You’ve done it and I’ve done it as well…you just didn’t use those greens or herbs soon enough and now they’re a wilted, soggy, gooey mess. And even worse they’ll have to be thrown away. What a waste of money! I don’t like wasting money or food so I’ve tried many methods that are supposed to keep your greens fresher for longer, and I’ve finally found a method that works well for me. Since using this method, I have not had to throw away any of my fresh greens and herbs. Below are the steps I take to keep my leafy greens fresh as the day I bought them.

How To Store Your Greens To Keep Them Fresh & Crisp

These steps will work for all lettuces, dark leafy greens (ex: kale and collards), and rough herbs (ex: parsley and dill).

1.  Remove any rubber bands or elastic that is around the produce.

2.  Create a cold bath in your kitchen sink. I like to add a ½ cup of vinegar.  Veggie wash works just as well. This helps kill any harmful bacteria and gets rid of any other residue on your produce.

3.  Soak for about 20-30 minutes. Swirl the produce around a few times. If there is heavy dirt on your greens or lettuce, use your fingers or a soft bristle brush to remove it.

4.  To speed up the drying process, I use my trusty salad spinner. If you don’t have a salad spinner, consider getting one, because its a very useful kitchen gadget. Who wants to have wet salad leaves? Trust me, it will change your life

* If you don’t have a  salad spinner, make sure to towel dry completely and lay out for about 15 minutes on a paper towel.
Please note that you can reuse these paper towels. I like to leave them out to dry and use for the next time.
Now that you’ve thoroughly washed and dried your produce, you must properly store them. Proper storage is key to longer lasting fruits and vegetables.

5.  You can use ziploc containers, ziploc bags, store produce bags or green bags (ex: Evert Fresh bags) to store your greens and herbs. Wrap your lettuce, greens and herbs with paper towels. The paper towels will absorb moisture, preventing leaves from turning limp and/or moldy.

6.  Place into the bags or green bags and store in your refrigerator. If you are using a container, line the inside of your container with paper towels and place your greens inside. Place the lid on the container and refrigerate.

* Keep your greens closer to the front to prevent any freezing. If space is limited make sure the stems or tips are pointed towards the back, just in case any freezing occurs, you can just cut of the stems.

The benefit to following this procedure is that once you’ve washed and stored your produce for the week, it’s ready to use. It cuts the time down tremendously. All it takes is about 30 minutes once week or twice a week, depending on however many times you head to the grocery store or market.

Your leafy greens and herbs will keep up to a week, some will even keep up to two weeks.

*Special tip, if you’ve brought back semi wilted greens, you can soak them in cold water for 30 minutes or overnight. This method will help revive your greens.

 ”Learn how this technique can extend the life of your greens & herbs.” -Click To Tweet

This is the method I use and it works very well for me. Do you have a different method or technique to extend the life of your leafy greens and herbs? Please share below in the comment section.

I’m always hearing “I want to juice but organic produce cost so much”or “Juicing is too expensive”.   You may have heard statements like these or even said them yourself and the truth is, juicing can be expensive. However, using the tips I’ve provided you with may result in a much lower grocery bill at the end of the month. First lets go over the basics of organic vs conventional.

Here’s the deal with organic produce, rule #1 choose organic over conventional whenever possible. Here’s why. To get the healthiest most nutrient dense juice possible, you’ll want to buy organic. It’s important because pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and whatever-cides are heavily used on conventional produce. So what does this mean to us? In 1995 the USDA tested roughly 7,000 conventionally grown fruit and vegetable produce and found residue of 65 different types of pesticide, with 2 out of 3 samples containing pesticide residue. Pesticide residue have been shown to cause numerous long term health risks, such as cancer and birth defects, nerve damage, impaired fertility and more.

“Laboratory studies show that pesticides can cause health problems, such as birth defects, nerve damage, cancer, and other effects that might occur over a long period of time…” – EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency)

So by choosing organic produce over conventional, you are avoiding the harmful effects of pesticides, but also you are consuming higher quality foods that are higher in nutritional content. A 2001 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that organic produce contained 27% more vitamin C, 21% more iron and 29% more magnesium than conventional produce and much more.

