“The juices extracted from fresh, raw vegetables and fruits are the means by which we can furnish all the cells and tissues of the body with the elements and nutritional enzymes they need in the manner they can be most readily digested and assimilated.” David Wolfe
While it is true that fruit and vegetable juice tastes delicious, by far its greatest draw is its nutritional value. Plants produce and store many enzymes, nutrients, vitamins and minerals that the body needs for healthy living- and juicing is a delicious way to incorporate these nutrients into your regular diet.
Yet not all juice is created equal.
The two most common ways of juicing use either a centrifugal juicer or a cold slow-press juicer (masticating juicer). The main difference between these two processes is that Centrifugal juicers use a fast-spinning blade to extract juice from produce, while a cold-press juicer use a slow pulverizer and a hydraulic press to gently extract the juice from the produce.
The centrifugal juicer extraction method involves a high speed cutting blade and strainer that heats the produce and therefore destroys vital nutrients, while often leaving much of the liquid in the discarded pulp. This process also forces air into the juice, which triggers the oxidation process before the juice is even completed, compromising the nutrients and dictating the need to consume the juice as quickly as possible.
The high levels of heat also denature the enzymes and proteins, thus creating a juice that is far less healthy for the body than previously thought otherwise.
Juice that is extracted from a centrifugal juicer is often less palatable and can be quite frothy or even fibrous, rather than smooth, clean and crisp.
The cold-press process of juicing on the other hand does not generate heat and its slow and deliberate method of crushing and pressing the produce is superior when it comes to extracting and preserving the maximum amount of vitamins, enzymes, minerals and trace minerals in the produce.
As the name suggests, “pressed” juice ensures that the maximum amount of nectar is extracted from the pulp, leaving nothing other than the raw and fresh juice without the gritty fibre.
The concentrated hit of nutrients and enzymes can be readily absorbed into the blood stream, allowing an instant health boost and energy lift, oxygenating the blood and nourishing the cells.
Juice extracted by pressing is the most nutritionally complete juice, containing up to 5 times more vitamins, minerals and enzymes than juice extracted by other juicing or blending methods.
The pressed juice process also minimizes oxidation due to its precise process of extraction- the minimal amount of air and heat means you can enjoy a pressed juice up to 3 days after extraction and still enjoy superior nutrition if bottled and sealed correctly.
Through the slow and careful process of hydraulically extracting the juice, you not only get the highest quality plant-based nutrition available, you also get the freshest tasting juice possible that is easily digested and assimilated by the body.
Adding a slow pressed juice to your diet is often touted as the single best thing you can do to positively influence your overall health and vitality.
The chlorophyll, enzymes and nutrients help to keep blood healthy and encourage cell and tissue repair, promote clear skin and eyes, improve digestion, eliminate unhealthy bacteria and fungus in the body, offer increased energy and mental alertness, boost immunity and alkalise the body.
Here’s a simple juice recipe you may like to try at home:
1 carrot
1 beetroot
1 apple
3-4 stalks of celery
1 cucumber
1 cup leafy greens
1/2 a lemon peeled
1 inch piece of ginger
Simply wash and chop everything up and juice!
Enjoy and feel the difference a fresh juice can make.