Juicing 101 – An Introductory Guide to Juicing

orange-juiceBoth commercial and residential fans have long praised the healthy, delicious taste of freshly-made squeezed juice. When you juice your own fruits and vegetables, you easily avoid the added sugars and other additives commonly found on marketplace shelves—and trust us, diners will notice the fresher taste. For those at home, juicing is also a great way to mix vegetables into the diets of picky eaters.

Ready to take the plunge and juice? Let’s get started!

There are different kinds of juicers?
Before you get started in juicing, consider which type of juice would work best for you. In the commercial environment, you’ll often find manual citrus juicers perfect for that homemade orange juice in the mornings.

For those at home, the prominent types of electric juicers on the market on centrifugal and masticating.

Breville JE98XL Juice Fountain Plus 850-Watt Juice Extractor

Centrifugal
Physical attributes: a large, stout base with a tall, primary column
Cost: Anywhere from $50 – $200 (typically)

The centrifugal juicer works fast, and by fast, I mean that suction in the column is strong and it’ll suck up your orange in a heartbeat. Less components also means less cleanup—which I definitely encourage you do immediately following each juicing session to keep the filter clean and operating efficiently.

Omega J8006 Nutrition Center Juicer

Masticating
Physical attributes: long, horizontal spout where pulp is discarded—looks similar to a meat grinder
Cost: Anywhere from $100 – $400 (roughly)

The masticating juicer mashes products through a rough mesh, making it ideal for extracting lots of juice from leafy, green vegetables. What you gain in output, you lose in time–it takes a bit longer than a centrifugal juicer to extract those juices and clean all of the components.

What do you do with leftover juice pulp?
Juice pulp, or the fibers that remain after extracting the juice from your fruits & veggies shouldn’t be thrown away! Often lauded as the healthiest part of the food, juice pulp can be added to a variety of dishes you can make. Including:

  • Breads (like carrot bread, zucchini, and more)
  • Muffins (leftover fruit pulp like apple works well for muffins)
  • Pasta sauce (works well with carrot, beet and other root vegetables)
  • Vegetable broth (be sure to remove the vegetable pulp before you juice your fruits)

You can also store leftover pulp in an ice cube tray and freeze for ‘green’ smoothies later.

Awesome, I’m ready to juice! Now what?
Deciding on a centrifugal or a masticating juicer is really a sense of preference; it should fit your lifestyle and your needs. Some questions you might want to consider are:

  1. Speed
    If you’re juggling a busy household and a full-time job, you’ll want something quick to juice and quick to clean. Centrifugal juicers are known for their speed, and with minimal parts to clean (which are easy to disassemble and reassemble again), you’ll be out the door in minutes.
  2. Price
    You can find both masticating and centrifugal juicers in the same pricing ballpark, depending on the model, however masticating juicers do start on the higher end. If that extra money for a masticating juicer is more than you’re comfortable to spend, then stick with the centrifugal juicer—the variance is output is relatively low when compared to its masticating counterpart.
  3. What do you plan to juice?
    Seems like a no-brainer, but if you’re more concerned with regularly juicing leafy vegetables, you’ll see a larger yield with a masticating juicer (and a larger bang for your buck). However, if you’re most looking forward to some fresh orange juice on Sunday mornings with the family, you might find the ease of a centrifugal juicer more your speed.

Whichever you juicer you decide, I guarantee you’ll find it hard to go back to the store-bought stuff after having fresh juice on the regular. And speaking of fresh juice, check out this simple (and easy) recipe for a healthy juice that’s perfect for sipping on while you cruise the farmer’s market:

Summer Cleansing Juice Recipe

  • 1 beet
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 apple
  • 2-3 carrots
  • 2-3 celery stalks
  • Dash of ginger (ginger is great for the digestive system!)

Cut the leaves off of the beet and celery, and make sure everything is washed thoroughly before putting in your juice. Then, put everything in your juicer, and enjoy!

What kinds of juice will you enjoy this summer?

About Natalie Fauble

Natalie Fauble is the Online Marketing Manager - Content & SEO for Tundra Restaurant Supply. As a digital marketer with a passion for the restaurant industry, Natalie helps companies shape their brand through thoughtful, fun and innovative content strategies. When she isn't blogging for Tundra Restaurant Supply you can find her in her vegetable garden or in the kitchen whipping up one of her favorite dishes.

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