This whole week, I’ve been talking about making changes to various parts of my skincare (toning and using a cream/milk cleaner) with great success. The primary reason I’ve had to do this is because last month, my skin decided to throw a tantrum. I had terrible acne and clogged pores on the lower half of my face – one of the worst episodes I’ve seen since I got my skin under control. I remembered my previous experience when this happened, where I found that what my food intake can also have an effect on my skin. Over the Chinese New Year festivities, a lot of food was consumed, mostly not very healthy and significantly lacking in fibre and greens.
So when I got home and settled back into my routine, I sat down and decided that I had to do something about my fibre intake and I hit on the idea of making juices with fruits and vegetables. I looked it up online and its a really really huge thing. There are blogs and websites dedicated to just juicing! But I ran into a problem.
I don’t have a fruit juicer! I thought about picking up one, but there were so many things to think about – did I want a slow juicer or a normal juicer? Did I want something that was pricey or could I make do with something cheap? How long could I keep this up for before I fall off the bandwagon?
It was about then that I remembered I had a blender. So I looked up information online and it turns out, blending fruits and vegetables has its own niche and following too! Gosh, is there nothing that no one is an expert on online? :P
For the past 2 weeks, I have been blending a fruit (and sometimes vegetable) drink almost daily and I have to say, I really enjoy it! Not only that, I believe I’m getting health and beauty benefits too :D
I usually do a mixture of about 3 fruits – apples, oranges, plums, bananas, blueberries – anything I fancy from the night market where I pick up my weekly fruit ration. I also read a lot about “green juices” where the basic ingredient is anything green, as they are supposed to be better for health. So I’ve also experimented with broccoli and cucumber.
It isn’t as bad as it sounds actually. I found that broccoli has very little taste and if you add it with a stronger tasting fruit like oranges and a dash of lemon juice, its very palatable. The problem I had was with the texture. You see, I use a blender not a juicer, so I take in a lot of fibre and fruit pulp along with the juice. It is pretty much like downing a smoothie – the “juice” is thick and I can even chew it sometimes.
Broccoli, as I learnt, has a lot of fibre and blends very thickly so it became hard to drink and I ended up having to strain it to get the juice. As I said, it was nice, but I’m going to stick to eating my broccoli from now on. If you have a juicer, you can go ahead and juice the broccoli because what you get is the juice extract and the fibre is strained away.
I don’t usually eat cucumbers (I dislike the taste) but I found that I did not mind them very much in a drink. Using a blender did not render too much pump as a cucumber isn’t a very fibrous fruit (or vegetable?!) to start with. I also found that adding a dash of lemon to a cucumber + apple drink is very refreshing!
So, I’ve been having a lot of fun the past 2 weeks concocting different drinks every evening. I found that adding a banana makes the drink smoother and very much like a smoothie without having to add yogurt or ice cream (I don’t take dairy products) and is also delicious. I read that using avocado has the same effect but I don’t quite like avocado.
I also found that I liked the blended juice. I don’t blend it too smooth so I can have bits to chew on and this way, I feel that there’s no wastage. Using a blender is also much easier and quicker – I only have to wash the blender as opposed to taking apart a juicer. We used to have one when I was growing up and after the novelty wore off, it was hardly used because it was such a hassle to clean. Not so with a blender.
What I’ve noticed in this 2 weeks of this small lifestyle change is quite encouraging:-
- I can eat a light dinner and then follow up with a nice glass of blended fruit and vegetable juice. If you are trying to lose some of that post festive season weight, this is quite helpful. I don’t believe in meal replacement (I enjoy my food too much) so I cut down on my portions instead so I get the best of both worlds :)
- It helped me go to the toilet more regularly mostly due to the larger fibre intake. I don’t eat quite enough fruits and vegetables daily especially when I eat out, so this way, I ensure that I take in some fruits and vegetables daily.In every glass of juice is at least 3 fruits – I couldn’t eat them all whole – it would fill me up too much. However, its easy to down them in a glass.
- My skin is looking better. The mess that was my deformed looking chin that was covered with acne, clogged pores, and stubborn spots is almost normal now bar one or two that have taken up permanent residence. My overall skin too looks better. I think the daily infusion of vitamins from the fruits and vegetables is certainly helping boost skin and overall health.
I think I could quite easily keep this up for the long term :D
Are you a juicing proponent or have you tried it? Do you use a juicer or a blender?