How To Buy Affordable Organic Produce

I spend on average $25-$30 a week on organic fruits and vegetable and that’s for myself and my partner. I used to easily spend double that if not more at places like Whole Foods aka Whole Paycheck. Following these tips that I am going to share with you will help keep more money in your pocket and allow you to get much more for less than what you use to pay for.

Support Local Farmers

One of my local farmers market

The bulk of my fruits and vegetables come from my local farmers market. Its my favorite place to shop, because I get amazing deals and the fruits and veggies are so fresh. They are picked the day before, instead of weeks or even months before like in regular grocery stores. Nor do they come from other countries; many produce in grocery stores come from far away place like Mexico, Asia, Canada and South America.

Here are some tips while shopping at your local farmers market:

1. Prices are negotiable towards the end of the market.
2. If you shop there often, farmers will take care of you. Develop a relationship with your farmer. I’m a regular and I’m always given extra goods, 2 for the price of 1.
3. Buy in bulk. Discounts are given when you buy in bulk, anywhere from 20-30%. Apples, pears, carrots, beets and other fruits can be stored longer than leafy greens. I don’t eat all my berries, so I freeze them for later use.
4. Buy the ugly stuff often called seconds. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need a perfectly round apple. These fruits are often discount up to 50%. Seconds only means that the appearance is imperfect, but not the quality. If there is no sign, don’t be afraid to ask.

Some examples of what I bring in each week, click each image to see the full amount.

July-27 Farmers Market Hull

Sept-15 Farmers Market Hull

Oct-21 Farmers Market Hull total cost $24

The easiest way to find a local farmers market in your area is to Google search: [your city] [farmers market]

Join A CSA

Sample CSA Box

A CSA or community supported agriculture is another way you can buy local and seasonal foods directly from a farmer. Each week you’ll receive a box of fruits and vegetables, and other farm products may be included. All depends on the package you decide to select. Essentially its a weekly subscription of the freshest produce that is in season. Its a great way to try new vegetables for new ways of cooking.

To find a local CSA check out:

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

http://www.biodynamics.com/csa.html

http://www.buylocalfood.com

Grow Your Own Foods

My community garden plot

I like this option a lot. Its a great way to get outdoor exercise, sunshine (free vitamin D) and de-stress/relax. You can grow in your backyard and/or indoors. Even if you don’t have space there are other option like joining a community garden. I have a hydroponic system set up to grow herbs and I also joined a local community garden in my neighborhood in the great city of Chicago.

My Community Garden Plot

My Hydroponic Herb Garden

Gardening Resources – Home Gardening Course

Membership Warehouse Clubs

Here’s another option, you can become a member at Costco from $55/year. These warehouse stores allow for bulk buying at a discounted price. They contain a fair amount of organic produce that you can buy in addition to other household needs.

Dirty Dozen

If for some reason none of the above options are available to you, focus on purchasing these 12 fruits and vegetables organically. Every year for the past 8 years the Environmental Working Group (EWG) collects data on foods contaminated with pesticides. These 12 fruits and vegetables are found to have the highest amount of pesticides, so it is crucial to buy them organic.

“The most contaminated fruits, in alphabetical order, are apples, domestic blueberries, grapes, imported nectarines, peaches and strawberries.”

“The most contaminated vegetables are bell peppers, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes and spinach.” -EWG

 “Find out how to save money on organic produce.” – @GreenJuiceADay – Click To Tweet

The Bottom Line

These tips have worked for me, and if you implement them, I suspect it will work for you.

Have you implemented any of these strategies? Which one has worked for you? If you have any additional tips  to add to this let me know in the comments.

Oh, and don’t forget to share this on Twitter and Facebook.

Juicing FAQ

What greens are easiest to juice?

For beginners it’s best to start with spinach, swiss chard and lettuce. You can find a variety of lettuces in the supermarket and or farmers market. Some varieties are romaine, red leaf, green leaf, cos, boston etc. Avoid iceberg lettuce, they lack nutrients.

What can I add to sweeten my juices?

Many options are available, apples, pears, citrus, pineapples, carrots, plums, berries kiwi, lemon, limes, stevia and more. When you are first starting out, feel free to add as much apples and pears to make it suitable to your taste. Over time your taste buds will adjust and you’ll find that you wont need to add a lot fruits. Diabetics should stick to low glycemic fruits like apples and pears to sweeten their juices.

