When Carolina Garcia began juicing, she started to see food differently.
“What you put in, is what you get out,” explains Garcia, a UF public relations junior. “It’s not about losing weight, it’s more of a fuel thing for me — knowing what fuels your body.”
Garcia, who juices twice a day when she can, began juicing because of her parents.
“We have heart disease in our family. My dad works in the medical field and sees it all the time. He know how horrible the results can be if you don’t eat right.”
So, when Garcia’s mom began juicing, she followed suit. Now she juices up to twice a day when she can, using everything from strawberries and oranges to kale and cucumbers.
Garcia hopes to get a master’s degree in nutrition and educate people in third world countries on how to eat right.
“I want to be able to educate people on how to eat healthy without spending tons of money. It’s easier than you think, it’s so accessible.”
So, just how easy is it? If you’re in Gainesville, the answer is very.
Where To Shop:
• Ward’s Supermarket: A great place to find inexpensive produce.
Tip: Arrive early in the morning and get your pick of on-sale produce leftover from the day before in the sale carts. (Think a carton of strawberries of $0.79!)
• Union Street Farmers Market: Located in downtown Gainesville, the Union Street Farmers Market is held every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Check its website for what produce is available that week.
• Alachua County Farmers’ Market: Held every Saturday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m., the Alachua County Farmers’ Market offers seasonal produce year-round.
• Earth Origins Market: If you don’t have the time to juice yourself, visit one of the two Mother Earth Market locations in Gainesville, which offer a range of made to order juices, from carrot blends to wheatgrass. Pricing ranges from $3-$6.
• Publix: You can get a juicer for just $40!
What To Juice:
• Leafy Greens — Celery, spinach, kale, collard greens. Greens are packed full of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, and lutein. They make a great base for any juice.
• Celery, Cucumber. Great juicers because of the massive amounts of water they have.
• Citrus — Grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime. Great sources of vitamin C with a bit of tart and sweetness.
• Sweeteners: Apple, carrot, pineapple, grape, pear, pineapple, kiwi. A little bit goes a long way. Add any of these to your juice and boom! Instant sweetness.
• Flavorings — Parsley, mint, ginger. These guys add great flavors to any juice.
Get To It:
• Shutterbean: A great collection of juicing recipes that are insanely simple.
