How to Make a Green Juice: Video, Recipe & Juicing FAQs
176 Comments
Hi Sweet Friends,
I haven’t been able to stop talking or writing about green juice since my first sip. What can I say? That green nectar feels like pure, invigorating oxygen shooting to every corner of my being. Today, juicing is as much a part of my life as brushing my teeth, but it wasn’t always second nature. I’m reminded of my early juicing adventures each time I receive a question from a reader who wants to juice, but just can’t seem to get the hang of it or is too intimidated to even try. People think they have to do it perfectly, but the bottom line is you can’t mess it up!
I don’t want anything to stand in the way of you and your green juice. That’s why I made this video and released my book, Crazy Sexy Juice. There’s no better time than today to begin, spice up or revive your love affair with juicing.
So what is green juice and why is it so spectacular?
When you run your produce through a juicer, the pulp is separated from the juice. You may be wondering why anyone would go through all that trouble. Absorption, baby. Since your body doesn’t have to work to digest the fiber, it can easily pull the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients straight into your bloodstream. Plus, giving your digestive system a break means your body can focus on resting and repairing your hard-working cells. Don’t get me wrong, fiber is awesome! But it’s OK to skip it in my glass of emerald sunshine, since radical roughage is a big part of my Crazy Sexy plant-filled diet. Plus, you can fit a lot more vegetable goodness in a green juice (a pound or more!) than you can eat with your fork in one sitting. What else can you drink that’ll do such phenomenal things for your health and put a large dent in your five recommended servings of fruits and veggies per day? (Hint: Nothing beats green juice!)
Now that we know more about the how and why of juicing, let’s break down the Crazy Sexy Green Juice Formula.
My handy-dandy infographic walks you through my daily recipe and gives you lots of room to play. See it as a jumping off point and a tool for you to create your own green juice masterpieces! Bring it with you to the grocery store and post it next to your juicer for inspiration.
So far, you’ve picked up some newbie smarts, watched my how-to vid and have a trusty recipe in your holster, but I know that your brain is still probably brimming with questions. Read on to find out the answers to some fabulous juicing FAQs.
Frequently Asked Juicing Questions:
It takes me sooo long to make a juice! How can I make the process go more quickly?
Let me first say that the benefits of juicing are well worth the time and effort it takes, but there are ways to cut down on the day-to-day juice prep and juicer cleaning. It doesn’t have to be a drag! Here are three big time savers.
Cut your daily produce prep in half by washing your fruits and veggies as soon as you get home from the store. Then divide and store them in single serving bags or storage containers.
If you can’t wash your juicer stat, prevent future scrubbing nightmares by giving your machine a quickie rinse and then soaking the juicer parts in hot soapy water. When you return, it’ll be a breeze to clean!
Drinking two servings of juice per day doesn’t have to mean more work. Make a double batch in the morning and store one serving in the fridge for later. Which brings us to our next question …
Will my juice go bad if I don’t drink it right away?
In my opinion, no. Will it lose a little nutritional bang over the course of a few hours? Maybe, but that afternoon juice is still much, much more nourishing and hydrating than soda or coffee. I store my second helping in a mason jar filled to the very top of the glass and seal it with a lid to keep out as much air as possible (oxygen eats away at the nutrients and enzymes in your green drink). The pep in my step after my 1PM green juice is all the proof I need!
What juicer should I buy?
I’ve tried countless juicers over the past decade, but I’ve really enjoyed using these models:
I’ve found these machines to be easiest to clean and use, which means I’ll juice more often. Plus, they have wider feed chutes, which makes prep a snap (you don’t have to cut veggies and fruits into super small pieces). I go into great detail about a variety of juicer options and models in my juicer review. Shop around and find a juicer that matches your lifestyle and will be with you for years to come. It’s worth the investment!
I just started juicing and it makes me feel sick. What’s going on?
You may be experiencing some detox symptoms. Green juice kicks your body’s internal broom into high gear, so toxins could be exiting your cells and tissues more quickly than your body can eliminate them. This causes a variety of symptoms including: mucus, skin eruptions, headaches, stinky gas, a white coating on the tongue, tummy trouble, fatigue as well as irregular bowel movements. Woo-hoo! Don’t worry, these symptoms will go away as your toxin surplus reduces. In the meantime, dial down your discomfort by using milder greens like romaine and spinach and only juicing once per day.
I’m worried about pesticides.Should I only juice organic fruits and vegetables?
Organic is best, but I know it can also be pricey especially when you up your produce haul for green juices. I strike a balance by following the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen recommendations. I always buy organic for the Dirty Dozen. If I buy conventional for the Clean Fifteen, I remove the fruit or vegetable skin before juicing to reduce my exposure to pesticides. This system works best for me and my pocketbook, but you need to make a decision that feels right in your gut and will make you feel great while guzzling your greens.
