What do you do with juicer pulp?

People who know that I juice, usually ask me what I do with leftover juicer pulp? Aren’t you missing the fiber. The statement that you aren’t receiving fiber from juicing isn’t true, you do receive some soluble fiber however the insoluble fiber will be found in the pulp. Don’t be so quick to discard the pulp. It’s still nutritious and can be used in a variety of ways. Just be creative.

Using juicing pulp as compost

Recently, I’ve been adding the fiber straight to the garden. It makes great compost!  Sorry, I haven’t posted pictures of that. I figure the soil could use a boost to its nutrients. When my worms arrive, the pulp for my garden will be going into the worm composting bin first.

Add juicing pulp back to your food!

But gardening isn’t the only use for juicing pulp. You can also add the juicing fiber back to meals. I add it to soups, toss it over salads, blend it into smoothies and I’ve made a variety of vegetable and sweet based cookies/chips that received tons of compliments for those who sampled them. You get the idea, right? Use your imagination! Don’t trash your juicer pulp.

My daughter is too young to remember the variety of dehydrated raw foods I used to make for her. I couldn’t make them fast enough, as soon as they were done, there she was gobbling them up with a big smile on her face. I made them  until she was about three years old.  After I sold my dehydrator, she moved on to homemade ‘fruit puddings’ and a variety of other raw and delicious food made from produce.

When I used to dehydrate raw snacks, one of my favorite ingredients that I used to bind raw snacks together was flax seeds. When you soak flax seeds they expand and become sticky, making it a wonderful alternative to eggs when you want to bind ingredients together.

This weekend, I plan to make some vegetable crackers using some of the leftover juicing pulp. I still haven’t purchased the TSM 10 tray stainless steel dehydrator. I most likely will purchase that some time next month.

Flax Seeds Benefits

• Great source of Omega 3s. A healthy fat, it’s good for you.
• Contains insoluble and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps waste move through your digestive tract which can be helpful in promoting healthy bowel movements. Constipation can lead to a whole host of problems, so make sure you’re getting plenty of fiber folks! Soluble fiber aids in slowing down your digestion which can help you feel full longer.
• Flax seeds contains lignans which have antioxidant and plant estrogen qualities. The health benefits of these lignans aren’t fully understood, but some research speculates that it can help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

References:

1. WebMD: The Benefits of Flax Seeds
2. Jackson GI Medical:  The Fiber contents of Food
3. Harvard School of Public Health:  The Nutrition Source: Omega 3 Fatty Acids