This is actually my first time trying this on a long term basis and as I’ve said, I’ve noticed benefits already in just 2 weeks. I do prefer using primarily fruits although I do add the odd cucumber for the vegetable quotient. I don’t know what other vegetables I could use. If you have suggestions or favourite recipes, please do share! I’m game to try something new :D
Paris B
Oooo! Yeah I think blending would be better than juicing too, then you don’t lose out on the fibre. Gotta try doing this too!
That’s what I figured! Plus the fibre gets cut up so its much easier to digest and process too :) Hope you have fun playing around with your fruits and veges :)
I’m suffering with chin acne too! I should try this, although I will just stick to buying from the many juice stalls in Singapore.
I do take yoghurt daily as my breakfast though, I’m not sure if that is causing my acne because when I was home for CNY, my pimples really cleared up maybe because I didn’t eat any dairy…
Just make sure they don’t add sugar into your drinks :) I have cut out diary from my diet, thanks to lactose intolerance and I do think it helps reduce the spots problem. I’ve been learning that dairy isn’t all that good for our bodies, or even for babies so I don’t miss it much anymore :)
Here’s a completely green recipe for you, PB!
Cucumber, celery, green capsicum, small bittergourd, green apples. Works wonders for bringing down high blood pressure and detoxifying. I think it’s helped clear up some of my eczema too!
Ooh thanks for the recipe, Rinnah! I wonder how that’d go in a blender because of all the veges but its worth a try (my tummy gave an involuntary whimper at the sight of small bittergourd!)
I really want to get back into drinking more homemade juices/smoothies. I prefer drinking them in the spring or summer when the weather is warmer.
During the winter, I prefer drinking hot tea~ Hehe
But I haven’t tried using veggies. Cucumbers sound like a good first experiment.
Definitely try starting with cucumber. It has a lot of liquid and it will blend up nicely. To be honest, most vegetables I’ve tried including into my drinks don’t taste of anything! I like using oranges as a base flavour because its so tangy and sweet, it hides the taste of the veges :)
I love juices and can probably live on it! I too am planning to buy a new blender very soon hopefully this weekend! I usually have fruit juices whenever i go for walk, they are fulfilling plus give that extra boost of energy which is always needed :)
Haha I dont think I could live on them but I most certainly enjoy using juices to supplement my diet :D A fun way to add a dose of healthiness into our lives :D
I think my friend used spinach for juicing, and because it is a tender vegetable, it should taste okay :) – I also know that my Mom uses celery sometimes. I need to get myself a blender or juicer pronto…I do love fresh fruit and vegetable juices but I don’t have a blender here…
Many recipes I read did call for spinach but I think they mean the western spinach which has “juicier” leaves as opposed to the local spinach we get here that’s more fibrous. I’m going to try and see anyway. I wanted to try celery but it was surprisingly pricey at the pasar malam! I’m going to try looking for it in supermarkets where hopefully they aren’t as pricey.
I’ve learnt that there a several types of spinach. There’s the “heng chye”, which is more fibrous, and then there’s “poay leng”, which is more tender, and is recommended for babies and toddlers. I believe “poay leng” is also suitable for juicing, and this is the spinach with the “antler-like” leaves.
As for celery, yeah, I think supermarkets will have great deals for them…:)
Ahhh learning something new today! I didn’t know that ‘poay leng’ is a spinach family! I love it! :D
It really is a good idea, I’ve got a blender too but don’t get much used of it, I’m kinda picky with vegetables, but blended you almost don’t taste them, I should get back to do some juices!
Keep posting your journey in the juicing world, and some recipes you find good tasting please! eheheh
xxx
You’re right you know. Veges once blended or juiced, don’t really taste of anything! I do like eating veges in general but putting them in a juice just makes it a little more fun :) I will try to share some recipes once I actually get the hang of it. At the moment, I’m just throwing anything I have in my fridge into the blender! Some taste nice, some have been… awful! :P
I have been meaning to start making myself fruit and vegetable smoothies/juices daily or at least regularly for some time but ahhh–I keep putting it off :/ Really need to start–hearing about all your success from this routine has me feeling like I really need to step it up!! I also like the idea of using a blender too–I’ve always liked my juices pulpy and there are a lot of great nutrients in the pulp too that many people toss for some reason. I think it’s great! :)
No better time than the present, Becca! Using a blender has made it easy for me because I chop everything up, toss into the blender, blitz, pour and wash up. Doesn’t take 5 minutes! A juicer will take longer because of the many parts but I think it gives more variety. That said, I like chewing on the pulp so I’m not terribly fussed about the gunky texture of my drinks :D
I’m a big fan of juicer and fruit juice. Used to take it daily then down a mug of plain oats before I head off to work. This is because I’m not a morning person so I’ve limited time to clean up, dress up and quickly have a nutritious but filling breakfast. Juicer strains the pulp so you get clear juice. I live cucumber juice but like you, I dislike eating on its own. I love your blended juice idea and the creativity in mix and match! I can imagine the juice will be richer thanks to the fibre. Only thing is my mum dearest is the one that prepares the juice for me and she’s not used to the idea of blended fruit juice. Anyhow there was a period of time when I was depressed and stressed that I had irregular meal intake. As a result I’ve developed digestive problems. I stopped taking fruit juice due to that. I miss having my morning fruit juice. Oh well. Hopefully I nurse my tummy back to good state and I’ll make my blended concoctions! Thanks for sharing this delicious beauty idea.
