Extracting juice from fruits and vegetables is an easy and affordable way to get vitamins, minerals and nutrients into a consumable form. Both adults and children can benefit from this simple process, making a healthy lifestyle even more accessible. Whether juicing with a hand-operated grinder, a home kitchen appliance, or a commercial device, the benefits will be obvious and immediate.

Drink your juice on an empty stomach, such as first thing in the morning or about half an hour before a meal. This allows your system to better absorb the nutrients in your juice, without the interference of other foods. Juice drunk on an empty stomach can enter your system in as quickly as thirty minutes.

Using a green vegetable for your juicing is a surefire way to ensure that you're receiving adequate health benefits. You will want your juice to be in the range of 50-75 percent chard, broccoli, spinach or any type of similar vegetable in order to achieve ultimate health benefits. The rest of your juice should be made with delicious fruits that will help give your juice a great overall taste.

When making carrot juice, make absolutely sure to get fresh, healthy carrots. Signs of old carrots are rubberiness, limpness, wilted tops, and excessive cracking. Look for carrots that have a full color, are firm to the touch, and have green, leafy tops. These carrots will produce the freshest, sweetest juice.

If you are trying to make sure you stick with your healthy new juicing habit, make sure that the juice machine stays on your kitchen counter at all times. Out of sight, out of mind is especially true when it comes to trying to form new habits. By making sure your juicer is always in plain sight, you will be more likely to remember to use it every day.

The best kind of juicer to buy is one that will masticate the juice. This will allow you receive more of the natural vitamins, as well as let you store the juice for longer periods of time with out ruining anything. These types of juicers will basically “chew” the food till it is in juice form.

Wheat-grass has many health benefits such as cleansing the lymph system, and removing toxic metals from your cells. You can only ingest wheat-grass through juice, so juicing can be extremely beneficial. Be careful because wheat-grass does have a very strong taste. It is best to start out a little at a time. Each time you juice, just gradually add a little more.

Beware of too much oxalic acid. If you have a history of kidney stones, gout, osteoporosis or rheumatoid arthritis you will aggravate your symptoms. Foods to avoid are spinach, chard, beets and rhubarb. You also have to remember not to combine them, or follow them with foods high in calcium, such as broccoli.

Using these tips will ensure a smooth transition from taking fruits and vegetables at “face value” and turning them into an easily consumable liquid form. Your family, friends and co-workers will thank you for introducing such a healthy habit to an ordinary day. Juicing is an easy, fun and beneficial addition to any lifestyle.