Congratulations on opting for juicing as part of your lifestyle. This alone is a major step towards healthier living and you are one of the lucky ones to get on board. However, don’t let yourself be overwhelmed with the techniques, recipes and tools that are available. All you need is the right guidance to get you started and that’s exactly why you have us. This very page will tell you almost everything you need to know for successful juicing. To find the best juicer for cold-press juicing, you may head to the reviews and choose the perfect one for yourself.
What is Juicing?
First things first, what exactly is juicing? In simplest terms, juicing is a process whereby the liquid part of the fruits and vegetables which contains all of the nutrients is extracted, leaving behind most of the fiber. In the juice glass, you will only receive nutrient-rich liquid, while all the solid material is thrown out. This liquid that you consume contains all sorts of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, anti-inflammatories and anti-oxidants in addition to water content. This is the reason why juices are not just an excellent source of hydration but are loaded with additional benefits for almost every part of our body.
Juicing isn’t a new technique. It, rather, goes back centuries. Although the first-ever commercial juicer was created by Dr. Norman Walker somewhere around the start of the 1900s, juicing was even possible before that. With manual tools, it would have been unimaginably difficult then, but the modern-day juicers used today have made things a lot simpler.
Different Juicing Techniques
Cold-pressed:
Cold-press juicing, or slow juicing, is a technique in which a cold-pressed juicer is used to squeeze the liquid part of fruits and veggies using a very slow process. A hydraulic press is used to press the ingredients with force rather than cutting them so that all the liquid and the nutrients are extracted from it and only dry fiber is left behind. Although a bit more expensive than the traditional juicing equipment, it produces a much greater yield and healthier juice than what you would achieve from other juicing tools.
Centrifugal:
This is the traditional juicing technique and you will need a centrifugal juicer to extract the juice using this technique. The benefits of a centrifugal juicer over cold-pressed juicers are its faster processing and cheaper price. However, the fast spinning of the cutting blade results in the creation of heat which breaks down the enzymes and nutrients and deteriorates the quality of the drink. The faster speed also leaves a good deal of liquid behind in the pulp container which results in a lower yield.
How to Juice
- The first step is to select a good recipe. If your primary concern is weight or if you are diabetic, try to include more vegetables in your drink and only a small amount of fruit, just to give it sweetness. Most juicing experts recommend following a 3:1 ratio of vegetables to fruits in your drink to keep the sugar content low.
- The next step is to choose the right organic ingredients to be juiced. Fresh and organic fruits and vegetables will result in much healthier juice than if you use ingredients that have been treated with chemicals such as pesticides.
- Wash the ingredients thoroughly to get rid of any chemicals and remove the rind.
Now start pushing these prepared ingredients into the feed chute of the juicer that you are using. You may also need to cut fruits and vegetables prior to pushing them through the feed chute of the juicer if the feed chute is not big enough. - Drink the extracted cold-pressed juice right away or store it in an airtight container inside a refrigerator to use it within 3 days. If you are using a traditional centrifugal juicer to do the job, the shelf life will be even smaller. However, the best option is to consume it right away since the drink will start losing nutrients with exposure to light and heat.
Some Additional Juicing Tips
So you’ve already learned the basics but here are some additional useful tips which will help you benefit even more out of your juicer.
- Try to use farm fresh fruits and vegetables to the extent possible. Fruits and vegetables from the stores will most likely be treated with chemicals which deteriorate the quality of the drink and its nutritional value.
- Remove the peels of the citrus fruits otherwise, the juice will be too bitter to drink. Also, peel carrots before juicing them for the same reason.
- Even if the feed chute is wide, cut fruits and vegetables, especially if you are juicing in bulk. Doing so will reduce the strain on the motor of your juicer and prevent it from overheating.
- Drink it when your stomach is empty, such as early in the morning or before lunch. These are the times when you’ll benefit the most from it.
Smoothies or Juices?
Both smoothies and juices are highly nutritious drinks but the differences lie in the appliances using which they are created and in what’s present inside them. Here are some of the most glaring differences.
Smoothies
- They are rich in fiber since all the parts of fruits and vegetables are included in it.
- These will take a bit more time to digest as compared to juices.
- They have a slightly longer shelf life of up to 4 days as compared to juices.
- They are more fulfilling when taken as a replacement to a meal since you can add milk or yogurt as the base.
Juices
- They do not include fiber since only the liquid part is extracted.
- It’s quick and easy for the body to digest and absorb the nutrients.
- The shelf life is just about 2 to 3 days.
- Juices will only have the liquid part of fruits and vegetables which means they won’t be as fulfilling as smoothies. Taking it as a meal replacement is not recommended.