What a healthy breakfast you have! I thought of doing it in the morning but realised that I couldn’t. Not if I wanted a bit of sanity in the mornings LOL So I just down a bowl of oats and head out the door, then do my juices in the evenings when I have a little more luxury of time. Maybe you can try that and your tummy won’t get so aggravated?
I’ve stumbled onto juicing by accident when I had a load of going to turn bad fruits, easiest way to clear them was to blend them all into a drink. Surprisingly, the Rojak drink tasted great. Started to experiment and learnt more from friends too.
You are right, adding a banana into the drink does make the drink more fragrant and it is a natural sweetener and hides yeeky tasting stuff better. Try not to use bananas like Del Monte types as they are cooling. I always use Ang Bak Jio (literally translated into red flesh). Ask your local fruit seller for it. They are good for making banana muffins too.
I added low fat milk at times but was told such juices should go with non-dairy products better, like unsweetened soy milk or almond milk.
The veges I’ve added in are usually butterhead lettuce, organic caixin (really quite nice), celery, tomatoes, pea sprouts, broccoli, wheatgrass (mega yucks) etc. try to go for organic veges as you are consuming them raw. Oh yes, red dragonfruit is very nice blended too!
Hmm I didn’t now about the different types of bananas! I know which are “ang bak jio” so I’ll look for them the next time I’m at the night market :D I was eyeing some red dragonfruit too last round, so I might pick that up next time. Full of antioxidants, yay! Thanks for all the tips, Karen :D As a novice to the juicing/blending world, its good to learn from the pros ;)
Hi Paris
Since January, I have also been breaking out ALOT along my jawline! I struggle with uneven skin tone,blemishes from previous acne and a couple of new acne during that time of month. This recent breakout is killing me! Will definitely give blended juice/veggie drinks a try, hope it will help clear up my skin too!
Since November, I have been slowly replacing my skincare from Laboratoire Dr Renaud to Sothys. I hope I am not having a reaction to Sothys, they are expensive and recently increased their prices too. Initially Sothys was helping to brighten my dull skin (one of the reasons I decided to stop using Laboratoire Dr Renaud, after 7 years), but now I am not sure what I am going to do.
I guess I will reevaluate in 6 – 9 months, when I finish their products to see if I want to try something else all together, though given my acne-prone, sensitive skin, trying new skincare is too nerve-wracking! I also have no idea what brand to try….sigh…so lost…
Hi June, I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve been battling breakouts! I know how horrible it is because I felt terrible the last time I experienced it too! If your breakouts started at around the same time as your switch to Sothys, it might just be that but its hard to say. If you are having stress in your life or work or insufficient sleep or aren’t eating well, it all adds up too. The last time I had a breakout along my jawline I attributed it to my food and health (my post is here). Try to avoid fried/oily foods, chocolate, dairy and gluten and see if it helps you. Also take more fruits and veges too – it’ll be good for health and internal plumbing :) I hope your skin clears up soon, June!
I used to make my own orange juice or blend strawberries but that was a loong time ago. I would like to do it again and make myself my protein shakes and morning orange juice… I dont have juicer nor blender but I would love to!
Time to get yourself one, Catherine :) I would love to blend strawberries too but they’re expensive here! Maybe for a little treat I’d pick up a box this weekend. But then if I do, I’d just eat them up, why blend? :D
Bananas and strawberries are good, together with crushed ice. We’ve been having lots of grapes and berries lately. The antioxidants and vitamin boost have been helping with my skin a lot too. My pimple marks have lightened much faster, and it’s just so much easier drinking it. We use a blender instead of a juicer. We (hubs and kids) take all the fibre as well, which is supposed to be better.
