2 quarts/64 ounces/8 cups); and utilize herbs and super foods, as appropriate.
A more personalized rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. For example, a 120-pound woman needs to drink at least 60 ounces of water per day. This need increases with increased perspiration, with lactation and with general heat exposure. Start every morning with at least 16 ounces of purified water. Feel free to add lemon or herbs.
Some coffee-drinkers find warming their water on the stove (never in the microwave!) to be a transition from their normal coffee ritual.
By warming the water to about 115°F., you are still practicing a raw juice cleanse. In the evening, one to two hours before bed, drink 16 ounces of purified water. Time this around your sleep schedule, in order to prevent unneeded trips to the bathroom.
Hydration during sleep is essential for detox. Just because you are getting your beauty rest, be sure to remember how hard your liver and kidneys are working to keep you beautiful!
If you want to learn more about how to do a successful juice cleanse, register here for our Gentle Juice Cleanse. Through daily messages, reminders and personalized support, you’ll be given all the information and inspiration you need to radically improve your health, concentration, confidence and more!