Newbie here. Juicing veggies and fruits without eating the pulp, isn't this wasteful?

[burritos]

Just got a breville juicer. The thing could juice my arm if I my taste was for masochistic cannibalism. So for my virgin juice: tomato, lemon, celery, carrots, lettuce, apples, oranges, strawberries and red bell pepper. Not bad, and I'm sure highly nutritious. The pulp, I composted, but then I thought about it. What a waste of food. Next time I'll mix with rice, or make a pancake, or some type of egg fritter. I'm all for the hyper boost of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. But chucking the pulp, that's kind of a waste no?

[delmar]

That depends. If the pulp is really dry there isn't much there but fiber. If however the pulp is pretty moist your juicer is not as efficient as it could be. When I first started juicing I had a friend at work who had a centrifugal juicer and she brought me her pulp a few times to give a=my animals. I ran it through my squeezo and got a lot more juice out of it.

[burritos]

That depends. If the pulp is really dry there isn't much there but fiber. If however the pulp is pretty moist your juicer is not as efficient as it could be. When I first started juicing I had a friend at work who had a centrifugal juicer and she brought me her pulp a few times to give a=my animals. I ran it through my squeezo and got a lot more juice out of it.

Is it just presumed that majority of the essential nutrients end up in the juice? I know we visually see that the centrifugal basket spins super super fast and we see all the fluid get violently separated from the pulp. And we can drink the juice of 10 cucumbers and 10 carrots and get tons of nutrients. However, is it a scientific fact all the nutrients get separated from the pulp? I'd like to see some type of scientific quantification of what nutrients(or lack of) are left in the pulp. Till then, I'm doubtful that the pulp is just "fiber" with a meaningless amount of nutrients for human consumption. My feeling is, if it's still good for worms, it's still good enough for humans. Probably, even more healthy than any processed foods that you might get in the supermarket.

[delmar]

OK, So if that is what you think, why bother juicing? Just eat the vegetables. Or if you could run them through a blender and then just eat or drink the vegetables.

[MysticTree]

why this obsession generally with one thing or the other? We can do all these things. We can juice sometimes, smoothie sometimes and just chew and swallow whole foods other times.

There will be enough nutrition if we eat this way. It's not necessary to get every bit of nutrition from every bit of food we eat. Just eat raw, vegan food in a variety of textures and life will be good.

[burritos]

OK, So if that is what you think, why bother juicing? Just eat the vegetables. Or if you could run them through a blender and then just eat or drink the vegetables.

3 things:
1. I hate waste. Compulsive about it. And I know it's not anyone else's problem but mine. I mean I take my kids' bathwater nightly in buckets and use it to flush our toilets. Having said that, I tried eating the pulp with rice. Disgusting and eating it regularly won't be an option.

2. I want the nutrition to be in the juice. I want to believe it. But I want some quantifiable evidence that the nutrition we are seeking is in fact in the juice. Someone must have done this analysis, but for whatever reason, can't find it on google. I'll go through the trouble of juicing 1-2/week but if 80% of the nutrition is in the pulp, I may have to rethink it.

3. Don't like eating veggies. I can drink them, but eating them whole is as fun as flossing for me. I do both because they are both good for me, but if drinking them is worth it(see #2 query) then I'll do it.

[MysticTree]

Perhaps if you address your compulsions you will feel easier about it. If you want proof you might have to carry out research this yourself. Many claim juice nutrition facts but published studies seem elusive.

[delmar]

3 things:
1. I hate waste. Compulsive about it. And I know it's not anyone else's problem but mine. I mean I take my kids' bathwater nightly in buckets and use it to flush our toilets. Having said that, I tried eating the pulp with rice. Disgusting and eating it regularly won't be an option.
Me too. Every bit of my pulp either goes to my animals or to compost. Plants have to eat too!

2. I want the nutrition to be in the juice. I want to believe it. But I want some quantifiable evidence that the nutrition we are seeking is in fact in the juice. Someone must have done this analysis, but for whatever reason, can't find it on google. I'll go through the trouble of juicing 1-2/week but if 80% of the nutrition is in the pulp, I may have to rethink it.

3. Don't like eating veggies. I can drink them, but eating them whole is as fun as flossing for me.
That one I get!

I do both because they are both good for me, but if drinking them is worth it(see #2 query) then I'll do it.How do you feel about smoothies with the pulp (at least part of it) left in?

