One of the most frequent questions I get asked when I share my juicing videos is “What can I do with the leftover pulp?“ This is a great question and if you’re an avid juicer or if you’ve seen my videos you know just how much pulp we get from making just one juice… it’s a lot.
After making one juice, there’s about 15% to 50% of the original vegetable left in fibrous form and it contains nearly 95% of the fiber of fresh fruits and veggies and up to half the nutrients. While many will throw that away, there are beneficial nutrients that make it worth finding ways to reuse it.
So, here are 5 creative ways you could start reusing your leftover pulp at home!
Soups and Broths
Soup is such a comfort meal for me and if you make the right one, it can be very healthy! Especially if you’re adding your leftover pulp to the recipe. The Mindful Momma actually gives a great step-by-step walkthrough of how she uses the leftover pulp from a carrot, apple, ginger and Swiss chard juice in a healthy minestrone soup recipe. Even her kids enjoyed it, so that’s gotta be saying something!
If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, you could also add the pulp from your green juices to to broth. The best part is, you can also use frozen pulp to make this broth as long as you freeze the pulp right after juicing to preserve freshness. Then all you have to do is thaw it out before cooking and follow these simple steps.
Popsicles
It’s summer time and what better way to cool down than with a refreshing popsicle? Instead of heading to the grocery store to buy ones that are filled with artificial ingredients, try making them homemade with your juicer. You can make them with fruit or veggies depending on what you’re in the mood for. Plus, they’re perfect for kids.
All you need is a juicer, a popsicle tray and whatever ingredients you’re using. If you wanted to make orange popsicles for example all you would have to do is fill the popsicle tray about halfway with the orange pulp, fill it the rest of the way up with the juice from the orange and then place in your freezer until they’re ready!
Smoothies
Adding juice pulp to your smoothie will to thicken it, add some extra flavor AND give you a boost of essential fiber. That makes it great for your gut health and can even help you feel fuller longer. One of the most common ways I’ve seen people do this is by turning their pulp into ice cubes, that way they can store in longer.
This process is very similar to making popsicles except you’ll need an ice cube tray. If you’re not in the mood to go through the steps, you could always just add the pulp straight to your smoothie. You’re still getting all the beneficial fiber and nutrients.
Dog Treats
Why should you be the only one that gets to enjoy all the benefits of juice pulp? Let your dog live on the wild (healthy) side too. I’m always seeing information being shared about how bad many of the store-bought dog food and treats are for your pup. Turning your pulp into dog treats is a great way to know exactly what your dog is consuming while ensuring they’re also getting health nutrients in their diet.
This 5 ingredient recipe by Good Nature gives your dog a ton of benefits like:
Conditioning their skin
Less shedding and dandruff
A shinier coat
Fewer ear infections
Reduced symptoms caused by chronic inflammation
They stays fresh for a week to ten days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Just speak to your veterinarian if you have concerns about which foods are best for your dog or to see if they have any allergies.
Compost & Fertilizer
Composting at home has so many benefits like suppressing plant diseases and pests, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers, producing beneficial bacteria and fungi AND reducing methane emissions from landfills which helps lower your carbon footprint.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in just make sure you do your research on how to do it the right way because there are certain food items that will cause more harm than good, but juice pulp is not one of them.
Here’s a step-by-step guide from Better Home and Garden on how to compost!
But wait, there’s more!
Now that you know what to do with your leftover pulp, you can get back to juicing better than ever. If you sign up for my mailing list I’ll send you a free copy of my Cut The Noise Juice Recipe Book that’s full of my favorite recipes based on their health benefits.