Juicing/Vitamix...getting More Fruits and Veggies. ADIVCE!

I have neither but I think the vitamin would be better because of the fact you can blend whole veggies and get all fiber and every out of them. And you can do shakes and such that a juicer can't

http://blenderlady.com

The Vitamix Blender lady has a big following. I have a Vitamix, but am intimidated by it! I want to start using it this year since my kids like it. That site will be my resource.

Pinterest also has a Vitamix page with photos and recipes.

I agree it's better to have a juicer where you can keep the pulp and keep the fiber (the WHOLE vegetable or fruit). Otherwise, you are just left with a whole lotta SUGAR if you remove the fiber.

juicing alone doesn't give you all the nutritious fiber that a vitamix or blend-tec will give you. i've become such a green smoothie girl that i CRAVE my morning smoothie, something my veggie-averse younger self would never have believed!
i still don't like them super veggie-flavored, though. my main goal is to pack in plenty of dark green leafies every day. so i get good fresh organic kale or spinach (i like to mix 'em up. don't care for chard, though) and throw in a generous handful. then half a frozen banana, handful of other frozen fruit (i pick or buy fresh and freeze all summer long so my freezer is stocked for winter). a dash of OJ because i've got a sweet tooth. top off with cold water. i let it sit for a few minutes because my blend-tec is wimpy compared with the vitamix and won't really liquify the frozen banana straight out of the freezer. because of my health issues (overweight and high cholesterol) i add organic beetroot powder, ground organic flaxseed and raw hemp protein powder to mine. my dh doesn't get all that stuff because he doesn't have those issues and they're expensive!
then i run it through 2 cycles to make sure it's well smooshed, and ahhhhh, liquid health. i can feel my cells waking up and stretching as i suck it down.
:) khairete
S.

In my experience, juicing is fun for some and frustrating for others - you spend a lot on a machine, but by the time you experiment with flavors and try to find extra time to wash/peel/pulverize veggies, the morning gets away from you. Most of the people I work with give up after a month or less. A lot of it depends on your motivation and your level of organization. My son does it and finds it manageable - he's also willing to just throw the whole strawberry in there (green top and all) and he rarely peels veggies, so it's quick, but most of his friends balk at it. He mixes flavors like cocoa and kale which most people don't think of.

The added problem is that, unfortunately, our vegetables don't contain the nutritional value they used to 20 and 30 years ago. So it's not as healthful as you might think. By the time you pay for a vegetable that is not in season and ship it 1500 miles (the AVERAGE distance every food item travels to get to your plate, more in the winter), and it's been stored and gassed to maintain its color and prevent rot, you're not getting as much as you think.

That's why it's actually more effective to add vitamins, minerals, trace elements and fiber in a patented formula that has very high absorption. There are a few companies that really start with the highest quality ingredients ahead of time, with high degrees of testing for purity, and a guaranteed shelf life. We do this (including my juice-making son who also has the benefit of the same training I have) and get much more benefit.

After watching FSND, I was also gung-Ho to juice. However, I invested in a vitamix a couple years ago and I wasn't so gung-ho on spending hundreds on yet another appliance. If your true goal is to only juice then possibly think of buying a used one on craigslist so you can get the hang of it and truly see if that's the route for you. I have to say with a vitamix, I use it to make not only smoothies but soups/sauces, hummus and my favorite, coconut milk. I'm health conscious and food allergic so having a machine that I can make a variety of things with is good for me. But a huge bonus is that you CAN make a fresh juice with the vitamix as well! All you need is a strainer and a nut milk bag (mesh like bag similar to cheesecloth and very inexpensive on amazon). I blend up all the ingredients I need (and the vitamix is so powerful it blends whole lemons and any seeds in fruits you are using etc.), put a strainer over a liquid measuring cup, put the nut milk bag in the strainer and pour the mixture in the bag. Most of the juice drains into the cup but you can also squeeze the bag for the rest. This is so much easier than any juicer I've seen (I borrowed my SIL very expensive Breville and I can truly attest my method is easier still). You can even re-blend the pulp left in the nut milk bag for more juice! Good luck!

i have lost 50lbs juicing the past 4 months. I had a traditional juicer but my schedule is crazy so I got a nutribullet and LOVE IT! now its a tad thicker as you have nothing extracted but you use less veggies and get all the skin and everything so all the nutrients!! There is tons of recipes. My favorite for breakfast is orange and carrot. Wakes you up you can even put in some of the emergen c. On the mean green I tweaked it. I do not like ginger so I do just 2 kale leaves, cucumber, pear, green apple and celery. I have a group on fb that I am getting going for jucing. Been slacking a bit BUT feel free to message me and I will get you the link :)

Juice is nice but the fiber that's discarded is good for you too.
My husband got a Nutribullet blender for me for Christmas.
It is extremely easy to use and easy to clean.
It doesn't take up a lot of space on my counter.
There are lot's of smoothy recipes but you can make up what ever sounds good to you.

http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2013/07/11/why-your-friend-...