How fast or slow can I consume my juice?

A general-rule when you make your juice is to drink it right away; when exposed to light and oxygen nutrients begin to oxidize. If you are not drinking it right away store in an airtight mason jar for later consumption.

Can I refrigerate, how long?

You can refrigerate your juices, just place them in an airtight mason jar. Juices made with a masticating juicer can last up 2-3 days. If made with centrifugal juicers drink within 24 hours.

Why is juicing better than store bought juice?

Store bought juices like Naked and Odwalla are owned by Coca Cola and Pepsi, they don’t know anything about health. But really these juices are pasteurized, heated to the point where all the minerals, vitamins and nutrients are gone. They are loaded questionable ingredients and they are very high in sugar. Drinking those juices will cause your blood sugar to spike and then followed with a crash. Fresh juices provide natural energy, vitamins, minerals, living enzymes, nutrients and more. You can read more on the benefits of juicing here.

What are the best juice combos?

Keep it simple. Start with a base of celery and or cucumber or coconut water. Select one type of leafy greens and sweeten with fruit. An example, cucumbers, apples and parsley. Very easy and refreshing.

Is juicing enough or should I eat something with it?

Depends on your body. If you find that you are hungry after drinking your juice, feel free to add a light meal after. You can combine your fresh juice with fruits or a large vegetable salad. Drink your juice first and follow with food 15-20 minutes after.

What juice do you suggest for those with diabetes?

Green juices are perfect for diabetics. You can drink pure vegetable juices or you can sweeten with low glycemic fruits like green apples, green pears, limes & lemons. Stevia is also a great addition for diabetics. Make sure to consult your doctor beforehand.

What can I do with leftover pulp?

There are many ways you can use leftover pulp. You can create delicious flax crackers, muffins, cakes especially with carrot pulp. Additionally you can compost your pulp.

Fresh Organic Juice

Let’s face it, Americans are sick, overweight and have a multitude of health problems. The CDC reports that greater than 30% of the U.S. population is obese. Over the past 20 years there has been a constant decline in the health of our country. We are eating way more food than any other country, yet we are very undernourished, lacking necessary nutrients and minerals our body needs to function optimally. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found that Americans have failed miserably to meet the recommended daily allowances (RDA) for a multitude of vitamins and minerals. Take for instance potassium. Potassium is a necessary mineral for life, yet 90% of Americans are deficient. Potassium is necessary for the heart, kidneys and other organs to function properly, and helps regulate blood pressure. The CDC reports that 1 in 3 Americans have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke and kidney disease. I’ve only mentioned one mineral, however, you can see how critical vitamins and minerals are to our health.

There is a simple solution to this big problem. The solution is to include a variety of fresh organic fruits and vegetables in your diet. In our fast-paced society we often sacrifice health for what is easiest and quickest. Getting the daily allowances of fruits and vegetables can some times be difficult. The best way to fulfill those recommended daily allowances is through juicing. Let me make this clear before you head out to your local store and pick up a Naked juice or  an Odwalla bottle: when I say juicing I mean fresh juices that you make yourself or pick up from a juice bar. Products such as Naked and Odwalla are pasteurized (vitamins/minerals are cooked out), filled with sugar and other chemicals not beneficial to your body. Those sugar filled “fruit juices” are lacking in life force, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and many health properties fresh fruits and vegetable juice provide.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are low in fat and are key sources for essential nutrients. Research consistently shows that people who consume the greatest quantity of fruits and vegetables are about 50% less likely to develop cancer as those who eat little fresh fruits and vegetables.  Fruits and vegetables hold the key to preventing many modern diseases.

