Fruit and vegetable juicing is becoming a popular way to consume your daily allowance of produce — you can find juice bars in almost every town and mall, and the juice aisle of your grocery store probably has more blends than you could imagine. However, commercially prepared juices must contain preservatives to keep them shelf-stable, and they also can contain dyes, fillers, and other ingredients you might prefer to live without. Commercial juices are also much more expensive than the ones you can make at home, and you can create blends that suit you, not a manufacturer.
People juice citrus fruits by hand with a small tool that twists the liquid from lemons, limes, and oranges, but this is a time-consuming, difficult process. Another juicing device is the grape press, which uses a hand crank to press a board down over grapes or apples to produce grape juice, apple juice, or cider. Some people also use kitchen blenders or juicing appliances to make juices. Whichever method you choose, you are sure to enjoy the rich tastes of homemade juices.
Juicing for Health
Juicing vegetables allows you to obtain all the benefits of fresh vegetables, without indigestible portions of the produce that your intestines might find difficult to handle. Additionally, fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables have the maximum amount of nutrients. Though cooking destroys some to all of the nutrients your body might absorb from the food, you will absorb nearly all the nutrients by drinking them in a raw produce beverage. Many people have less-than-ideal digestion from eating less healthful food throughout their lives; this limits the body’s ability to take up the vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables you eat. Juicing these foods begins the breakdown process of digestion, so the body will absorb more of the nutrition. Many people swear by the weight loss and detoxifying effects of drinking fresh vegetable and fruit juices. In addition, when you remove the pulp and fiber from fruits and vegetables, the remaining juice will stay preserved longer in a refrigerator, freezer, or can. The USDA food pyramid states that each day, adults should eat five servings of fruits and vegetables. That is plenty to consume — and most people do not consume nearly that amount of produce. However, getting that amount of produce is easier if you drink it in vegetable juice form. When you juice your produce, you will consume the maximum amount of vegetable nutrients most efficiently. In addition, fresh juices can be used in place of broth or water in many recipes, stirred into yogurts, or frozen in cubes for ice teas and drinks. In addition, juicing gives you more options for processing your produce. Juices take up much less room than whole fruits and vegetables, and if you can not consume all the produce at once, the juice can be frozen or canned.
When making your own juices, you can add more types of fruits and vegetables to your diet. Oftentimes, people tend to eat the same vegetables, fruits, or salads every day. Rotating your foods and adding new produce to your menu will keep you interested in produce, as well as exposing your body to new and healthful alternatives. Even if you do not care for a particular fruit or vegetable, you may find you like it better in juice form.
Juicing Methods
The following methods are the best ways to juice your fruits and vegetables. You may find that you already have all the equipment you need to start making your own juice.
Pressing juices
Apple cider straight from the press is a staple of fall. Nothing brings back memories of autumn more than a taste of homemade juices and cider. This is one of the reasons that people love to produce their own juice.
Fruits that are best for this type of juicing are slightly tart. Fruit with bruises can be used for juice when they cannot be canned or dried — a reason to combine juicing and preserving of produce. However, fruit with any mold or decay will ruin an entire batch of juice. Sort and wash your fruit carefully. You can use larger fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, quinces, persimmons, pineapples, any kind of melon, citrus fruits, apricots, tomatoes, or pomegranates as long as you cut them into smaller pieces. Grapes, cherry and grape tomatoes, blueberries, blackberries, currants, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, loganberries, and cherries are excellent choices for juicing whole. However, very sweet fruits like strawberries and cherries will be improved by the addition of some lemon juice, or by blending the juice with another type of fruit that adds some tartness. Make sure you remove the stems of fruit before juicing them, because the stems will make the juice bitter. Depending on the water content of the fruit, a pound of raw fruit will yield about a cup of juice.
The type of fruit you choose will determine the best method for juicing. Here are some of the most commonly juiced fruits and the best methods juice them:
• Stovetop juicing: grapes, peaches, berries, cherries, and tomatoes
• Juice pressing: all fruits
• Steam juicing: cherries, apples, or grapes
• Blender juicing: watermelon, pineapple, peaches, pears,
and berries
Heat juicing
Heat juicing requires just a few pieces of equipment: several pans, a food processor, thick wooden spoon or potato masher/ricer, cheesecloth or a sieve, and jars. Remove the stems and pits from cherries or peaches, and carefully sort out any bad or under ripe pieces. Rinse the fruit well — if you like, you can allow the fruit to soak for a few minutes to make sure it is clean and free from bugs and dirt. After draining the fruit, crush it slightly to get the juice to flow readily. You can pulse the fruit in small batches in a food processor, or place it in a pan and crush it with a heavy spoon or potato masher.
