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Posted by

Victoria Lagodinsky

May 19, 2014

7-juicing-mistakes-you're-probably-making-with-Amanda-Hamilton

Amanda Hamilton from Eat, Fast, Slim

A juice diet stands head and shoulders above other fasting techniques in its self-healing effects, and it’s a great way to lose weight. But many people give up mind-way through a juice diet before they see results because they commit one of the 7 cardinal sins of juicing!

Luckily, nutritionist and fasting diet expert Amanda Hamilton is here to tell you the 7 juicing mistakes that can derail a juice diet.

1. You’re choosing the wrong ingredients – Forget about avocados and bananas which are only suitable for blending into smoothies. Make life easier for yourself by choosing fruits and vegetables that have a high water content as these give the most yield. The harder fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots, beetroot, oranges, melons, celery and some leafy greens all juice extremely well.

2. You’re too good at peeling – When juicing thick-skinned fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruits, remove the peel but retain as much as possible of the white, pithy part just below the skin as this contains valuable nutrients. Always remove large stones.

3. You’re adding too much fruit – Sweet juices are a nice treat but are too high in sugar for the duration of a juice fast. The best combination is vegetable juices sweetened with some fruit. Also vegetables grown underground, such as carrots, tend to be higher in sugar so balance these with some lower-sugar ingredients.

4. You don’t go with what you know – When you start juicing vegetables, use ones that you already enjoy and slowly introduce new ingredients. No great rocket science there, but if aversion kicks in because a celery juice churns your stomach, the juicing habit simply isn’t going to stick.

5. You’re adding too many greens – Make no more than a quarter of your juice with dark green vegetables, otherwise you’ll most likely find it unpalatable. Juicing leafy greens becomes much easier if you roll the leaves into a little ball and then feed this into the machine. Cucumber has a mild flavour and makes an excellent vegetable base.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of a nutrient-dense green juice, add a quarter to half a lemon or lime to the juice to counter any bitterness.

6. You need to experiment – I often find that the random “use-up-the-fruit-‘n’-veg leftovers” juice tastes amazing – in the world of juicing, experimentation is a good thing because you can keep things interesting. Try introducing herbs such as parsley and coriander when your creative juices are flowing!

7. You haven’t tried fresh ginger – Fresh root ginger is an excellent addition if you can tolerate it. Ginger not only gives your juice a little “kick” but researchers have found that it can lower blood pressure and improve blood lipids and blood sugar control.

Remember that all fruit and vegetables should be peeled or washed before juicing
 

Keeping juices

To maximize the benefits of fresh juices, drink them within 15 minutes or store very carefully. You can make your juice last longer by reducing the oxidation process. Put your juice in a glass jar with an airtight lid and fill it to the very top. Restrict the amount of air in the jar to the minimum as oxygen will oxidize and damage the juice.

If you’re going to integrate juice fasting regularly into your routine you might want to invest in a food vacuum pump with a jar attachment. The juice can be stored in the jar and the vacuum pump can suck out the air to reduce oxygen damage. If you’re storing juice, the maximum amount of time recommended is 24 hours.
 
Amanda Hamilton’s Eat, Fast, Slim has helped thousands lose weight through juicing diets and fasting. Follow her day-to-day diet plans, furnished with delicious recipes, and you’ll discover how easy it is to shift those stubborn pounds!

Find out more about the plan for amazing weight loss and optimum health>>>