Your turn: Do you have a juicing tip or recipe? Share it in the comments below!
Peace & juicier days,
P.S. Join me for a Crazy Sexy Reset!
My brand new Crazy Sexy Reset: 3-Day Plant-Based Cleanse is designed to help you get back on track quickly and address the challenges that often come along with unbalanced eating (I’m talkin’ bloating, fatigue, mental fog—you name it). Click here to get started for just $29 (a $30 savings)!
Kris Carr you are just the BEST. I love your videos, your tips are brilliant and you just make it so simple for everyone to follow along. As a Holistic Health Coach I am constantly referring my clients to your site as an excellent resource for them to have.
I am 2 months into juicing heaven, why has it taken me til my 40’s to discover how awesome juicing is?!?!
I try to drink at least 500ml a day and my fave juice is my “freestyle juice” which contains everything haha. My back fridge is full of greens and some fruits and I throw it all in the juicer – spinach, silverbeet, kale, Chinese cabbae, celery, fennel, cucumber, green apple, grapefruit, and a little pineapple and TAH-DAAAAAH!!!! Green freestyle juice, then just add beets for purple freestyle juice 🙂
I have lost 6kgs in 8 weeks, sleep better, feel awesome and have my husband and 1 teenage daughter onboard.
Thanks for a great post. I would love to include some leafy greens in my juices, but when I include them in salads they make me violently ill. I believe there is a high level of e-coli in leafy greens. It has happened me after both eating out and also washing the leaves myself at home. Have you any ideas on how I can get my leafy greens thoroughly clean?
When I found out that I was pregnant, I knew it was time to get back on track with Kris Carr’s diet and lifestyle practices. Drinking green smoothies and juices every day fueled my body and my growing baby with the nutrients we needed to thrive. I had amazing energy and excellent health throughout my pregnancy. Kris is the North star of health and wellness!
Awesome post! I need to try this because I need more greens in my diet. And I love to make fruit smoothies so this should be easy to try. Thanks for the tips!
How did you come up with a base of celery and cucumber? Is it because they are so mild? I really like the organization of the levels of added veggies you designed here. I made this “crazy” video for my friends that were starting the Gerson Therapy. This video is the exact recipe Dr. Max Gerson prescribed his patients do make during their cancer therapy. It’s a great recipe because it is so rigid in terms of the therapy. It’s so well researched and refined and tested over fifty years. I just had to make a video about it. Hope you all like it and please feel free to share it. I share it here not as spam but as an offering for all to see and share the work of Dr. Max Gerson who’s therapy cured me of 14 different ailments. fourteen out of fourteen isn’t bad… and I’m still well and off all pharmaceuticals. Bill Z http://youtu.be/ONIIRMplLjo
Hi Kris,
I just love your juicing recipes!
My family owned a vegetarian restaurant (Natural Food Center) in Sydney Australia in the 70’s. We used to make all sorts of vegetable and fruit juices. I just wanted to let you know that you can use the pulp that is left in your juicer. We used to place the vegetable pulp in rissoles e.g. soya bean rissoles, brown lentil rissoles and also made carrot and potato pie.. carrot pulp with brown rice, cheese, onions, eggs and topped with mash potato sprinkled with nutmeg and baked.
My mother (the chef) was one of the first if not the FIRST to grow wheat grass and would make an assortment of green vegetable and green apple juice similar to yours and we named it Chlorophyll Cocktail 🙂
I hope this was useful info (if you didn’t know already)
Sending you loads of love and healing ((((((hugs))))) your way
Norma
Hello Kris-
Greetings from northern California. I reside in the East bay area of Pleasanton, CA. I visited your website due to the interest of making green smoothies. I have type 2 diabetes. I am so taken by your story
I have made juices before, but then I stopped, now I have started again. I recently purchased a Nutri-Bullet, because I cannot afford the Vitamix or Breville machines. They’re too big for my counter top anyway.
My reason for writing to you is if you have ever used the organic red Russian Kale? And if so, how so is the taste between other kale. I have read that the red Russian kale is a bit more sweeter than the organic white kale. Can you advise me? I am making green smoothies to lower my blood sugar. Thank you, Carin
Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season.
Green juicing is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. But if you’re new to juicing, you may not want to invest the money, time and effort that go into owning a juice machine.
Hi Kris,
You just blow me away. You are so energetic, beautiful and smart. Love watching your videos.
I have started blending, I love the extra fiber, and purchased some Wheat Grass and am drinking
it as well. Haven’t checked many of your recipes, but so far I find that I use the same items.
