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Things have been crazy busy here in RAD Universe lately, and some days I be strugglin’ to get my five servings of fruits and veggies in. So I decided that if I can’t always chomp it the least I could do is sip it. So I went hard core for 30 days y’all…30 different RAD Juice recipes. So now I want to give you the basics before you decide to join me on a similar challenge. Welcome to class–RAD Juicing 101!

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Drinking Is So Fun. I am no juicing expert (yet…) so I hit up my girl Mareya Ibrahim (Founder and CEO of Eat Cleaner and GGI,INC) for some expert advice. Her book is fantastic and she convinced me that “squeezing in half a plate of fruit and veggies each day is a cinch when you sip it.” Making your own juice ensures not only freshness, but the nutritional value is off the charts. When you purchase juice at the store it has been heat pasteurized, which destroys bacteria along with many of the beneficial nutrients. By making it at home you get the benefit of live enzymes that activate your digestive processes…plus fresh homemade juice is packed with live enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. All of that said, juicing helps boost metabolism, fight infection, builds both tissue and strong bones, and helps keep everything running smoothly inside. Win win. Pass me a straw please.

Prep Then Sip. It’s no secret juicing is easy and fun, however like all things worth having this healthy adventure requires a little preparation. First things first, know your recipe. Nothing like cranking your juicer up only to leave your taste buds hanging cause you forgot the ginger. Buy organic when available and save yourself some sweet time by cleaning and prepping your produce straight away. An hour or so on Sunday simplifies the juicing process during the week, so dice those cucumbers, scrub that kale and chop up those carrots.

Just Take A Shot. As with any edible treat, it’s important to consider calories and sugar content. A medium piece of fruit has about 60 calories. A cup of vegetables has about 25 calories, and 3 cups of leafy greens have about 25 calories. Each 60-calorie serving of fruit equals about 4 ounces of juice, however a typical juice is usually 12 to 16 ounces. So don’t down the whole thing in one sitting. Just take a shot and keep your daily calorie allowance in check.

Chug A Lug. Can’t finish that 12 ounce veggie cocktail you just whipped up? Either share it with a friend or refrigerate it immediately. However since your fresh sip is not pasteurized be sure to partake in your healthy indulgence no more than seven days later.

Eat Before You Drink. Juicing is not a replacement, it is a supplement. So don’t stop eating those steamed veggies at dinner just yet. There’s nothing like eating the whole fruit or vegetable, so keep the real deals around RADical. Which brings me to…

Pulp Fiction. One of the main misconceptions of juicing is that you get the total health benefits that you get when you eat the actual fruit or vegetable. Well you don’t honey. Since you are extracting the juice, the skin (which is where the vitamins and minerals live) and the pulp (which is where the fiber hangs out) gets left behind. So add a little bit of the leftover pulp back after you press your lovely juices and automatically add some of those healthy perks back. Oh and if you want to really juice up your juice, make it more balanced with protein. Some good sources are almond milk, Greek yogurt, flaxseed, or peanut butter. Yum.

*Special thanks to Omega Juicers for helping me maintain my healthy FitGirl swag.

Robbie Ann Darby (RAD Experience) is a professional FitGirl, Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer in NYC. Follow her sweaty life on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram for more fun health and fitness tips!

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