So why juice? It is impossible to eat in solid form the large amounts of fruits and vegetables required on a daily basis. Besides that who wants to sit there and eat 3 lbs  of greens, 10 apples, 2 whole heads of celery, 3 zucchinis, 1 whole watermelon etc. ? It’s nearly impossible to chew all those fruits and vegetables. You can achieve all that in 2 glasses of fresh juice. When you process the fruits and vegetables through a juicer, the juicer extracts all the fluids and nutrients from the solids. Fresh juices are quickly digested and assimilated by the body. Fresh juice is digested in a matter of minutes, with very little effort or exertion on the digestive system. This means once you consume your fresh juice, the vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals (plant  chemical compounds, like resveratrol, a natural cancer killer) and antioxidants are immediately available to your cells and tissues.  Solid foods have to be digested over many hours before nourishment becomes available to the cells and tissues of the body.

Top 13 Benefits of Juicing

1. Easy Assimilation enzymes, phytochemicals, vitamins, trace minerals are rapidly available for the cells and tissues in the body.
2. Extremely Hydrating our cells consist mainly of water, which is essential to proper cell function, hence they daily recommendations of 8 glasses of water a day. Juicing supplies the water you need to replenish lost fluids.
3. Promotes Alkalinity vital for proper immune function. Diseases, infections, inflammation, pain, cancer all thrive in an acidic environment.
4. Cleansing/Detoxifying helps the body remove toxins. Detoxifies the system and cleanses the digestive tract/colon.
5. Promotes Clarity clears the mind and balances your mood.
6. Natural Weight loss burn excess fat, fat stores harmful toxins.
7. Blast of Antioxidants counteracts the free radicals that can cause cellular damage, aging and susceptibility to cancers.
8. Natural Energy no crashing or burning, consistent energy.
9. Chlorophyll Rich chlorophyll has a similar structure to hemoglobin that allows it to enhance the body’s ability to produce more, which in turn enhances the delivery of oxygen to the cells. More oxygen to the cells, allows the system to function properly.
10. Healthier Hair, Healthy Nails, Clear Skin the minerals and vitamins in the fruits and vegetables provides a more youthful look.
11. Better Sex!!!
12. Preventative Medicine anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, healing, reverse chronic illness.
13. Better Sleep.

Now that you see some of the benefits of juicing, don’t wait any longer, head out and buy your juicer and fresh produce and get juicy. Visit here for free juice recipes

What’s A Green Juice?

Green Juice: Celery, Cilantro, Pineapple

A green juice consist of a combination of dark leafy green, green sprouts, other vegetables & fruits processed through a juicer. Green juice can also consist of a combination of various dark leafy greens and other vegetables, processed through a juicer. It has to be processed through a juicer, not a blender.

Why Should I Drink Green Juice?

Fresh organic green juices supply the body with loads of instant vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants (like SOD, superoxide dismutase,) and phytonutrients with in minutes of consuming.

Green juices contain large quantities of the green pigment known as chlorophyll. Research shows that chlorophyll is almost identical in molecular structure to hemoglobin. Hemoglobin, a molecule in the body, specifically a protein, transports oxygen to tissues and cells throughout the body. Oxygen is necessary for proper and efficient cell function. Providing the body with chlorophyll assist in the production of  healthy red blood cells. Chlorophyll also helps in the  regeneration of poor blood cells.

Chlorophyll has numerous benefits such as a natural detoxifier, cleanser, antiseptic, anticancer properties, intestinal regulation, internal deodorizer, cholesterol reducing, anti-inflammatory, regulating blood sugar and many more. With many of the population facing poor immune system function, chlorophyll is vital in aiding in immune system function.

Green juices are very alkalizing. Scientist, doctors, & researchers have found that diseases, illness and inflammation all thrive in an acidic environment. Flooding your body with alkalizing foods and liquids can easily reverse many health challenge prominent in today’s world.

What’s The Ratio of Fruit In Green Juices?

There is no specific rule on the amount of fruits to greens, its all in your hands. My suggestion for beginners is to start off with 60% fruits to 40% leafy greens and vegetables. Once you are use to juicing, start incorporating more leafy greens and vegetables, ideally 70% greens to 30% fruits. However, do the best you can.

What Kind of Greens Should I Use In My Green Juice?

Variety is key, never stick to one type of leafy green in your green juices. Mix things up. Leafy greens all have different nutritional components. Your body requires a full spectrum of vitamins, mineral and nutrients. If you use kale one day try collards the next day or add in more than one type of leafy greens. For beginners use leafy greens like spinach, swiss chard and lettuce (Romaine a very popular type, all lettuces are great except iceberg), they offer a much milder taste.