Thanks so much inspiration. Hoping I will be able to keep it up.
You are a joy to watch.
Oma
Hi Chris! I need your advice please!!
My naturopathic Dr. recommended that I drink juice made from cabbage, beets and carrots. He said this would help my high blood pressure. I followed his instructions but instead of feeling better I crashed after each juice, not realizing it was affecting my blood sugar levels. It did not take me long to gain 10 pounds. I stopped juicing for the time being (even though I bought an expensive omega masticating juicer.)The 10 lbs is stubborn and won’t go away. I am vegan and eat a plant based whole foods diet. The extra weight and crash is clearly from my juicing experience and doing it incorrectly.
Any advice to help get me get started again? I clearly went about it wrong the first time.
Thanks! Dina
I joined and paid for the Juicing e-guide, but I have not accessed it yet, and, in fact, I don’t even know how to now. What should I do to take advantage of my purchase. I feel silly having to ask, but I’m ready to begin using it. I’ve purchased my juicer, and I’m ready to go! Can you help me?! Suggestions! I’ve searched my e-mail for verification or some direction, but haven’t found it so far. Do I just need to repurchase?
Kris, please send me the episode where you appeared on Liza Oz show, need to show my sister whose husband has non-hotchins lymphoma. I found your interview very interesting and I just purchased your juicing book.
Thanks so much
Cathy
Wishing you all the good health and good long healthy life.
Just wanted to tell u that the links on your website are not working correctly. I try to click around and it just won’t work right. I tried different computers and there’s still the same problem. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Thanks. Greg
Hi im from Mexico and have just recently signed up to receive Kriss newsletters, Im 5 months pregnant with a dignouse of Reumathoid artritis over the last 8 years and have not been taking medication for two years now. Baby is al right! before reading about kriss I used to drink this green juice: Celery, parsley, cactus or nopal, cucumber and orange juice or grapefruit juice and pineapple, never used spinach or kale because it is not usually sold in this part of mexico. do you thinks this is healthy enough or should I add the greens?
is it healthy for the baby?
Outstanding post however I was wanting to know if you
could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a
little bit more. Cheers!
Want to look better and feel your best? Start right here—it’s the ultimate guide to living and eating the Crazy Sexy way (scrumptious recipes included!).
Kris Carr you are just the BEST. I love your videos, your tips are brilliant and you just make it so simple for everyone to follow along. As a Holistic Health Coach I am constantly referring my clients to your site as an excellent resource for them to have.
I LOVE what you do, your message and your spirit.
XO Sherrie
I am 2 months into juicing heaven, why has it taken me til my 40’s to discover how awesome juicing is?!?!
I try to drink at least 500ml a day and my fave juice is my “freestyle juice” which contains everything haha. My back fridge is full of greens and some fruits and I throw it all in the juicer – spinach, silverbeet, kale, Chinese cabbae, celery, fennel, cucumber, green apple, grapefruit, and a little pineapple and TAH-DAAAAAH!!!! Green freestyle juice, then just add beets for purple freestyle juice 🙂
I have lost 6kgs in 8 weeks, sleep better, feel awesome and have my husband and 1 teenage daughter onboard.
Hi Kris,
Thanks for a great post. I would love to include some leafy greens in my juices, but when I include them in salads they make me violently ill. I believe there is a high level of e-coli in leafy greens. It has happened me after both eating out and also washing the leaves myself at home. Have you any ideas on how I can get my leafy greens thoroughly clean?
I appreciate your help,
Catherine
Hi Kris. What do you recommend, a cold press juicer or a centrifugal juicer? I’ve read many mixed reviews online and not sure which is better. Thanks!
When I found out that I was pregnant, I knew it was time to get back on track with Kris Carr’s diet and lifestyle practices. Drinking green smoothies and juices every day fueled my body and my growing baby with the nutrients we needed to thrive. I had amazing energy and excellent health throughout my pregnancy. Kris is the North star of health and wellness!
Hi! I would like to know the size of that mason jar please 🙂
Awesome post! I need to try this because I need more greens in my diet. And I love to make fruit smoothies so this should be easy to try. Thanks for the tips!
How did you come up with a base of celery and cucumber? Is it because they are so mild? I really like the organization of the levels of added veggies you designed here. I made this “crazy” video for my friends that were starting the Gerson Therapy. This video is the exact recipe Dr. Max Gerson prescribed his patients do make during their cancer therapy. It’s a great recipe because it is so rigid in terms of the therapy. It’s so well researched and refined and tested over fifty years. I just had to make a video about it. Hope you all like it and please feel free to share it. I share it here not as spam but as an offering for all to see and share the work of Dr. Max Gerson who’s therapy cured me of 14 different ailments. fourteen out of fourteen isn’t bad… and I’m still well and off all pharmaceuticals. Bill Z
http://youtu.be/ONIIRMplLjo
Hi Kris,
I just love your juicing recipes!
