Juicers - Worth the Cost?

I have been toying with the idea of buying a juicer - but between the cost of the machines and the mixed reviews of the buyers (per Amazon) I am really torn. I would love to know what other people think that have purchased a juicer in the past. Is it worth the cost of the machine? Is it worth the cost of the food? (Since it seems to take enormous amounts of food to make small glasses). But it sounds so much healthier than store bought!

Here's the thing I never figured out about getting a juicer.  If a person eats a fresh apple, a fresh banana, and a bunch of fresh grapes, by way of example, he/she gets ALL the juice AND a bunch of healthy, nutritious FIBER.  Now, if the same person uses a juicer and doesn't eat the pulp or left over material, all he/she got was the same amount of juice, minus all the beneficial fiber and nutrients.

So my advice is not to spend the money to buy one.  However, having said that.  I also think you could have fun experimenting with putting different fruits and vegetables into it to make some really fun fruit drinks.

i have one but haven't used it since the first time. didn't have a good recipe.

i'm trying to remember if I could take the pulp and add back to the juice, making a veggie smoothie kind of.

Cause that's what I'd do now. If I had the gumption to pull the dang thing out and then clean up afterwards.

*munches celery*

yeah, that's much easier.

In one of my other health newsletter things I had read that someone was making a vegetable juice and using it as a filler between meals - providing lots of nutrients - with fairly low calories. They claimed it was filling, but as pilgrimdude says, without the fiber it is hard to believe it sticks with a person. Plus, I just love the idea of experimenting with new combos - but maybe it just isn't worth it. I am sure it would become a dust collector.

I inherited a juicer.  Wouldn't have bought it myself.  I like it all right but I don't use it very often, mainly because it's kind of a pain to clean.  It is fun to try new kinds of juices, though.  Carrot-apple-lemon vodka is quite nice. 

I wouldn't take a juicer if someone gave it to me.  Juicing is just getting all the calories and most of the nutrition without the bulk or fibre in the fruit/vegetable to help slow absorption.  It will fill you up as soon as it goes in, but anything you put in your tummy that is water based without fibre is absorbed into your body through the stomach in 20-30 minutes tops.   You also get all the calories too, and they are all simple carbs akin to pure white sugar because you've removed the fibre and bulk of the fruit/vegetable.

Eat the food, juicing is just a scam to sell juicers!!!!

It a great way to get vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, enzymes, chlorophyll and quite a few other nutrients. While there's no fiber, (and I get plenty in all the other veg, nuts and seeds I consume) it does get into your blood stream almost immediately supplying cells, immune system and all the other benefits to our body. I drink a cup every morning before breakfast.....I actually get an adrenalin rush about 10 minutes later, quite amazing really. I recommend juicing to anybody, especially for people that tend to be chronic dieters, they could use it. 

Neander that's probably a sugar rush...lol.  You'd get all the same benefits and more from just eating the food.

Juicing is amazing! I bought my juicer about 6 months ago and I'm using it everyday. Obviously it is important to make sure you get lots of fibre in your diet so have plenty of whole fruits/veg too and whole grains etc. But there are lots of health benefits from juicing, from things I've read and just from doing it myself I know I'm a lot healthier. I have lost weight too, although that was not my main goal from getting the juicer.

What I love to make is a smoothie - I juice 1/4 fresh pineapple, handful or 2 of spinach, 1/2 lime and then blend this with 1/2 avocado! It's so filling and the perfect breakfast for me.

Really there are so many recipes you can make though, just remember that apples and carrots are perfect for adding sweetness to veggie juices. And it is true that juices really are filling. I usually don't feel hungry for ages after drinking a fresh veggie juice or smoothie and I don't get any cravings either.

Jason Vale's books are great for recipes and advice on juicing.

Original Post by johnnypenso:

You'd get all the same benefits and more from just eating the food.

 ^This

I just bought a juicer and I need some advice on the good and bad fruits and vegetables to use so I will not gain weight. Thoughts????????

*in a thick scottish accent*

It's a Juice Tiger!  I juice everything!

Sorry...couldn't help myself :-D

I bought one a few years ago, for some reason, and it was really expensive. They are also really hard to clean.  I used it once, it gathered dust for a few years, and finally I sold it on ebay.

They are definitely not worth it.  Eat the fruit.  It's much healthier.  The juice just contains all the sugar and water and none less of the good for you stuff.  Also it seems so wasteful!  What do you do with the leftover pulp?

If you are really that hung up on drinking your fruits/veggies, then puree them in a food processor or blender and add water!

I throw the pulps away. The reason I bought this juicer is I am going through the big “M” (menopause) anyway I have been eating sweets like crazy!!! When I juice the fruit it seems to cut my sweet urges. suggestions???