how to use a juicer

How To Make Your Leafy Green Juice Taste Better

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Juicing leafy greens is one of the best and most healthy things you can do for your body. Leafy greens provide tons of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, chlorophyll, lutein and many other benefits. However, they are not the best tasting vegetable. But that shouldn’t stop you from taking advantage of their powerful healing properties. So I have compiled an easy list of things you can do to make a green juice that is made with leafy greens taste better.

 

First Up, The Granny Smith Apple

The granny smith is the king of apples when it comes to leafy green juicing. It’s the best choice because it has so much juice and it also has a delicious sour flavor which masks the kale or spinach taste. It’s got a touch of sweetness, but not too much. The sour flavor is really what you want when you’re drinking a green juice. It’s best to not try and make it too sweet. Sweet juices are better when you make a carrot, apple and ginger drink. Greens are best mixed with a sour component.

I use organic granny smith apples so that I can juice the skin. You don’t have to choose organic if you don’t have access to them or don’t have the money. However, if you choose a regular granny smith, it’s best to peel them. There can be a lot of pesticide residue on the skin and washing them is not going to get it 100 percent off. Organic stuff, especially stuff that comes from farms where they use less pesticides is easier to clean.

 

Next Up, The Organic Lemon

A lemon is another awesome flavor. It is really sour and if you add it with the granny smith apple, your leafy greens will end up tasting almost like a lemonade. I really suggest finding organic lemons because so much of the lemons flavor is in the skin. The oil in the lemon skin is what gives it such a powerful flavor. You should still scrub it clean with soap and a brush though.

Some people have found that Meyer lemons are a bit sweeter. I prefer regular lemons, but Meyer lemons are also fine if you want a tiny touch of sweetness to counterbalance the tartness and sourness of the apple and lemon.

Lemon skin is super good for you, and it’s also incredibly flavorful. In case you have not yet picked out your first juicer and are still trying to decide on the best model, I highly recommend getting a auger model. The are the best juicers for leafy greens, but also most fruit and veggies. Lemon skins, for instance, need to be crushed and squeezed to get the flavor out, not diced like some juicer do with small sharp blades. Here’s my complete article on the best juicer for leafy greens.

 

Finally, Cranberries

Ok, so cranberries are super tart, but they are also really healthy and will completely cover and kale or spinach flavor, or even the dreaded wheatgrass flavor! Of course, if you use cranberries I always suggest adding an apple because they are just so sour.

Buy a bag of organic cranberries and wash them, soak them , then let them dry on a paper towel. Then juice them. They are crunch when raw and they give a beautiful juice. It’s not like the cranberry cocktail you might be used to. Real cranberry is super sour. It’s used to fight kidney infections, and it also has loads of anti-oxidants.

Ok, so those are the three methods I used to make kale and spinach juices taste much better. If you are going to be juicing leafy greens on a regular basis it would be a good idea to also stock organic lemons, granny smith apples, and cranberries. They last longer than kale and spinach (which wilt quickly) so you don’t have to worry about not using them.