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Last year, my sister watched the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. As a result, she promptly bought her first juicer and stocked her tiny patio with 25-pound bags of carrots and beets. I figured the novelty would quickly wear off, but I enjoyed watching how excited she was about this new adventure.
Days turned into weeks and weeks into months, and she was still juicing. And loving it. She was texting me pictures of different beverages with captions like, “Tried kale today!” Every time I talked to her, she would pester me, “Have you bought a juicer yet? What are you waiting for?!”
I was skeptical for several reasons:
Cost. Over a year ago, I had stopped buying bottled juice altogether. I was tired of spending money on something that my kids began to expect as a daily necessity. Hearing atoddler scream “Juice!” at seven in the morning wasn’t my idea of a good time. I figured if it wasn’t in the house we’d just drink water instead. It was such a simple, welcome change.
So why in the world would I purchase a juicer that would put us right back in that crazy cycle of spending money on something we’d already cut out of our diets? No thanks, we’ll just stick with water.
Fiber! I had been drinking green smoothies (kale or spinach, fruit, ice) 3-5 mornings a week, and I liked the idea that I was getting the benefit of the fiber, ground up by my blender.
Buying a juicer just felt likecollecting another limited-use appliance that wouldgather dustin my kitchen cupboard.
Fad. I don’t like gimmicks or trends. I usually wait a good 6-8 months before I try out something the rest of the world is gushing about. Whether it’s the Twilight series or Pinterest, I’m much more interested once everyone else has moved on to other things. Strange but true.
I stuck with my three objections while my three other siblings and my parents jumped on board the juicing train. I’m related to some pretty smart people, though, so the more they raved about juicing, the more curious I grew. Then my husband and I watched the Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead documentary, along with The Gerson Miracle. Both were incredibly compelling and convincing.
I waited until I found the best deal on the juicer I wanted and took the plunge. Now here we are over three months later. My husband and I have both beendrinking a fresh juicealmost every day. I can honestly say that we are hooked to the point that we miss it when we skip a day.
So what about my objections?
Cost. Juicers are available at all different price points. After doing some research, my entire family purchased the 850-watt Breville Juice Fountain. I paid $133 (including shipping) for mine online at Bed, Bath, and Beyond using a 20%-off online coupon. The lowest I’ve seen this particular model on Amazon is $149.
I’ll be talking more about stocking up on produce and juicing on a budget next week. Just know that it is possible to do this on a normal budget. Also, I have come to realize that when making healthychangesto yourdiet, it helps to view them as an investment vs. an expense.
Fiber! Even though I had been drinking green smoothies regularly, my digestive system is so much happier with fresh juice. I can tell a definite difference. Depending on which type of juicer you use, you are actually still getting some fiber, along with numerous other vitamins and minerals that can be absorbed by the body much faster than solid foods. In addition, I find that I am actually eating more raw fruits and vegetables since I started juicing.
Shelf-stable commercial juices are really in a different category. Theyhave been filtered several times andoften contain additional ingredients.
Fad. I will probably always have a bit of this in me so I totally get it if you’re hesitant to try this juicing thing at first. Although, for the record, I did read The Hunger Games trilogy before they were cool, so I guess even old dogs can learn new tricks.
Next week’s posts will include a step-by-step juicing guide and resource list, along with ideas to make juicing work on a tight budget.
Find more juicing posts here.
This post may contain affiliate links. See the disclosure policy for more information.
