Benefits of Juicing

The health benefits of juicing have been touted by health and fitness experts ever since the first juicer was invented in 1930. The Juiceman, Jack LaLanne, has been singing the praises of juicing for most of his 95 years, and the Jack Lalane juicer is still one of the most popular juicers around.

The reasons for juicing fruits and vegetables are varied. Some people are juicing for health reasons, including body detoxification, strengthening the immune system, and increased energy; others are juicing for weight loss. But is juicing healthy, and is juicing good for you? Yes and yes!

The benefits of juicing are simple. Juicing allows your body to absorb a greater amount of the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that fruits and vegetables provide. Juicing also allows you to consume more fruits and vegetables than if you tried to eat those vegetables as whole fruits.

A juicer resembles a blender or food processor, but with one key difference - the juicer separates the pulp of fruits and vegetables from the juice. The pulp goes into one container, and the juice goes into another. Some juicers are specifically designed to juice fruits, while other juicers can handle vegetables, including leafy green vegetables like kale and wheat grass.

The different types of juicers on the market include masticating juicers, centrifugal juicers, manual press juicers, and twin press juicers. Which type of juicer is best for you? Let's take a closer look at the different types of juicers.

Types of Juicers

A centrifugal juicer is the least expensive type of juicer. Just place chunks of fruit in the juicer, where they are chopped and grated even finer and then spun at a high speed, thus extracting the juice. The high speed at which the juices are spun can cause oxygen to be injected into the juice, which can cause the juice to spoil fairly quickly. Although fairly inexpensive, centrifugal juicers don't extract as much of the juice as some of the other juicers do, and they typically aren't capable of juicing leafy greens.

Mastication juicers extract juice by breaking down the fibers and the plant cells. This process allows more of the juice to be extracted, and most masticating juicers work well on leafy vegetables. And because they work at a lower speed than centrifugal juicers, less air is forced into the juice and more of the nutrients are retained.

Features of Juicers

If you’ve already looked around then you know that there are a lot of juicers on the market. How do you know who makes the best juicer? At least one answer lies in online juicer reviews. Many consumers post their juicer reviews, and even online juicer recipes, to help others make the right juicer choice.

Also, take a look at the various features of juicers, such as:

- How easy is it to use? You’ll want a juicer that you can use on a daily basis without a lot of fuss.

- How easily is it to clean? Like set up, simple clean up is a plus. Dishwasher-safe is even better!

- Size: Choose a juicer that fits comfortably on your countertop.

- Mouth size: The larger the mouth of the juicer, the less time you’ll spend cutting up fruits or vegetables.

- Cool running: Some juicers heat up, which can decrease the nutritional value of your juice.

- Safety: Look for anti-slip bottoms so that your juicer doesn't travel across your counter.

- Reliability: Read juicer reviews and juicer consumer reports to see what brands perform the best.

- Warranty: The longer the better. High-end juicers usually have a better manufacturer warranty.

Some Popular Juicers

If you’re standing at the store and looking at juicers you may feel overwhelmed by the options. Let’s take a minute to compare juicers that are getting good reviews and ratings from buyers.

• Jack LaLanne Juicer ($100-$150): A well-known name in fitness, Jack LaLanne whole-heartedly believes in the benefits of juicing. His juicer has a sound design and features blades made of surgical stainless steel. The machine produces a good amount of juice and is priced nicely compared to other juicers, but there are some drawbacks.First, the motor tends to get hot when juicing hard fruits and vegetables, and the interior of the machine can stain unless cleaned up quickly. Having said that, this wasn’t meant to be an industrial juicer. If you take the time to cut up your fruits and vegetables, you'll substantively extend the lifespan of this machine.

• Vitamix Juicer ($450): The professional Vitamix juicer is one of the most versatile juicers on the market. It will make soup, powder garbanzo beans, and grind coffee as well as juicing your fruits and vegetables.This juicer offers either plastic or glass containers depending on your preference. There is a high and low setting and the ability to regulate the speed of your blade, and it comes with a recipe book to get you started on successful, healthy juicing right away.

• Omega Juicer ($250): People who purchased the Omega juicer say it’s very quiet and works very well for leafy vegetables. The stainless housing is very visually appealing, and it has the ability to make things like nut butter and baby food that some lower-end juicers cannot do. Its versatility and reasonable price makes it very appealing.

Ready, Set, Juice!

Now that you know the benefits of juicing, and what to look for in a juicer, it's time to get juicing. You might consider picking up a used juicer from a garage sale or from Craig’s List. This would give you the chance to see if juicing is right for you without making a large financial commitment. Once you discover for yourself the juicing health benefits and you're sure that juicing is right for you, then it’s time to compare juicers and find the best juicer for your needs and maybe purchase one of the higher-end juicers.

Photo by Rick

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Photo by JOEM500

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