Guest blog by Lauren
We’ve been hearing a lot lately about juicing, but where has this craze come from? We are being told by nutritionists that the only way to get our five a day is by adding real fruit and veg juices to our diet, and not many supermarket brands, which contain high amounts of ‘hidden’ sugar.
So, how does this work? Can one juice a day really aid ones health? If it’s so good for you, how can you and the family get involved in this juicing phenomenon? Well the answers are quite simple really. On the science side of things, we all know that fruit and vegetables are good for you. The Government recommends ‘5 a day’, which boils down to five portions of fruit or veg a day. But the latest research in nutrition indicates that all though ‘5 a day’ is great, more is even better!
What you may not know as you add your spinach to your omelette in the morning is this: cooking your food can diminish the nutritional goodness it provides. You may have seen programs on TV like Jamie Oliver’s “Raw Foods” or the alarmingly titled “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”, which gave excellent recipes for juice and raw food, and there’s an excellent reason for this. Raw food, natural food, equals better food.
We all come from a Hunter/Gather ancestry which mean in bygone times throughout our DNA and Evolution, human beings literately lived a summer/winter life. We lived according to natural law that meant we had a natural fast. Food was by no means as plentiful or as readily available then as it is now and we would often have to go without when the growing season ended. But with modern conveniences such as the aeroplane, fridges and freezers, humans by their very nature, have sought the comforts of eating with very little effort. With these advancement in food preservation, we have cultivated more and more foods with less nutrition. Yes, I’m dissing the sugar!
The sheer amount of vegetables one needs to digest to maintain the correct balance to counter our high sugar and salt intake is far more than the average carrot munch-fest could ever entertain. And thus, I bring you back to juicing.
Science and jargon aside, we simply would struggle to eat as much fruit and veg as is good for us (even if we were vegetarian and stayed off the donuts!) But by juicing, and particularly green juicing (leafy green vegetable-based smoothies) we can actually increase the amount of our ‘5 a day’ we have in one go.
If that is not enough to convince you, think about this: it’s more convenient than cooking, too. Juicing takes moments, as you don’t have to dice your foods evenly as you would when cooking; you just chuck bits in and press the button. Juice is easy to store, 
it can go in a bottle and travel around with you, fits in a coffee mug on the work commute, and can be kept fresh in the fridge, meaning bulk beverages are also an option. And if you’re not a fan of cool juice, why not try really cold juice, pop your juiced veggies in a lolly pop mould and freeze them for a sweet snack – or heat it up gently in a sauce pan for a nice soup. Let’s face it we can ‘eat’ more liquids in a day then we ever will with bulky heavy foods, and juicing even means no waste. Got an apple you would usually chuck because it’s a little wrinkly? Toss it in the juicer, it make no difference to the outcome!
With a wide range of juicers; from the Morphy Richards 403020 entry-level jug blender, to the family friendly Panasonic MJDJ01SXC large capacity blender with an easy dispenser spout, we have a juicer to suit everyone. In a rush? A personal favourite here is the Nutri Ninja BL450; it’s quick, powerful, simple and great if you’re an athlete in training, needing refreshment after a workout.
So come see us today at your local store or shop online and we’ll have you juicing in no time. Change your life – and your health – for the better!