That sounds like a lovely recipe, thanks for the idea :) I have read that proponents of blending juices say taking in the fibre is better too. Also, as far as I’m concerned, why waste something good? :)
I love fresh juices! I don’t have a juicer, but I blend everything and make smoothies. I think that not only is it delicious, it feels healthy. Here in Europe getting fresh juice when you go out out is not only rare but ridiculously overpriced, so I happily make it at home!
Yay for smoothies! Fresh fruit juices and smoothies are pricey here too while whole fruits are much more affordable so it makes so much more sense to make them at home :) Do you have any nice recipes to share, Sofia? :)
I’ve a juicer at home (hubby bought one for me when we’re still dating), it’s been sitting on my kitchen counter for years but I’ve used it a few times so far! When I want my juice, I go to the juice bar next to the office. I’m allergic to fresh apples, pears and citrus fruits give me heartburn! I usually have cut cucumbers, carrots and capsicums for my afternoon snacks. I LOVE cucumbers ;)
You know what? You’re only the 2nd person I know who’s allergic to apples! For a fruit lover, its a tragedy hearing you can’t take all those fruits but I guess as with everything, you will adapt to prefer certain foods over others. I can’t eat capsicums, personally. Gives me gas and messes up my digestion :P
I started juicing regularly (daily)last year when I got pregnant. That time my sensitive skin got worse and red bumps kept sprouting and my skin got much much drier. Beside using a rich moisturizer, I tried juicing and in just few days I could see results and I feel so much more energized.
Do check out Hurom juicer, I use this as home and its so easy to clean and use.
Hey, Reese interestingly, when I was looking up slow juicers, the one that popped up was Hurom. I was quite keen on it but gosh! Its pricey :P I started blending to see if I could get into the hang of it before I invested in a juicer but I can now see how sometimes, a juicer can get more out of a fruit or vegetable than a blender. And sometimes, we just want the juice. I guess I’ll have to look into the Hurom juicer
What a coincidence! I’ve been juicing / blending the past 2 weeks too :-) But I tend to mostly do it over the weekends. I have a cheap Philips juicer and a regular blender. I’ve been juicing pak choy, cucumbers, celery, bitter gourd (no kidding), apples, carrots, etc. I plan to get a Breville Juice Fountain as I’ve heard that it’s quite a good juicer.
Oh snap! :) I gave pak choy a try after you mentioned it and it didn’t taste of anything! I blend though so it was just all chopped up into little bits which goes down more easily. I haven’t come across the Breville, because everyone was talking about the Hurom, but I’ll let you try it and see how it fares! :D
On the contrary, I prefer to munch on the fruit or vege itself, getting the original taste of the food itself. Ocationally, I do buy from the stalls but not too often partially because it trigger my gastric problem at times if I consume too much fruit juices. However, I agree that we normally do not consume enough fresh nutrients & fibre everyday and blended juice is a best choice to replenish those. A point to note that freshly blended juices should be consume soonest so that the vitamins is not lost.
cheers…:)
I eat fruits whole too :) just that I realized I don’t get enough just eating them, because its far too filling to eat more than one at any one go. I usually blend and drink right away. Can’t waste all that goodness ;)
Recently, I got into the green juice hype. Since I don’t have a juicer, I use a blender and then strain the juice. It is too thick otherwise. I blend spinach, kale, celery, ginger, green apples, pears and mint. It is fibre rich and refreshing, but even though it doesn’t taste bad, I cannot say it tastes good. ;)
I think vegetables really bulk up the juice in the blender and straining it is probably the best way unless we use a super powerful blender. A friend just bought one such powerful blender, and it totally pulverized celery and made it drinkable! So maybe for the long term, we’d have to consider that ;)
How did I miss this post? It has to be one of my favorites (of too many to count) because it incorporates beauty into our diets :). I’ve never tried juicing for health but I do blend juices occasionally since I have a blender. I actually like vegetables (though not all) and so I didn’t feel the need to cover up their unique flavors with fruit :).
I can’t wait to catch up on your juicing posts or just your journey!
Thanks so much, Paris! I am so excited to try this.
Yes! We have to be beautiful inside out because if we didn’t look after our insides, it’ll show on the outsides :D I still haven’t quite gotten the hang of drinking my vegetables as opposed to eating them so I prefer to use fruit in my drinks. Above all, its super fun! I’ll try to share more as I go along once I have some sort of routine :D