All my friends are buying juicers and juicing for breakfast?  Is this healthy?

Juicing is a healthy way to take in some extra fruits and veggies for a boost of good nutrition, but it shouldn’t replace food at meal-times.  You actually lose the dietary fiber of the fruit and vegetables when juicing, so eating produce in its natural state is always recommended!  My top pick for juicers is The Champion Juicer (it’s easy to clean and simple to use).  Kids love to juice, especially with fruit, and have a great time coming up with different flavor combination and creative names.  I always recommend that parents pour a small serving of juice for kids and serve up a lot more water throughout the day.

If you’re looking to incorporate fresh juice into your diet, try drinking a 6 oz – 8 oz. serving at breakfast alongside whole grain toast with almond butter, to make it a balanced meal.  Or maybe a juice with banana, which is a more filling fruit, could replace an afternoon snack.  Get creative with flavors and ingredients: from carrots to ginger to kale to apples to cilantro, anything goes as long as you are having fun and the juice tastes good!

Do you juice?  What are some of your favorite fruit or veggie combos?

– Stacey Antine, MS RD, author, Appetite for Life and founder, HealthBarn USA

What puzzles you about keeping your family healthy?  Tell us what’s on your mind by emailing [email protected].  Stacey will answer those questions here weekly.