How to make celery juice with my Vitamix?
Introduction
Celery juice has become wildly popular in recent years, with claims that drinking it on an empty stomach can provide powerful health benefits. Advocates say it can help with digestion, inflammation, weight loss, liver health, skin issues, autoimmune disorders, and more. While the science behind these claims is still emerging, many people swear by their daily glass of celery juice.
If you want to give celery juicing a try, using a high-powered blender like a Vitamix makes the process quick and easy. Vitamix blenders are beloved for their ability to make smooth juices and nut milks with minimal pulp or foam. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making celery juice with a Vitamix, along with some tips and modifications.
Benefits of Celery Juice
Before jumping into the how-to, let’s look at some of the proposed benefits of celery juice:
- May reduce inflammation – Celery contains antioxidants like flavones, polyphenols, and vitamin C that can combat inflammation.
- Supports digestion – The insoluble and soluble fiber in celery promote regularity and feed good gut bacteria.
- Hydrates the body – Celery juice consists mostly of water, providing hydration first thing in the morning.
- Detoxifies the liver – Celery contains nutrients like vitamin A, potassium, and molybdenum that may stimulate liver detoxification.
- Boosts nutrition – Just one cup of celery juice packs vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Aids weight loss – The fiber and water in celery can curb appetite and reduce bloating.
Research is still preliminary, but these potential benefits make celery juice worth a try, especially if you already have a Vitamix.
Choosing Celery for Juicing
Not all celery is created equal when it comes to juicing. Here are a few tips for selecting celery that will yield the best results:
- Choose organic – Organic celery has a higher nutrient content without toxic pesticides.
- Pick freshly cut stalks – The fresher the celery, the better the juice.
- Inspect for quality – Avoid celery that is limp, wilted, or has brown spots.
- Select medium stalks – Larger stalks can be stringy and tougher.
- Rinse and scrub – Wash celery to remove dirt and residues.
- Trim bottoms – Cut off the very bottom part of the stalks.
Getting the highest quality celery will maximize the nutrition in your juice and improve the flavor.
How Much Celery for Juicing?
When juicing celery, about 1 to 1.5 pounds will yield 12-16 ounces of juice. This equals a large bunch of celery, around 8-12 whole stalks. If you’re new to juicing, start on the lower end with 1 pound of celery. You can always add more later.
Wash, trim, and chop your celery first before measuring it out. Chopping makes it easier for the Vitamix to break down the vegetable.
Equipment Needed
Here’s what you’ll need to make celery juice with a Vitamix:
- Vitamix blender – Any high-powered Vitamix model will work well.
- Bunch of celery – About 1 to 1.5 pounds of chopped celery.
- Knife and cutting board
- Large bowl or pitcher
- Fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag (optional)
- Glass for serving
The key piece of equipment is obviously the Vitamix. Its powerful motor and sharp blades are specially designed to extract juice from fibrous vegetables like celery.
Step-by-Step Juicing Instructions
Now let’s walk through the entire process of making fresh celery juice with a Vitamix:
- Wash the celery. Rinse the celery stalks under cool water to remove any dirt or residues. Scrub well with your hands or a vegetable brush.
- Trim the ends. Use a knife to cut off the very bottom of the celery, right where the stalks branch off. You can compost these scraps.
- Chop into pieces. Chop the celery stalks into 2-3 inch pieces. This will help the Vitamix break them down easier.
- Add to the Vitamix. Put the chopped celery into the Vitamix blender pitcher. Start with about 1 pound.
- Blend on high. Secure the lid and set the Vitamix to run on high speed for 1-2 minutes. You’ll hear it working hard to pulverize the celery into juice.
- Check consistency. Open the lid and examine the texture. If needed, blend for another 30-60 seconds to thoroughly liquefy the juice.
- Strain if desired. For smoother juice, pour through a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag into a pitcher or bowl.
- Enjoy immediately! Pour the fresh celery juice into a glass. Drink right away for maximum nutrition.
It’s really that simple to make celery juice with a Vitamix! The entire process should take 5 minutes or less, not counting prep and clean-up time.
Tips for the Best Tasting Juice
Here are some tips and tricks for making delicious celery juice with your Vitamix:
- Rotate the celery every 30-60 seconds while blending to evenly juice.
- Add a green apple, lemon, or cucumber for flavor (a small amount won’t affect the health benefits).
