Change on Tuesday 30 April 2013: Fruit/Juice?

My husband gave me a juicer for my birthday and it has been GREAT, if I've had any leftover fruit that's a bit mushy I've turned it to juice. I juiced leftover rainbow fruit kebabs from my dinner party (by the way rainbow fruit = brown juice); I've juiced up celery, carrot and even kale for a fast dose of vegetable vitamins in the morning.

One of the things I like about my juicer is I don't lose perspective on just how much is going in. If I put three kiwi fruits, an apple, and a bunch of spinach in there and get one small glass of juice I understand that although it's fast to consume that drink is still a sizeable snack.

This is the problem that we encounter with the bulk juice a lot of families buy from the supermarket. Even if you're buying the freshly squeezed variety (don't even get me started on the nutritional content of supposed fruit 'drinks') if you drink the juice regularly throughout the day in addition to your daily meals there that's a lot of extra sugar and energy you're consuming which you may really not need.

My suggestion? Unless you are having a glass of freshly squeezed in place of a snack or meal reach for a whole piece of fruit instead for less sugar, and more fibre in your daily diet.

A good test to ask yourself is this.... One glass of OJ is made from the juice of about 3 or 4 oranges, so if you don't think you're hungry enough for four oranges on the side of your hot breakfast, eat 1 whole orange and drink a big glass of water instead.