Bring the fruit to a boil in a large covered pot, and simmer about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep mashing the fruit from time to time so that you extract as much juice as possible. This will also extract the color from the skins to make a more attractive juice — but if you spill any juice, wipe it up immediately, because most dark fruits will easily stain counters, appliances, and clothing.
Once you have extracted all the juice from the fruit, allow the mixture to cool. Then strain the juice through a fine sieve or several layers of cheesecloth. This may take several hours, because the juice and pulp will be thick. You can speed up the straining process by squeezing your cheesecloth bag or pressing the pulp in the sieve; however, this will make the juice cloudier. If you prefer clear juice, do not squeeze the pulp. Many cooks will let the juice drain overnight to extract as much as possible from the pulp. Hang the bag of cheesecloth on a nail, or raise it above the bowl collecting the juice, so that gravity does the draining work for you. You can either discard the pulp leftovers, or compost them in the garden.
Juices produced through this method will be thicker and more concentrated than by other methods. Once you taste the result, you may want to dilute the juice with water, or use as syrup. Alternatively, you can freeze or can the juice as a space-saving fruit concentrate, and mix with water when you are ready to drink it.
Juice pressing
Juice pressing is done manually with a fruit press. These presses range in size from a small tabletop press, suitable for juicing citrus fruits, to large barrel-like presses. To use a small citrus press, slice the fruit in half and remove the seeds. Put the fruit half on top of the juicer cone, and pull down the lever to crush the juice from the rind. Some electrical versions will press down the juicing lid when a button is pressed. The juice will run from a spigot or run into a collection container. Citrus juices retain more flavors when frozen rather than canned, but either method is acceptable. If freezing, make sure the juice is sealed in leak-proof freezer bags or sturdy containers.
For larger batches of fruit, you may want to purchase a hand-crank fruit press. These presses have a barrel-like container for holding the fruit and a flat lid with a crank handle that you slowly screw down to crush the fruit. The juice will run out of a spigot at the bottom of the press, while the pulp and remains of the fruit stay in the barrel. These fruit presses come in many sizes, from a gallon-sized tabletop version to a model that can hold a bushel or more of fruit. These presses can also be used to press other kinds of produce for vegetable juices, as long as tough or large vegetables are sliced before they are placed in the barrel. In addition, large fruits, such as apples or pears, should be chopped or sliced before pressing, because plenty of strength would be needed to crank down the lid otherwise. Juices produced from fruit presses can be preserved by either canning or freezing.
Steam juicing
A steam juicer is a stovetop appliance consisting of a covered double boiler with a spigot or hose that runs from a center pan. The water boils in the bottom pot and releases steam to the prepared fruit in the top pot. The juicer extracts juice from fruit by breaking down the fruit through heat and water; the juice runs to the central pan of the steamer while steam replaces the lost juice in the fruit cells. Steam juicing is quicker than some other methods — small fruits will complete processing in about 30 minutes. Just like any other food that is steam cooked rather than boiled, the produce retains its taste and nutrients better than through boiling. Juice produced by a steam juicer is generally very clear and pure; the resulting juice makes a delicious clear fruit jelly as well as nutritious drinks.
The steam juicer is a popular tool in many parts of Europe. The juicers come in a wide range of prices, mostly based on the material. Enamel steamers will prevent an acid reaction with acidic fruits, but they are subject to cracking on impact or with extreme changes in temperature. Aluminum pans can cause a reaction with acidic fruits, but they are usually the cheapest variety. Stainless steel steamers are very study and non-reactive. Because there are few moving parts, and the pots easily come apart for cleaning, a good steam juicer is simple to maintain and should last for a long time.