- Drink the juice immediately, don’t let it sit out and oxidize.
- Store leftover juice in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours max.
- Rinse celery and wipe blender right after juicing for easy clean-up.
- Adjust celery amounts to find ideal flavor and consistency.
You may need to experiment with different celery to water ratios, blending times, and add-ins to find your perfect celery juice. But the Vitamix makes it much easier to customize.
Troubleshooting Celery Juice
Here are some common issues that may arise when making celery juice with a Vitamix, along with troubleshooting tips:
Celery is not fully juicing: Try chopping celery into smaller pieces before adding to blender. Increase blending time 10-15 seconds at a time until fully pulverized.
Juice has pulp or foam: Strain juice through a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag after blending.
Juice is bitter: Add a bit of lemon juice, green apple, or cucumber to mellow the flavor. Over-blending can make celery juice bitter.
Celery gets stuck: Stop blender, move celery around with a spatula, then continue blending. Don’t overfill blender.
Leaky blender lid: Make sure lid is securely locked. Check that rubber gasket is in place. Replace gasket if worn out.
Celery makes loud noises: Normal, especially at first. The Vitamix is pulverizing a tough vegetable. You can minimize by chopping celery smaller.
Don’t get discouraged if your first attempt isn’t perfect. Part of the fun with a Vitamix is experimenting until you get the texture and flavor just right.
Cleaning the Vitamix
It’s important to clean your Vitamix properly after making celery juice to keep it running smoothly. Here are some tips:
- Rinse right after use – Don’t let residue dry on.
- Fill pitcher half full with water – Add a drop of dish soap.
- Blend on high 30-60 seconds – This will scrub the inside.
- Rinse pitcher thoroughly – Repeat blender wash if needed.
- Wash lid, stopper, and tamper – Use dish soap and soft sponge.
- Reassemble parts – Double check blade is secured.
- Air dry completely – Let Vitamix dry before next use.
Deep cleaning your Vitamix every week or two will also keep it in tip-top shape. Refer to your owner’s manual for the best cleaning practices.
Storing Celery Juice
For maximum nutrition, it’s best to drink celery juice immediately after making it. But you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Be aware that some nutrients may degrade over time.
Here are some storage tips:
- Fill airtight container to very top – This prevents oxidation.
- Never use a porous container – It must be airtight.
- Don’t freeze celery juice – Freezing and thawing will degrade quality.
- Drink within 24 hours – For best nutrition and taste.
- Give bottle a shake before drinking – This redistributes settled pulp.
Only make what you can drink within a day or two. Don’t let celery juice sit unused for long periods. Making smaller batches as needed is best.
Other Celery Juice Tips
Here are a few final pieces of advice for your celery juicing routine:
- Drink on an empty stomach – Wait 30 minutes before eating breakfast.
- Listen to your body – Reduce amount if celery juice causes issues.
- Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Make it work for you – Customize juice to your tastes and needs.
- Have patience – Allow time for your body to adjust and benefit.
- Rotate produce – Vary greens to prevent sensitivity.
Enjoy discovering all the ways that fresh celery juice boosts your health! Be patient with yourself as you form a daily juicing habit.
Other Vegetables and Fruits to Juice
Once you get the hang of juicing celery, try making juices with other healthy Vitamix-friendly produce like:
- Carrots – For beta carotene
- Apples – To sweeten juice
- Kale – Packed with nutrients
- Cucumber – Adds mild flavor
- Beets – For antioxidants
- Pineapple – Digests protein
- Ginger – Reduces inflammation
- Tomatoes – Lycopene boost
- Spinach – Folate and magnesium
- Celery – Hydration and minerals
Get creative mixing and matching fruits and veggies to come up with your own ideal combinations. Juicing is a healthy habit with delicious results!
Conclusion
Making fresh celery juice at home with a Vitamix blender is easy and rewarding. The key steps include washing, prepping, and loading the celery into the pitcher, blending on high speed until smooth, and then enjoying immediately. With some trial and error, you can customize everything to your liking.
Drinking daily celery juice offers many proposed benefits like reducing inflammation, aiding digestion, detoxing the liver, and more thanks to its unique nutrient profile. Just be sure to drink on an empty stomach and listen to your body’s signals.
Equipped with a powerful Vitamix blender, you can quickly make celery juice as well as all kinds of healthy fruit and vegetable drinks to boost your nutrition. So drink up!