Leafy greens: Collard Greens, Kale (Purple, Lacinato, Curry, Green), Swiss Chard, Beet Greens, Dandelion Greens, Arugula, Spinach, Lettuces (all types except iceberg, it has practically no nutritional value) and many more.

Herbs: Parsley, Cilantro, Mint, Dill, Watercress, Ginger, Turmeric and many more:

Full list of ingredients to include in your green juice is at the end of this guide.

What Kind Of Fruit Should I Use In My Green Juice?

This is up to you, I recommend using fruits that you enjoy, except bananas (won’t juice well). Select firm fruits such as apples, pears, citrus fruits, pineapple, kiwi, cucumbers and berries etc.

Why Juice? Why Not Blend Or Chew The Greens?

Research shows that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is attributed to a degrease risk for many chronic diseases many Americans face. Yet less than 30% of the US population consumes 2 serving of fruit a day. Fruits and vegetables are filled with many essential nutritional elements needed by the human body. In-order to extract these fluids and nutrients, it is essential to juice them, this process breaks up the cell walls and separates the solids freeing up these valuable nutrients. Fresh juices are rapidly digested and assimilated by the body, in a matter of minutes. Minimal effort is required by the digestive system. Once consumed these vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes enter the body stream. Solid foods have to be digested over many hours before the nourishment becomes available to the cells and tissue.
Its impossible to eat in solid form the large amounts of apples, carrots, greens etc needed. It simple is impossible to eat in solid form the large amounts of fruits and vegetables in your glass. Lets face it in today’s world, many of us don’t have enough time to cook and eat such large quantities of fruits & vegetables.

Full detailed article on the benefits of juicing can be found here.

Top 10 Reasons To Juice
1. Best Way To Fulfill Daily Recommended Fruits & Vegetables
2. Rapid Intake & Assimilation of Vitamins, Minerals, Phytochemicals, Enzymes & Antioxidants In The Body.
3. Very Cleansing/Detoxifying (Assist In The Removal Of Toxins)
4. WEIGHT LOSS
5. Very Alkalizing (Diseases Thrive In Acidic Conditions)
6. Clears The Mind and Balance Mood
7. Improves Complexion
8. Increased ENERGY!!!
9. Improved Hair, Skin and Nails.
10. Overall Improved Health

An apple a day does not keep the doctor away, but a green juice a day will.

When Should I Drink My Green Juice?

I like to start my day with a quart of fresh green juice, however, if this is not possible its best to consume fresh juices before meals or a few hours after. This allows for proper assimilation of the vitamins and minerals in the juice. Eating a meal and then drinking juice slows down the absorption of nutrient in the juice. This also can cause indigestion, gas, and fermentation. Remember it only takes a few minutes for the body to absorb nutrients from the juice, drink it before a meal and you are all right.

How Much Green Juice Should I Drink Each Day?

I highly recommend at least a quart (equals a liter) of fresh juice a day. This will allow the body to experience a full blast of benefits. You can make a 16 oz juice in the morning and another 16 oz in the afternoon or evening. Get in a quart of fresh juice and you will easily surpass the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables.

What Kind of Juicer Do I Need?

This all depends on your budget, Juicers range from $90-$2500. An affordable and very easy juicer to use is the Breville Juicer, that’s under $150. However, the Breville isn’t the best with leafy greens. I’ve found that you get more yield of leafy greens with masticating juicers such as the Omega 8005. This juicer typically runs $280. The key is to use what you have now, and when you can invest in a higher end juicer go for it.
See this article for more details on the best juicer.

How Long Will My Green Juice Keep?

Ideally it is best to drink your juice shortly after it is made. Fresh juice begins to deteriorate over time, in-fact breakdown begins 30 minutes after it is pressed. More expensive juicers such as the Norwalk allow juices to keep for up to 3 days. Best rule is to drink within 24 hours, for those that have to prepare juice in advance.

Fantastic, now that you have the gist on green juice, get started and let me know how it all goes. If you have any comments or questions, make sure to leave them there.

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Remember, A Green Juice A Day Will Keep The Doctor Away!