Blender juicing
Creating juices from a blender is a quick, easy way to make healthy juice. A medium-duty blender is relatively inexpensive, can quickly make an entire pitcher of juice, and makes it easy to create juice blends and smoothies. However, the juicing will take more prep time than the other methods described above. Some juicing purists maintain that the blending action introduces oxygen into the juice, thus destroying some of the nutrition. But if you are planning to can or freeze the juice to preserve it, some nutrients might be lost anyway.
A blender will mix all the fruit pulp, fiber, and skins into a thick drink. This can be satisfying as a fresh smoothie, especially when blended with yogurt, fiber supplement, or protein powder. However, if you want a clearer drink, remove as much of the skin, stalks, and tough fibers from the food ahead of time as possible, as well as carefully washing and sorting the produce. Core or pit the fruit and remove the skins, and add some extra water to the blender. Once the juice is blended, let it sit for 30 minutes or so to let the heavy pulp sink to the bottom. Then strain the juice before drinking, freezing, or canning.
Using a juicer
A juicer appliance is all that is needed to produce many raw fruit and vegetable blends. These appliances will range in price from $50 to several hundred dollars. Consider how often you will use it when you purchase it. If you are just beginning to explore juicing, you may want to start out with a mid-range model without many extra bells and whistles.
There are several different types of juicers. Centrifugal juicers spin the juice out of produce, but add oxygen, which will start to break down food nutrients. If you use this type of juicer, you should drink your juice soon after making it. Masticating juicers mash the produce at a low speed to remove juices. This method introduces less oxygen to the juice and so the juice will store for a longer period of time. High-speed fruit and vegetable juicers can produce quantities of juice more quickly, but they also create heat that can remove some of the juices’ nutrients. Hydraulic-press juicers squeeze the juice out of produce, but the process generates very little oxidation and make the best nutritional juice. Make sure you have a juicer that can handle the woody parts of some tough fruits and vegetables, such as celery’s tough fibers or the rough roots of beets. When using any juicer, the pulp that remains should be discarded, used for making soup stock, or composted.
To use a juicer, first prepare your fruits or vegetables. Choose produce at the peak of freshness and maturity. Make sure the fruit is not bruised, damaged, or blemished, because the fruits will generally be put into a juicer whole. Wash your produce well. Some people like to use a scrubber pad and a tiny bit of dish soap to scrub the surface of fruits and vegetables before juicing them. If your produce is purchased from a grocery store, this removes dirt, pesticides, and insect debris. If you grow your own, using a scrubber pad removes dirt and pollutants from the environment. After washing, thoroughly rinse all soap from your fruits and vegetables before using. Fruits should be seeded and cored, and vegetables should have the tough rinds and seeds discarded. The juicer will remove the nutrients from thin-skinned fruits and vegetables, but fruits with rinds, such as melons and citrus fruits, should be peeled. Cut your produce into quarters or dice it, and place it into the juicer. Follow the instructions for using the appliance.
After each use, clean all the parts of your juicer thoroughly, according to the manufacturer’s directions. If you notice that the machine is slowing down during use and the juicer does not eject pulp automatically, stop the machine and remove any pith, pulp, or fibers that may be clogging the machine’s operation.
Fruit juices
Many people enjoy fruit blends, and creating your own blends during a fruit’s season is the most economical way of enjoying juice. Some people have a hard time drinking acidic juices on an empty stomach. Some easily tolerated fruits include berries, melon, apples, and grapes. Your best bet is to use fruit with high juice content; thicker fruits like bananas will become too mushy to juice well. Here are a few easy-to-make, easily-tolerated fruit blends:
Apple Pineapple Ginger Juice
• 1 apple, cored and sliced
• 1 cup pineapple, peeled and diced
• ½ inch fresh gingerroot
Blueberry Grape Juice
• 1 cup of grapes (any variety; does not need to be seeded)
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
Apple Kiwi Juice
• 3 kiwis, peeled
• 2 apples, cored and chopped
Pineapple Orange Strawberry
• 1 orange, peeled and sectioned, all white pith removed
• 1 cup pineapple, peeled and diced
• 5 strawberries
Melonade
• 1 lemon, peeled and pith removed
• 5 strawberries
• 1/4 watermelon, without rind
For extra flavor, toss in a few tablespoons of raisins, nuts, or dates while juicing produce. Alternatively, add banana chunks or yogurt while juicing to create a satisfying smoothie.