My family owned a vegetarian restaurant (Natural Food Center) in Sydney Australia in the 70’s. We used to make all sorts of vegetable and fruit juices. I just wanted to let you know that you can use the pulp that is left in your juicer. We used to place the vegetable pulp in rissoles e.g. soya bean rissoles, brown lentil rissoles and also made carrot and potato pie.. carrot pulp with brown rice, cheese, onions, eggs and topped with mash potato sprinkled with nutmeg and baked.
My mother (the chef) was one of the first if not the FIRST to grow wheat grass and would make an assortment of green vegetable and green apple juice similar to yours and we named it Chlorophyll Cocktail 🙂
I hope this was useful info (if you didn’t know already)
Sending you loads of love and healing ((((((hugs))))) your way
Norma
Hello Kris-
Greetings from northern California. I reside in the East bay area of Pleasanton, CA. I visited your website due to the interest of making green smoothies. I have type 2 diabetes. I am so taken by your story
I have made juices before, but then I stopped, now I have started again. I recently purchased a Nutri-Bullet, because I cannot afford the Vitamix or Breville machines. They’re too big for my counter top anyway.
My reason for writing to you is if you have ever used the organic red Russian Kale? And if so, how so is the taste between other kale. I have read that the red Russian kale is a bit more sweeter than the organic white kale. Can you advise me? I am making green smoothies to lower my blood sugar. Thank you, Carin
Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season.
Hello Kris
Each morning I make this green smoothie
5 kale leaves
1 banana
1 tomato
Water
although today I added:
1 -2 stalks of celery
1 Tbsp. Ground Flax seed or soaked goji berries
I am giving myself for Christmas your book
Crazy, Sexy Juices and Succulent Smoothies
Sincerely,
Carin G.
Pleasanton, CA.
Green juicing is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. But if you’re new to juicing, you may not want to invest the money, time and effort that go into owning a juice machine.
Hi Kris,
You just blow me away. You are so energetic, beautiful and smart. Love watching your videos.
I have started blending, I love the extra fiber, and purchased some Wheat Grass and am drinking
it as well. Haven’t checked many of your recipes, but so far I find that I use the same items.
Thanks so much inspiration. Hoping I will be able to keep it up.
You are a joy to watch.
Oma
Hi Chris! I need your advice please!!
My naturopathic Dr. recommended that I drink juice made from cabbage, beets and carrots. He said this would help my high blood pressure. I followed his instructions but instead of feeling better I crashed after each juice, not realizing it was affecting my blood sugar levels. It did not take me long to gain 10 pounds. I stopped juicing for the time being (even though I bought an expensive omega masticating juicer.)The 10 lbs is stubborn and won’t go away. I am vegan and eat a plant based whole foods diet. The extra weight and crash is clearly from my juicing experience and doing it incorrectly.
Any advice to help get me get started again? I clearly went about it wrong the first time.
Thanks! Dina
what is the calorie intake of this juice as well as other green juices??
I joined and paid for the Juicing e-guide, but I have not accessed it yet, and, in fact, I don’t even know how to now. What should I do to take advantage of my purchase. I feel silly having to ask, but I’m ready to begin using it. I’ve purchased my juicer, and I’m ready to go! Can you help me?! Suggestions! I’ve searched my e-mail for verification or some direction, but haven’t found it so far. Do I just need to repurchase?
Kris, please send me the episode where you appeared on Liza Oz show, need to show my sister whose husband has non-hotchins lymphoma. I found your interview very interesting and I just purchased your juicing book.
Thanks so much
Cathy
Wishing you all the good health and good long healthy life.
Just wanted to tell u that the links on your website are not working correctly. I try to click around and it just won’t work right. I tried different computers and there’s still the same problem. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Thanks. Greg
Hi im from Mexico and have just recently signed up to receive Kriss newsletters, Im 5 months pregnant with a dignouse of Reumathoid artritis over the last 8 years and have not been taking medication for two years now. Baby is al right! before reading about kriss I used to drink this green juice: Celery, parsley, cactus or nopal, cucumber and orange juice or grapefruit juice and pineapple, never used spinach or kale because it is not usually sold in this part of mexico. do you thinks this is healthy enough or should I add the greens?
is it healthy for the baby?
Outstanding post however I was wanting to know if you
could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a
little bit more. Cheers!