[burritos]

Me too. Every bit of my pulp either goes to my animals or to compost. Plants have to eat too!That one I get!How do you feel about smoothies with the pulp (at least part of it) left in?

I drink smoothies frequently. 2-4 a week. In line with my waste compulsion, I freeze the leftover/overripe/half eaten fruit from my household, and blend them for my morning snacks. Been doing so for 5 years with my vitamix. So I never use a specific recipe, it's basically a random collection on what the rest of my family won't eat. I never thought about throwing in veggies/juicing until I watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. So my blending is now being combined with juicing. Trying to learn more. For example, I learned this morning that juicing 4 oranges/2 celery stalks/2cucumbers/strawberries/carrots will give me a sugar high that puts any chocolate candy bar to shame. Will have to get more green leafies this weekend at the farmer's market.

[MikeHeath]

You can mix some portion of the pulp in the juice to make it more delicious and more nutrition rich. Or you can also do that by adding water in the pulp and mixing it in the blender and drinking that again. A relative of mine used to do that she drinks that mix up of pulp instead of water.

[dmb2002man]

i use to own the breville BJE510XL and hated how the overflow tank was always full but dry. I bought a vitamix and much prefer as it doesn't waste since you blend the whole thing. I no longer own a juicer as i can make every drink i want in the vitamix. Plus i didn't like that the breville wouldn't do GREENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[burritos]

i use to own the breville BJE510XL and hated how the overflow tank was always full but dry. I bought a vitamix and much prefer as it doesn't waste since you blend the whole thing. I no longer own a juicer as i can make every drink i want in the vitamix. Plus i didn't like that the breville wouldn't do GREENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't tried spinach and kale yet. You're saying the breville won't juice the leafy stuff, even at "low" speed?

[dmb2002man]

I haven't tried spinach and kale yet. You're saying the breville won't juice the leafy stuff, even at "low" speed?

You can but you will have to use alot of greens for very very little juice. It just wasn't worth the hassle for me. The brevelle is a high speed juicer and is not made to juice leafy greens. Don't get me wrong though, the brevelle was a first to get me to start making raw drinks and it just grew on me. The vitamix is my life now and i will have one the rest of it. I have lots of family/friends now that i recommended a vitamix blender to and they all use them on a daily basis. I am not trying to sell vitamix in anyway but i do feel that its the best blender out! You are starting somewhere and the brevelle is a very good juicer but has its limitations and one is with the juicing greens. There are other juicers out there that will do it all but there $$$$.

[Traceyraw]

DMB I have both. I just started using my vitamix for greens like spinach and parsley. I still use my Breville for celery, carrots, and apples. The only thing I don't like I usually have to add water for the vitamix. When I just you get straight juice. I usually juice 1-2 lbs of greens. When I blend maybe 1/4-1/2.

[MysticTree]

if you are going to eat the pulp then why bother juicing?

[burritos]

if you are going to eat the pulp then why bother juicing?

I tried. It's gawd awful.

[burritos]

You can but you will have to use alot of greens for very very little juice. It just wasn't worth the hassle for me. The brevelle is a high speed juicer and is not made to juice leafy greens. Don't get me wrong though, the brevelle was a first to get me to start making raw drinks and it just grew on me. The vitamix is my life now and i will have one the rest of it. I have lots of family/friends now that i recommended a vitamix blender to and they all use them on a daily basis. I am not trying to sell vitamix in anyway but i do feel that its the best blender out! You are starting somewhere and the brevelle is a very good juicer but has its limitations and one is with the juicing greens. There are other juicers out there that will do it all but there $$$$.

I have a vitamix. I'll blend mostly frozen fruits. Haven't tried the green leafies.

[dmb2002man]

DMB I have both. I just started using my vitamix for greens like spinach and parsley. I still use my Breville for celery, carrots, and apples. The only thing I don't like I usually have to add water for the vitamix. When I just you get straight juice. I usually juice 1-2 lbs of greens. When I blend maybe 1/4-1/2.

i use my vitamix for celery, carrots and just strain it! I enjoy adding water to all my drinks as it helps me achieve my 80-100oz of water each day. :)

Example of a green recipe in vitamix.

1 cup spinach
1 cup collard
1/2 cup kale
1 banana
3/4 cup strawberries
2 tbsp flax seeds
1-2 cups water
*no strain

I get a lot of green out of this. Over 32oz.

Another example:

1 cup water
1/2 cucumber deseeded
1 cup spinach
3/4 cup strawberries
*blend and serve

This gives me a 16 oz drink!

