What are the health benefits of juicing?
Juicing allows you to take advantage of all the healthy, vital nutrients in fruits and vegetables without needing to switch to an all-produce diet. Instead of eating an entire cucumber, four apples, and a whole head of kale, which would be taxing, you can simply juice them and get all the same nutritional benefits. Juicing also helps the vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial properties of fruits and vegetables be incorporated into your body faster and with less energy because they are already broken down. Having a diet high in fruits and vegetables can help reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and obesity, as well as boost your immune system so you are sick less often. Juicing allows you to supplement all the nutritional benefits of vegetables without having to eat a salad for every meal; even if you already have a very healthy, produce-rich diet, juicing is a great way to boost your energy throughout the day and get even more from your diet.
What types of juicers are there?
The two main types of juicers you will encounter are centrifugal juicers and masticating juicers.
How do centrifugal juicers work, and what are the benefits?
Centrifugal juicers have a metal basket full of grating that spins at high speeds to separate the juice from the pulp. They’re great for beginners or anyone new to juicing because they’re super easy to use. They’re also very quick, and tend to be cheaper than other types. On the other hand, they generally have a hard time juicing specialty items like hard leafy greens and nuts.
How do masticating juicers work, and what are the benefits?
Masticating juicers, also known as cold press, act similarly to your teeth in that they grind the food down to a pulp and then squeeze the pulp to release its juices. Masticating juicers are more suited for people who juice regularly, because they tend to create more wholesome, nutritious juices and can juice nuts, cranberries, and other tough foods. They can even be used to make baby food and sorbets, depending on the model. However, they are tougher to clean and take more time to juice, including prep time, and tend to be less user-friendly.
Do I need a juicer with multiple speeds?
Depends. For many casual users, one speed is sufficient. However, fruits and veggies are all different, so buying a juice with multiple speeds can give you more wholesome, nutritious juices. For example, softer fruits and vegetables will do best on a slower speed, which tough, fibrous foods do better on a fast speed. Multi-speed options are available in many high-quality Breville models, which can offer up to five adjustable speeds.
How easy is it to use a juicer?
Depends. Most quality juicers will be very user-friendly and shouldn’t be difficult to learn how to use. The premise itself is very simple: put food in the feeder, and juice comes out. Too much more technology or settings can just confuse you, so look for a juicer that has minimal settings if you’re worried about usability. For example, Tribest offers a one-touch juicer that only requires you to turn it on and it does the rest of the work for you, as does Black and Decker.
How do I know if my juicer is working well?
The pulp produced by your juicer should tell you how well your juicer is working. Your pulp should be mostly dry; if you are getting a lot of plump, moist pulp, that means that your juicer isn’t really getting most of the nutrients out of the food.
What sorts of food can I juice?
You can juice just about any sort of fruit or vegetable. From kale to chard to apples and pears, almost anything that comes from the earth is suitable for juicing. Try exciting fruit juices like pineapple-orange, or wholesome, nutrition-packed green juices like cucumber and spinach.
What are some features I should look for in a juicer?
Some good features to look for in a juicer include an external pulp ejector, a wide feeding tube,
What are the benefits of an external pulp ejector?
Some juicers have a cup or bag built into the juicer that captures pulp, while other send the pulp down a chute or tube and you collect it in a bowl or bag. The latter gives you the ability to juice as much as you want at one time, without needing to empty the pulp catcher when it gets full.
Why should I look for a juicer with a wide feeding tube?
If your juicer can’t fit most large pieces, you will spend a lot of time chopping up your fruits and veggies into parts small enough to fit. You can save yourself a lot of time by buying a juicer that can accommodate a whole carrot at once, or half an apple. Extra wide feeding tubes are available on many Hamilton Beach and Omega models.
How loud is a juicer?
In general, the less expensive the juicer, the louder it will be. Some juicers can be very loud during operation, loud enough to interrupt conversation in the next room. Others are fairly quiet; for example, Jack LaLanne produces a line of whisper-quiet juicers.
What about clean up?
Clean up after juicing can be a big deal; depending on the type of model you purchase, you’ll have to clean out the pulp container, grater, blades, and juice catcher after each use. There’s nothing worse than having gross food residue contaminating your juicer, so making sure that you remove all the offending elements is very important. Some models, such as many in the Waring line, are stainless steel and dishwasher friendly, so it’ll be a lot easier for you to keep your juicer clean between uses. Omega also produces a self-cleaning juicer; you should still clean it regularly, but this can help cut down on your cleaning time immensely. Many models also include cleaning brushes that can make clean-up quicker and easier.
How much should I spend on a juicer?
Depending on what you’re looking for, you can spend as little as $30 or as much as $300 for a juicer. If you’re serious about juicing, expect to spend between $100-150 on a juicer; if you want to start slowly, go for a low-tech model which are available in the price range between 30 and 60 dollar. That way, you can get a good feel for juicing before shelling out the big bucks.
How can I incorporate juicing into my diet?
Incorporating juicing into your diet is very easy: simply prepare a juice with your regular meals, or in between meals as a snack. You might find that a mid-day juice really ups your productivity for the rest of the day, or that drinking a wholesome, vegetable-based juice with your evening meal helps you eat less.
What should I do with my pulp?
Many people use the pulp from their juicer to make smoothies, which allows you to take advantage of the fiber that juice lacks. You can also make fun baked goods like zucchini, carrot, or banana bread. There are lots of creative uses for pulp: you can put it in mac and cheese for a fiber-full comfort food, or even make dog treats. It’s also great for composting if you have a compost pile.
