Raw Food Diet Now

“I don’t have a juicer. Can I use my blender?”

Martha, a 7 day raw food diet starter course participant, asks this question:

“I have a question about juicing. I don’t have one of those juicing machines. Can I use my blender then strain?”

Guess what, Martha?  I don’t have a juicer either!  And here’s why.

First, good juicers are somewhat expensive.  Cheap ones usually don’t last very long.  Some types even end up heating the juice from the friction — definitely not what a raw foodie wants.

Most importantly, juicers tend to separate the juice from the fiber.  (Guess that’s why they’re called juicers!)  Our goal is fresh, whole fruits and vegetables — that fiber is good for you and your digestive system.

There’s a lot you can do with a blender.  Peel an orange, remove the seeds, and put the whole thing in the blender for orange juice!  Or add an orange to your next smoothie.  It’ll have a bit more roughage than you’re used to for orange juice, but it’s very tasty and you’re getting everything that nature provides.

By now you’ve probably guessed what I’m going to say about straining your juices — please don’t do it!  Imagine you’re a cave woman or cave man from 100,000 years ago, before the modern miracles of juicers, refrigerated trucking, and Safeway.  You walk out of your comfy cave, go up to a fruit tree, pull one down, and eat it right there with little fanfare.  This is the ideal.  The biology of our bodies evolved to use such natural whole foods as fuel and nourishment.

Now if you absolutely cannot tolerate the fiber — if it means the difference between your getting fresh fruits and vegetables or not — then go ahead and strain.  But I don’t recommend this.  Whole foods were meant to be consumed as a complete package, ensuring you receive the natural balance of nutrients.

Of course there are some kinds of juice a blender won’t be able to make, like carrot juice.  But if you have a powerful blender, you can experiment with adding some liquid.  Chop a carrot into 1-inch or so sections, and add some liquid or a juicy fruit like an orange.  You may find a combination you like.

Finally, be sure to drink your juice as soon as possible after making it.  It starts to oxidize as soon as it’s exposed to air, which isn’t harmful but means the longer it goes unconsumed, the more nutritional benefit you’ll miss out on.