Welcome to DAY 4 of the #7daysofgreenjuice challenge! Y’ALL ARE KILLIN’ THE GAME!!! I am seriously pumped to see the pictures, posts, messages & texts from my challengers showing off their green juices & sharing their thoughts.

Some of you are absolutely loving this challenge, the way your juice tastes, & the way you’re feeling. Others are struggling to “choke” their juice down & remember the benefits of why you started. Hey, that’s okay! We all have different personality types as well as different dietary patterns which truly effect your thoughts on the juice. It takes some time for taste buds to adjust to REAL, NATURAL, PURE foods when they have had a lifetime of excitement from chemicals, additives, & high fat foods acting like dope to your brain. If you are struggling IT IS OKAY! The thing that matters is that you keep going, even if you feel like you don’t want to. It will get easier, you will survive the challenge, & your body will thank you!

I am thrilled that several of you are already talking about making green juice part of your daily ritual!! YES!! I was hoping for that. And at the end of this week I am going to challenge everyone to keep going for #14daysofgreen 🙂

Today I am answering your questions about juicers… which model do I use? Which model do I recommend? And, can I make my juice ahead of time or must it be fresh when I drink it?

1. Which juicer do I use?

I currently use the Tribest Green Star Elite Juicer which is an amazing machine. “With a design inspired by nature’s own masticating system, human teeth, Greenstar Elite’s jumbo twin gears perfectly mimic the way that your own teeth break down food.”

It works a bit slower than my former juicers because it preserves every bit of nutrition. With this type of machine you can make juices 3-4 days in advance that will not lose nutrient density. Now this is a PRICEY machine, one I could not personally afford. I actually won this machine through a Medical Medium giveaway contest! You know I have NEVER purchased a juicer and I’ve had three! God has literally put caring, generous people in my path who have gifted me with precious juicers. In turn, I’ve been able to pass those along to people who wanted to try juicing but weren’t ready to purchase their own. The Lord has truly provided!!

2. Which juicer do I recommend?

I always recommend the Breville Juice Fountain Plus. This model was the second type of juicer I had, given to me by my sweet friend Kathleen. I love this machine because it’s easy to assemble, easy to use, durable, yields a lot of juice, & can make a whole lot of juice in a little amount of time. These machines sell for $119 on Amazon with refurbished models costing $92. Honestly, that’s a great deal! This machine will last for many years. It has a 4.4 out of 5 star review!

If the cost seems overwhelming but you know you will use it often think about it this way… take that money that you spend on gas station & drive through coffees, sodas, & random treats. Go out to eat two less times per month. When you’re tempted to buy that candy bar, bag of chips, or ice cream cone take that money & set it aside for your juice fund. You’ll have that money saved in no time.

There are many other great options on the market. Reviews.com published an article The Best Juicerin which a team “chopped and shredded our way to the best options on the market, testing 10 popular models for everything from efficiency to ergonomics and noise level.”

Their top picks are as follows:

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor
Noisy and prone to countertop splatter, but also cheap, fast, and quick to disassemble. It’s a good option if you only juice occasionally and don’t want to make a large investment. ($70)

3. Finally the most popular question of the day… Can I make my juice ahead of time or does it have to be fresh?

The very best way to drink it is immediately after making. You will get the MOST benefits & the MOST nutrients when you drink it quickly after it is made. If you have an elite machine like mine, or a high class cold-pressed juicer you can make your juice a few days ahead without losing nutrients. However, even with a blender or cheap juicer you CAN make it the day before & still get tremendous benefit. I realize that mornings are crazy and for some people making their juice the night/day before is the only way they can make it work.

I don’t recommend making juice longer than 48 hours in advance because the longer that juice oxidizes, the more nutrient value it loses. The best way to preserve your pre-made juice is to store it in glass jars, filled to the brim, in the fridge. Add in some lemon or lime juice to keep it fresh & you’re good to go!

I like the way Fit Juiceexplains it:

“Oxidization is what happens when plant matter is exposed to oxygen. If you slice an apple in half and leave it outside, you’ll notice it browns. While it’s not spoiled or rotten, the oxidized apple is less tasty than a fresh one and also has fewer nutrients.”

Don’t stress if you need to make your juice two days before in order to have it! Even if your juice has lost some value it is still wonderful for your body, it is life to your cells & healing to your tissues! It is energy to your veins, detox to your organs, clarity to your mind, digestion to your belly, glowing to your skin, the best aid in your weight loss, & an amazing way to give your body the REAL NUTRITION it is begging you for!!

Why do you think cravings happen? Your body knows what it needs & when you’re craving junk it’s not because you need a candy bar or hamburger… it is simply the way your body is saying, “I am crying out for nutrients!! I will not be satisfied until you consume adequate vitamins, minerals, & nutrients.”

Ever wonder why you can be stuffed with 3,000 calories on the Standard American Diet yet still be thinking about, craving, & feeling like you NEED to eat? That’s because your nutrient receptors are still searching for that thing they have wanted all along… fruits, vegetables, greens!!! That’s why when you bring juicing into your life you will notice a reduction in your bad cravings. You won’t feel like you need to eat out of boredom. You will be more in tune with your hunger cues & you will feel more satisfied overall.

I am not telling you not to eat or to eat less! When I eat, I actually eat a pretty crazy volume of food because fruit, vegetables, greens, beans, lentils (WHOLE PLANT FOODS) are very dilute in calories while the typical foods we eat in America are very dense in calories but low in volume & fiber. I want you to eat! I want you to eat as much fruit & veg & greens & healthy starch as you possibly can! Juice will truly help you to eat less of the bad & sooo much more of the good.

Have I overloaded you with enough information? I hope today’s post helped answer your questions & motivate you to keep going with the #7daysofgreenjuice challenge! I am honored to have you join me for this week of transformed health & habits!