Once considered the drink of drop-outs and hippies, confined to earthy-smelling health food shops and co-ops, the juice revolution has swept the nation. Now available at such trendy places as Jamba Juice and even sold in pedestrian grocery stores, the fresh vegetable and fruit juice movement is now a common part of American life. Read on for tips to learn how to be a part of this healthy revolution.

If you are juicing greens that are dark and leafy, add a cucumber. This is because most of the dark greens have a strong, unpleasant taste. Cucumber can mask the taste and also add a refreshing twist to your juice. Cucumber also contains important nutrients; include the peel for maximum benefit.

If you want your juice to be very smooth and free of pulp, try using a coffee filter or cheese cloth to strain it after it comes out of the juicer. Also keep in mind that the softer the produce used, the thicker the juice tends to be for example, tomato juice.

If you're making carrot juice, here's a little tip to give it a better, more interesting flavor. Try adding cilantro! It has a nice, refreshing, satisfying aspect that compliments the sweetness of carrot juice. If you're bored with your normal carrot juice recipes, why not give it a try? It's quite good.

The biggest key in juicing is curiosity. Wanting to try new foods, things you've never even heard of before, will make your journey more tasty and exciting! Explore international produce markets to find vegetables and fruit that could change your life forever. Look online to research what vitamins and nutrients they contain.

Freshly made juice should be drunk before meals. Drink your juice an hour before a meal for best results. By drinking the juice on an empty stomach, your body will absorb more of the nutrients from the mix. The added benefit is that you will reduce your hunger and, therefore, eat a lighter meal.

It's important to juice wheatgrass as our bodies can't actually process the plant fibers contained in it. I like to include wheatgrass in my apple/ginger/orange juice, but you can come up with a hundred more recipes that make great use of wheatgrass and it's wonderful earthy flavor. Give it a try!

In regards to juicing, it is important to consider the fact that vegetable juice tastes sweet but at the same time will help you keep your blood sugar under control. This is especially important for both those that enjoy sweet foods and for those that have an issue with their blood sugar levels.

The juicing movement is on the rise but it hasn't come far enough. The undeniable benefits of the raw juice of fruit and vegetables are essential to improving the overall health of the American public. With the increase of home juicers and the information coming out from National Cancer Institute's about the benefits to long-term health from fruit and vegetables we will start to see more people join the juicing movement.