I have both. I like them both for different things. Having a vitamix is more like having a blender, so I like it for making smoothies and things- as others said you have the whole fruit/veggie in there and I like that, as well as being able to add yogurt to it.

But I don't always like having a smoothie, it's very filling and sometimes I just like having juice- so does my family. So I like the juicer for that. The con is that the pulp is removed. The pro is that you can get more fruits/veggies out of it. Meaning, if I make a smoothie, I can put in a handful of strawberries, blueberries, whatever but since it's the whole fruit it takes up more space. With the juicer, it's crazy how much fruit goes into it. So on those days, I feel better about how much more fruit and vegetable I have gotten the nutrients out of. Make sense?

So it depends what you will really use it for. If your family likes smoothies and you would do more with that, get the vitamix. You can also make soups and other things.

If you like the idea of using a ton of produce and like juice better, get the juicer! Or get both if you want to mix it up.

I am glad that I have both. Both neither was cheap, and neither is the produce to put in them! But we do feel healthier and I like that.

Good luck!

We bought a Breville after watching Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, which is what he has (although I don't think our model is as hearty as his). I love it. At first, we bought a much cheaper one and the pulp was drippy. The machine clearly didn't extract as much juice as it should. So we took it back and bought a more expensive one. By combining coupons at Macy's and getting it on sale, we paid less than half - about $10 more than the cheaper one I had gotten.

One downside is that the machine takes a long time to clean, and you have to clean it right away to keep it in good working order. So build that into your plan - it takes about 5 minutes each time you use it and there are days when that part keeps me from doing it.

We juiced for several weeks (not %100 - breakfast and lunch). I loved it - I lost a lot of weight, never felt hungry, and really enjoyed the flavors. I add chia seeds for an extra boost. You don't get as much fiber by just drinking, so I saved the pulp from the juicer and incorporated it into pasta sauces, meatloaf, rice pilaf, etc. A lot of people have strong opinions about juicing, but if you pay attention to your whole diet, it can be a very healthy part of eating.

I have leared a lot from the below blog. I think smoothies are more beneficial and they tast much better. IMO. Check out the blog for her glowing green smoothie recipe.

http://kimberlysnyder.net/blog/

Another product for you to check into is the Greens by It Works! Global. Awesome product; 1 serving of Greens is the equivalent of 8+ serving of fruits & veggies! I take them every single day & you wouldn't believe the benefits I've seen.
As far as smoothies go i usually have one a couple times a week. Mine are fairly simple: yogurt, frozen fruit, protein powder, Greens (or some spinach/other leafy greens). Yummy!

***Disclaimer: I am an Independent Distributor with It Works! I also personally take Greens every day. I'm not trying to sell you anything (though i won't say no ;-)). Just trying to give you some info. Feel free to pm me for more info.
Happy New Year!

If you buy one, I'd look for a used one on eBay. I know so many who have bought one but never really took to juicing.

I've done Nutribullet blasts for about a year, so I know that I would actually use a Vitamix.

I used to have a larger more expensive juicer and now.......... I have the nutribullet, which you can buy at Target.. If you don't like it, you can return it. However, I just love mine.. it's so easy to use and the clean up is just as easy.... I've had it for a year now and we use it all the time...
I make smoothies and usually use, spinach, green apple, celery, add flax seeds, frozen raspberries and squeeze in fresh lime or lemon, add ICE cold water and BAM!!!! so yummy... I don't mind the GREEN taste.. I'll even juice just spinach or kale and water.... but if you prefer less green.. then add other items.. you can even do ones like banana, peanut butter, coconut water... add ice...
have fun with it..
Also, the nutri-bullet comes with a juice booklet.. they have lots of ideas in it..
I believe it's cheaper to buy it at Target than on t.v..... OH and IF you do buy it at Target, check the inside to make sure it wasn't previously opened and returned!

good luck

I have the Vitamix and have stopped using it. It just feels like too much work. It does a variety of things but I rarely cook. If I'd had room to keep it on the counter I think I'd use it more.

I bought a Nutibullet and returned it because it wouldn't liquify solids such as apples and carrots.

There are several different brands that make smoothies and liquify fruits and vegetables as well as the same things the Vitamix does that cost much less. I'm sorry I didn't do more research before I bought the Vitamix.