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How to Choose a Juicer

July 21st, 2010

Eating well is important for maintaining optimum health. This is why many of us like to own a fruit and vegetable juicer. It means we are able to strip out the fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables and consume many more portions than would be possible if we tried to eat our way through the same quantities. For example, drinking a five portion orange juice is easy but actually eating five oranges would be much more of an ordeal. This article is aimed at people who are already considering purchasing your own kitchen appliance juicing machine but would like help deciding which one to go choose.

One of the biggest issues that we must address is are you new to juicing, or are you upgrading your machine? For those of you who are just starting out on the road to improved health through juicing it is much easier to suggest what sort of machine to is best. This is because I always recommend that novice juicers go for a centrifugal juicing appliance. You may choose to get a Breville BJE200XL juicer for instance. There are of course other options, like buying a Hamilton Beach 67650 device.

What makes the BJE200XL such an attractive option is that it is made by the famous kitchen appliance manufacturer, Breville. They are well known for their stylishly designed kitchen electronics. It not only looks great but it is also very functional too. As mentioned above it is a centrifugal juice extractor which means that its operation is very fast. Not only juicing but also cleaning up after use can be done in a matter of seconds. As long as you clean the appliance straight after use, most of its washable parts can simply be rinsed under running water. For the parts that are a bit tougher to clean, a cleaning brush is actually included with the package.

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Why buy a hand juicer

June 15th, 2010

Hand juicers are designed to extract juices from fruits, vegetables and some other foods. Just like electric juicer machines, hand juicers are used to make delicious, healthy drinks that can really give your health a boost. But why should you choose a manual juicer over an electric one? There are a few good reasons why.

Firstly, a hand juicer is a lot cheaper to buy. There is no motor or drivetrain, so you can expect to spend at least 50% less on a manual machine. While you need to consider whether a hand juicer will be practical for your situation (for example, if you need to make juice for 5 people it might be a bit laborious!) it can be a great way to start making juice on a budget.

Second, a manual juicer is a lot quicker and easier to set up, clean, and put away again. And if your space is limited, then storage is a bonus too. Being hand powered it is a lot more compact.

But isn’t a hand powered gadget really slow? The answer is yes, it is slower than an electric one – but this is not always a problem.

Wheat grass juice is a very popular health tonic these days, and is typically juiced with a hand juicer. Why? Because it is notoriously difficult for electric machines to process (the tough fibers get stuck in the fast mechanism) and because it is only drunk in tiny 30ml shots. So even though it may take twice as long to juice by hand, you are still only spending an extra minute doing so – a good trade off for a more compact juicer, that cost half as much.

Choosing a hand juicer is easy with great online stores like Amazon that have a good range of appliances. Ideally a stainless steel juicer is always best, not only because it looks better but because it will last virtually forever.

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Here’s a Great Way to Eat Healthy!

May 25th, 2010

Most of us didn’t grow up cooking quinoa.  In fact, I’m pretty sure that my mother didn’t even know what quinoa was until I introduced her to it!  If you are like me, when you first heard of quinoa you wondered what all the buzz was about.  Is it just hype? Why is this ancient food suddenly becoming available in supermarkets across the United States and United Kingdom?

As it turns out, quinoa is one of the healthiest foods you can eat!  For this reason, nutritional experts have increasingly recommended quinoa for those interested in losing weight and improving their overall health. Let’s learn a little more about quinoa!

While most people think of quinoa as a grain, it is really a seed. And this little seed packs quite a nutritional punch!  Quinoa is loaded with slow burning carbohydrates.  These can help you stay full longer and help stabilize your blood sugar levels.  Additionally, quinoa has a higher protein content than any grain!  It is considered a completer or total protein, meaning it contains all eight of the amino acids that we need to survive.  This is especially important to vegetarians who frequently have to focus on combining foods to meet their nutritional needs.

In addition to being healthy, quinoa is delicious and very easy to prepare.  Quinoa recipes are very easy to find on the internet or in any cookbook that focuses on healthy dishes.  Or, if you have a favorite recipe that uses a grain, simply try substituting quinoa.  It works well in dishes that call for rice, wheat berries, oatmeal, bulgur or couscous.  In some cases, you can even substitute it for pasta.  My children love quinoa and cheese which is my healthy version of macaroni and cheese!

So, if you are looking to improve your health or shed a few pounds, why not try cooking quinoa today!

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