Vegetable Juices
People are more familiar with drinking fruit juices than vegetable juices. It is easiest to start out with mild vegetables that you already know you like. Always cut vegetables into small pieces and remove hard rinds or seeds. If you use pithy vegetables or ones with fibrous stalks, clean out the juicer often.
Try a combination of the following easily digestible vegetables: celery, fennel stalks, and cucumbers. These three do not have the same nutrient density as leafy green vegetables, but they are a good start. Add cilantro or parsley for additional flavor. Once you get accustomed to these three vegetables, start adding vegetables that are denser in nutrients and stronger-tasting vegetables. Carrots and beets are a good choice, because they contain easily digested sugars, and add taste and color to your drink. Always cut vegetables into pieces and remove stems and tough, woody ends.
To experiment with different vegetable juice tastes, try adding vegetables like bell peppers, tomatoes, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, romaine, cabbage, endive, escarole, and spinach. You can grow your own wheatgrass, bean, or alfalfa sprouts to add nutrients to your juices. Experiment with the quantities so that you get the taste you enjoy.
Herbs and spices are also an excellent way to add flavor and additional vitamins to your juices. Although fresh herbs provide the best nutritional punch, dried herbs are just as acceptable. Remember, though, that dried herbs are more potent than fresh. You can also add hot sauce, garlic, pepper, and other seasonings to the juice. If you use kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, or mustard greens, which have high nutritional value, add only a small amount, because these leaves can be bitter.
To expand your vegetable repertoire, try some of these vegetable blends:
5-Vegetable Juice
• 4 potatoes
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 6 broccoli florets
• 6 Brussels sprouts, woody stems removed
• 1 cucumber, skin on, chopped
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Celery-Cabbage Combo
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 cup chopped cabbage
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
Garden Tonic
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 stalks of asparagus, sliced
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves
Wheatgrass Tonic
• 2 stalks of celery, sliced
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves or 4 kohlrabi leaves
• ½ cup parsley
• ½ cup wheatgrass
Powerful Carrot Juice
• 1 beet, sliced
• 1 cucumber, skin on, chopped
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• ½ cup of parsley
• 1 green pepper, cored and quartered
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 slice gingerroot
• 6 carrots, sliced
If you want to blend fruits and vegetables, you might find new and interesting combinations you never have considered before. Try some of these blends:
Cucumber Celery Cooler
• 4 medium carrots, tops removed, sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, skin on, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 apple, cored and sliced
• 1/2 lemon, peeled and pith removed
Calcium Blend
• 6 broccoli florets
• 3 carrots, sliced and greens removed
• ½ cup edamame peas (removed from pods)
• 1 apple, cored and chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley
• ½ lemon, peeled and pith removed
Potassium Blend
• 4 medium carrots, sliced and greens removed
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 apple
• ½ cup fresh parsley
• ½ cup baby spinach leaves
• ½ lemon, peeled and pith removed
Tomato Spice
• 6 tomatoes, quartered
• ½ cup beet tops, sliced
• ½ lemon, peeled and pith removed
• 1 to 2 drops hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon horseradish
• ½ apple, chopped
Winter Blend
• ½ cup cranberries
• 1 cup apples, seeded and cored
• ½ cup chopped parsnips
• ½ cup beets, sliced
• 2 leaves of kale, cabbage, or escarole
• ½ cup sliced Brussels sprouts
• ¼ cup walnuts
Cabbage/Cherry Juice
• 3 carrots, sliced
• ¼ head of cabbage
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 10 pitted cherries
Preserving juices
The best way to preserve your vegetable or fruit blends is to keep them refrigerated, can them, make them into jams or jellies, or to store them in the freezer. Juice can be poured into a plastic bag or freezer-proof plastic container. You can freeze juices such as pure lime or lemon juice in ice cube trays, and then store them in plastic bags in the freezer. When you need citrus juice for a drink or a recipe, simply remove cubes from the bag. Each cube should produce about 1 tablespoon of juice, depending on the size of the cubes. When frozen, juices will last 6 to 9 months in the freezer and will last up to 2 weeks in a refrigerator. Juices can also be canned, though this will damage some of the nutrients. Tomato juice and citrus juices can be canned through boiling water bath processes, but most other low-acid juices must be canned in a pressure canner. Follow the directions in the canning chapter for the proper canning of juices.