How to pick a vegetable juicer
Now that you are ready to give juicing a try, let’s talk about how to choose a good juicer. There are three types of juicers that range from most convenient to most nutritious:
Centrifugal juicers are typicially the least expensive of the juicers but also the least effective at extracting juice. They do have a larger feeding chute which reduces that amount of preparation time spent chopping vegetables. They work by feeding the chopped produce through the large chute into a spinning basket with a grating base. The grating process releases juice from the plant cells. The centrifugal force created by the spinning basket causes the pulp to collect against the sides of the basket. The walls of the basket also have tiny holes through which the juice passes, and then on out of the juice ejection spout for collection. Centrifugal juicers juice produce quickly due to the large feeding chamber, but also because the of the high RPMs (1000 to 24,000 RPMs). However the rapid speed increases the heat produced by the juicer, significantly reducing the flavor and nutritional value of the produce. And this high speed makes for the loudest motor of all juicer types. The centrifugal mechanism is not as efficient at extracting all the juices from the produce and it is incapable of extracting juice from wheatgrass or leafy greens (our juicing mainstays). If you have ever been to a juice bar, they most likely use a centrifugal juicer because it is fast.
Masticating juicers, as the name implies, “chews up” the produce, expelling the pulp out of the end of the juicer and the juice into the ejection spout allowing for continuous juicing. While they extract more juice than the centrifugal juicers, they don’t extract as much as the gear extractors. They work well with most fruits and veggies, but, like the centrifugal juicer, are not able to juice grasses or leafy greens. Champion Commercial Juicer
Single/double gear juicers offer the best health benefits of all the juicers by producing juice wth the highest nutritional value and the most taste. This mechanism extracts the most juice by crushing and pressing the produce and it functions at very low RPM (around 80 RPMs) producing negligible nutrient-damaging heat. This excellent juice yield will provide more juice for your dollars. This type of juicer is a true multi-tasker, capable of juicing any type of produce including leafy greens and grasses. In addition to juicing veggies and fruits, some also serve as a seasoning mincer/chopper, a meat/fish mincer, and a food mill. Wow! The downside is that it does take longer to juice due to its smaller feeding chamber and slower feeding time.
It probably comes as no surprise that I use and recommend a single gear juicer. My juicer of choice is the Omega 8003. It also comes in a stainless steel model, the Omega 8005
Which veggies should you use? Now here is where it gets fun…use your imagination, try different combinations…get in there and experiment with lots of different veggies, but start with your favorites. Find out what combinations you like…and what you don’t like. I like to use a variety of veggies each time, making my own version of V-8 juice. My goal is to use plenty of green leafy vegetables like chard, red leaf lettuce, and parsley as a base. Kale is another nutrient-packed choice but it can be a bit strong, especially at the start. Mustard greens have a bite to them. You may not notice it at first sip, but after a moment your throat just might start to burn a bit…use just a small amount to experiment with, if you want to add some definite zing. With my base of green leafy veggies, I add some favorites: tomatoes (takes away the “green” taste, which, based on my son’s reaction, may be an acquired taste), celery (great for lowering blood pressure –I use 4 stalks!), carrots and beets in moderation as they contain a relative amount of sugar. Some milder options include spinach, endive, leaf lettuce, cucumbers. Veggies from the cabbage family are full of uniquely healthy phytochemicals; try red cabbage, Chinese cabbage or bok choy. A glove of garlic for good measure and a tiny slice of fresh ginger if you are daring and there you go…a glassful of pure life; refreshing, delicious, go-get-em energy.
Let me know what juicer you chose, what your experience was, and what your favorite combination of vegetables is. You can email me from my contact page. I look forward to hearing from you…
Check back in tomorrow…I will share one of my favorite vegetable juice recipes with you!
Seek health-
Jess
Jessica Adlin, MS CN