[dmb2002man]

I tried. It's gawd awful.

yeah i cant do the pulp either.

[Cruditas]

I don't know if have any dogs but sometimes I take the pulp and mix a little oil and nutritional yeast, make little patties and dehydrate for doggie treats.
Also if there is a good amount of carrots you can mix in some chopped celery and onion, add some raw vegan mayo, salt and pepper and eat it like "tuna" salad.

[Living Food]

There will be enough nutrition if we eat this way. It's not necessary to get every bit of nutrition from every bit of food we eat. Just eat raw, vegan food in a variety of textures and life will be good.

I know that the majority of people think like that, but to my mind they're all underachievers (for lack of a better word). Why settle for "good"? Life can be great beyond your wildest imagination.


I want the nutrition to be in the juice. I want to believe it. But I want some quantifiable evidence that the nutrition we are seeking is in fact in the juice. Someone must have done this analysis, but for whatever reason, can't find it on google. I'll go through the trouble of juicing 1-2/week but if 80% of the nutrition is in the pulp, I may have to rethink it.

I can absolutely guarantee you that DRY pulp is almost 100% fiber, and containing virtually no digestible nutrients. Those all end up in the juice (if you have a good juicer). I'm sure that here have been studies done on this,* but I'm not going to try to find them since I already know the truth. Pulp = cellulose. Cellulose = indigestible for humans. Juicing crushes a plant's cell walls, releasing the fluid inside, as well as the fluid in between cells - that fluid contains all of the nutrients present in the plant. The extent of the nutrients extracted from the pulp is directly related to the efficiency of your juicer, with centrifugal juicers generally being at the bottom of the list (and they oxidize the juice). Most juicers are still so efficient that you really shouldn't worry about a minuscule percentage of the nutrients being left in the pulp, because even without those nutrients you'll still get far more nutrition form juicing then you would by eating an equivalent amount of produce. When you consider that juicing allows you to consume far more of that produce then you normally would, it's a win-win situation.

Why do you assume that not eating the pulp is "wasteful"? As fiber, it's useless for us nutritionally (although some is needed to feed our gut bacteria and keep our digestive tract moving), but when you compost it you not only end up eating it eventually, but it's been transformed from indigestible fiber into valuable vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other phytonutrients.

* I doubt that many studies have been done, or any high-profile ones; where's the profit present in promoting juicing? Fudging drug studies is far more fun (and profitable),

[burritos]

I know that the majority of people think like that, but to my mind they're all underachievers (for lack of a better word). Why settle for "good"? Life can be great beyond your wildest imagination.



I can absolutely guarantee you that DRY pulp is almost 100% fiber, and containing virtually no digestible nutrients. Those all end up in the juice (if you have a good juicer). I'm sure that here have been studies done on this,* but I'm not going to try to find them since I already know the truth. Pulp = cellulose. Cellulose = indigestible for humans. Juicing crushes a plant's cell walls, releasing the fluid inside, as well as the fluid in between cells - that fluid contains all of the nutrients present in the plant. The extent of the nutrients extracted from the pulp is directly related to the efficiency of your juicer, with centrifugal juicers generally being at the bottom of the list (and they oxidize the juice). Most juicers are still so efficient that you really shouldn't worry about a minuscule percentage of the nutrients being left in the pulp, because even without those nutrients you'll still get far more nutrition form juicing then you would by eating an equivalent amount of produce. When you consider that juicing allows you to consume far more of that produce then you normally would, it's a win-win situation.

Why do you assume that not eating the pulp is "wasteful"? As fiber, it's useless for us nutritionally (although some is needed to feed our gut bacteria and keep our digestive tract moving), but when you compost it you not only end up eating it eventually, but it's been transformed from indigestible fiber into valuable vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other phytonutrients.

* I doubt that many studies have been done, or any high-profile ones; where's the profit present in promoting juicing? Fudging drug studies is far more fun (and profitable),
See. That wasn't so hard. I'm so ready to drink the kool aid(or in this case, the juicing-aid). A well thought out, rational explanation to my inquiry is all I need. Thanks.

[MysticTree]

It doesn't matter if you get 100% nutrition by eating X amount or if you get 100% by eating Y amount. If a person doesn't enjoy eating then by all means look to the smallest amounts possible but if eating is a pleasure then just enjoy it. It is interesting to see you hold most of us here in sort of contempt livingfoods. You eat your way and I'll eat mine. Eating your way would make me miserable. If it make you feel good then that's obviously fine by me but leave others to eat how they want and allow them to be happy by eating that way.

