| There are many advantages to eating fruit and | | | | Juicers can vary dramatically in price, so what should |
| vegetables raw. Water-soluble vitamins (such as | | | | you look for in buying a juicer? |
| vitamin C) are destroyed by heating, so there will be | | | | In order to extract juice from fruits and vegetables, |
| less vitamin C in a cooked carrot than in a similar raw | | | | it is necessary first to break down the cell walls and |
| carrot. | | | | fibres and then separate out the juice. Ideally, a top |
| But for some nutrients, cooking (and juicing) is more | | | | quality juicer should deliver a nutrient-rich juice on the |
| nutritious, because it makes the nutrients more easily | | | | one hand and a dry pulp of cell walls and fibres, on |
| assimilated. Cooking and juicing breaks down tough | | | | the other. There are basically two types of juicers: |
| fibres and allows the digestive juices to work more | | | | centrifugal juicers and masticating juicers. |
| effectively on the vegetable. This is particularly | | | | So what is a centrifugal juicer? |
| important for someone who is elderly, ill or who has | | | | This is an inexpensive juicer and is widely available. It |
| impaired digestion. | | | | merely grates fruits and vegetables, leaving strings of |
| For example, research has shown that we absorb | | | | unbroken cells. The juice from the cells that have |
| approximately 3-4% of carotenoids from raw carrots | | | | been broken is then spun out at very high speed |
| and 15-20% from cooked carrots. Carotenoids are | | | | (6,000 to 10,000 rpm). Because the juice is flung out, |
| plant pigments that give yellow, orange and red fruit | | | | it mixes with the air and so oxidises (turns brown) |
| and vegetables their colour. Carotenoids are powerful | | | | quickly. The pulp usually remains very moist, because |
| antioxidants, so have a role in helping us fight old age | | | | the process has not extracted all the juice. Not only |
| and cancer. | | | | is this more wasteful, but the juice is paler, more |
| Juicing fruit and vegetables is an excellent way to | | | | watery, lower in nutrient value and often quite insipid |
| combine the advantages of both raw and cooked. | | | | in flavour. |
| There are a lot of different juicers out there, so I | | | | That doesn't sound very appetising. Are masticating |
| decided to ask the experts at the Wholistic Research | | | | juicers any better? |
| Company in the UK for more about juicing and | | | | Masticating juicers provide richer, more flavourful, |
| juicers. | | | | nutritious juices. They are altogether more 'serious', |
| What are the benefits of a juicer over just eating | | | | although more expensive, but should be considered |
| fresh fruit and vegetables? | | | | to be an investment in good health. They more |
| The use of fresh fruit and vegetable juices in both | | | | thoroughly break up fruit or vegetables, and press |
| normal and therapeutic diets has long been | | | | out the juice from the resulting pulp inside a nose |
| established as a great aid to natural health, energy | | | | cone with a narrow opening. |
| and well-being. The high mineral and nutrient content, | | | | This is far more efficient than centrifugal action. A |
| combined with the vibrant life-energy of fresh fruits | | | | good masticating juicer will extract up to five times |
| and vegetables, makes pure, fresh juice a wonderful | | | | more nutrients than centrifugal juicers. |
| part of a healthy person's diet. In no other way can | | | | Masticating juicers - like the popular American |
| one consume the nutritional content of, for example, | | | | champion juicer - use a rugged cutter, spinning at |
| a pound or two of apples and carrots (in a glass) and | | | | 1425 rpm. This will juice whole carrots and quartered |
| then go on to eat a healthy breakfast. | | | | apples speedily and with ease. |
| Fresh juices are an invaluable supplement to any | | | | There are also slower masticating juicers that use a |
| person's diet. Indeed there are therapies that rely | | | | single auger or twin gears, revolving at 80 to 160 |
| almost entirely on the power and nutrition available in | | | | rpm, to more gently crush smaller pieces of fruit and |
| juices to rid an ailing body of serious illness, even | | | | vegetables. They are especially useful for juicing |
| cancer. The body is stimulated by such concentrated | | | | tough fibrous greens and wheatgrass (a powerful |
| goodness to throw off negative, pathological cellular | | | | healing natural tonic). |
| deterioration and regain excellent health. | | | | You can also juice wheatgrass with a manual |
| What are the advantages of a juicer over bought | | | | masticating juicer. A good one can be relatively |
| juice? | | | | inexpensive to buy, and is similar to an old fashioned |
| Making fresh juices from your own juicer provides | | | | table-mounted mincer that is turned with a handle. |
| you with the same live enzymes that are available in | | | | Many masticating juicers will also make smoothies, |
| raw fresh fruit and vegetables. These fresh raw | | | | purees, nut butters, pasta, baby foods and frozen |
| foods give us more energy and sparkle than cooked, | | | | fruit ice creams. |
| 'dead' foods, and 'dead' juices that have been sitting | | | | The price of a good juicer may seem quite high, but |
| in a container on the supermarket shelf for days, | | | | the quality of the juice produced, and the long life of |
| weeks or even months. This energy (from the | | | | the juicer, far outweigh the initial outlay when |
| freshly made juice) is concentrated, and you feel it | | | | compared to the cheaper, far less efficient models |
| as soon as you drink it. It can clear your head and | | | | on the market. |
| make you feel light and energetic. | | | | |