Busting the top five juicing myths

1. Myth:

Juice has to be consumed right away.

Reality: Stored in an airtight container, juice can be kept for up to three days. You can make it the night before and have it for breakfast, or take it to work the next day.

2. Myth: You should toss the pulp left over from juicing.

Reality: For every serving of juice, you get up to four cups of pulp. Don't just toss it — it may not look appealing, but it contains a lot of fibre and flavour. Try adding carrot, zucchini, beet or ginger pulp to muffins for a nutritious boost, or cucumber pulp to a veggie dip. You can even toss frozen pulp into soups and stews.

3. Myth: You should peel your produce first.

Reality: It's best to leave peel on for most produce, because that's where a lot of the nutrients live (for example, the flavonoids found in apple peel can help with weight loss).

4. Myth: If you don't have a juicer, a blender will work.

Reality: Blenders are great for making smoothies — not so much for making juice. A juicer is designed to extract and separate the liquid from the pulp of fruits and vegetables. A blender, on the other hand, will purée the entire mix.

5. Myth: A healthy juice always tastes like grass.

Reality: Wrong! We think there’s nothing more flavourful than a colourful glass of juice. Focus on flavour and balance: oranges and lemons for citrus zing and some acidity, apples (we prefer Granny Smith) for a sweet and fresh taste, carrots, beets and dark greens for rich flavour and a great boost of vitamins. Then explore new flavours like fennel (great for tummy troubles), ginger (great for first-thing-in-the-morning juice and a boost of immunity) and bok choy and other Asian greens.

Related:
A refreshing watermelon, pineapple and ginger juice recipe
Three juicing ingredients to add instant health benefits What’s the difference between juices and smoothies? Healthy Recipes: Revitalizing (salad) juice