Hi Friends! I got the sweetest email from a woman who was so giddy to start juicing and wanted to share her words with you because I know a lot of you experience the same thing.

This is a common scenario: she had watched all of my videos, happily purchased her new juicer and bought tons of fresh produce with excitement. And then… the big taste. Yuck! What the *&^% is this!?

Here’s what she wrote to me:

Hi Elizabeth! I am really enjoying your website/blog/Facebook/YouTube videos. I purchased a juicer this evening (Breville) and purchased all the ingredients to begin juicing. One problem…I hated the tasted!!! I am so disappointed and discouraged, please help. Here were my ingredients 6 Kale Leaves, 4 celery stalks, 2 green apples, 1 cucumber, 1/2 lemon, and small cube of ginger root […] Warm Regards, K Brown

Starting your adventure into juicing is super exciting–and super discouraging at the same time if you don’t like the taste and can barely choke it down.

Here’s the short version of how to start juicing: begin with mild, slightly sweet produce like spinach, cucumber, lemon and a red apple or pear, and keep strong flavors like kale, celery and ginger to a minimum at first. Every few juices, add a little more of the dark greens. My beginner green juice recipe below is built exactly that way, and it’s a much easier first sip than a glass full of kale.

I normally don’t give advice via email (because I’d be permanently chained to my computer) but I wanted to help her and share this advice with my blog readers too, so I gave her the following beginner green juice recipe to ease into the flavor. She loved it and can’t wait to drink more.

Beginner Green Juice Recipe

Serves 1, can easily be doubled
Use organic ingredients whenever possible & wash all produce.
Peel non-organic ingredients before juicing.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large handfuls spinach
• 1 large or 2 small cucumbers
• 1/2 small lemon (peeled)
• 1 red apple or 1 pear
• 1 small carrot

Add:

• 1 celery rib (leave out if the flavor is too strong)
• 1 broccoli stem (if you have one)
• 1 small cube ginger (optional–if you like the flavor)
• Start adding 1 large kale leaf every 2-3 juices

Juicing is just like tasting any new cuisine with strong flavors for the first time–you have to ease into it. Start off with my beginner green juice recipe and every few times start increasing the amount of dark greens and stronger flavors. After a while, you’ll crave those dark greens and strong flavors, trust me.

If you have any questions about juicing or want to see how I make my juice check out my juicing videos on YouTube. Try to stick with at least a 3:1 ratio of greens/low-sugar veggies to fruit/higher sugar veggies (like beets and carrots) to keep the sugar in your juice low.

Also, here’s a chart of what I personally find to be strong and mild flavors; this might help you work your way up to the stronger stuff, too. This list is by no means all-inclusive; these are just the things I juice most often.

Juicing for Beginners FAQs

What should a beginner juice first?

Spinach, cucumber, lemon, a red apple or pear and a small carrot. They’re mild and a little sweet, so the juice tastes fresh instead of grassy. Once that tastes good to you, start working in the stronger flavors from the chart above, like kale, celery and ginger.

Can you juice spinach and kale?

Both juice well. Spinach is mild and easy to like, which is why it’s the base of my beginner recipe. Kale has a much stronger flavor, so add one leaf every few juices until you’re used to it. It’s also smart to rotate your greens instead of juicing a big pile of spinach every single day, since spinach is high in oxalates, which can be a problem if you’re prone to kidney stones. When you’re ready for a kale-forward juice, try my Kale-aid.

Do I need a juicer to make green juice?

A juicer makes it easiest, but you can also blend everything with a splash of water and strain it through a nut milk bag or a fine-mesh strainer. If you’re shopping for a juicer, here’s my breakdown of centrifugal vs. masticating juicers.

How long does fresh green juice last?

It tastes best right after you make it. If you need to store it, pour it into a glass jar, fill it to the top, seal it tightly and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.

When you’re ready for your next juice, try my Easy Green Juice Recipe. And if you’re getting into green smoothies too, my guide to building the perfect green smoothie will help.