[Living Food]

It is interesting to see you hold most of us here in sort of contempt livingfoods.

No, I respect you all...I'm just baffled by why people would settle for anything less then the best.


If it make you feel good then that's obviously fine by me but leave others to eat how they want and allow them to be happy by eating that way.

I'm not forcing anyone to eat any specific way, merely providing information so that they can make their own decisions.

I can see that we have a difference of philosophy, but that's fine. I don't really expect most people to eat my way anyway, and I've gotten used to people eating less-then-optimal foods just because it's enjoyable for them. I'm not criticizing that choice, everyone chooses their own path.

Maybe you were upset by my use of the word "underachievers"? I'll concede that maybe that was a little harsh. I was limited in time and didn't really take the time to think of a more diplomatic way to say it. Saying I'm baffled is much more accurate then saying that I think others are underachievers. All I meant was that (as I said above) I don't know why people choose not to do the things that will allow them to reach the maximum levels of health, vitality, and enjoyment. Anyway, I don't want to argue; I think that this pretty much sums it up:


You eat your way and I'll eat mine.

Works for me :)

[burritos]

No, I respect you all...I'm just baffled by why people would settle for anything less then the best.



I'm not forcing anyone to eat any specific way, merely providing information so that they can make their own decisions.

I can see that we have a difference of philosophy, but that's fine. I don't really expect most people to eat my way anyway, and I've gotten used to people eating less-then-optimal foods just because it's enjoyable for them. I'm not criticizing that choice, everyone chooses their own path.

Maybe you were upset by my use of the word "underachievers"? I'll concede that maybe that was a little harsh. I was limited in time and didn't really take the time to think of a more diplomatic way to say it. Saying I'm baffled is much more accurate then saying that I think others are underachievers. All I meant was that (as I said above) I don't know why people choose not to do the things that will allow them to reach the maximum levels of health, vitality, and enjoyment. Anyway, I don't want to argue; I think that this pretty much sums it up:



Works for me :)
I think she's talking about me. I'm kind of skeptical by nature and before I embrace the whole juicing phenom, I'd like to do a bit more due diligence. I apologize if my posts showed contempt. That was not my intention, though I admit, I did want to convey some doubt as to solicit convincing arguments. I do not personally know anyone who juices but I do want to juice. I want a more scientific rationale to satisfy my gut feeling as to why to juice.

[MysticTree]

No I was addressing livingfoods. I mentioned their name in my post.

[Living Food]

No I was addressing livingfoods. I mentioned their name in my post.

It's "his" name...I understand that you probably didn't know whether I was a male or female, but saying "their" makes it sound like I'm a group of different people all using the same username lol. The coalition of "livingfoods" posters is off to wreck havoc, see you later :)

[staceyweller]

I love this!

[MysticTree]

Livingfoods, it is acceptable usage of "their" when sex is unspecified; you are correct, I had no idea if you were male or female.

[Living Food]

Livingfoods, it is acceptable usage of "their" when sex is unspecified; you are correct, I had no idea if you were male or female.

I know, I was just having some fun...maybe I was a little high off all the wheatgrass juice I had just drunk :) Great stuff.

[MysticTree]

You have a very odd sense of humour. Very similar to Mr Raw's.

[Living Food]

Maybe it's all the sprouts; I can find humor in a lot of situations now because life is so blissful. I used to be an uptight grouch once upon a time.

[MysticTree]

Can you explain to me why erroneously correcting someone's use of English is amusing? I understand the final sentence of that post of yours was amusing but it relied on you being right about the definition of "their" and you were wrong so the humour was lost.

[Living Food]

I actually was not aware that "their" can be correctly used in that way...my mistake. You learn something new every day.

I don't generally deal with anonymous people, so I don't have much experience in the proper way to address them.

[MysticTree]

Yes, it's much nicer when people give at least a first name and a general location is nice too especially when talking about gardening.

[Living Food]

I'm having difficulty figuring out how to do that, otherwise I already would have; I'll go see if I can finally figure it out.

[MysticTree]

I've discovered that on my mobile sigs and locations are disabled. Very annoying. You can make your changes in the settings tab.

[Living Food]

Thank you, I think I figured it out now.

[MysticTree]

I can see your location. I'll be back on a proper computer tomorrow and take a proper look.