Freshly squeezed juices are delicious and provide us with important nutrients such as minerals and vitamins. A wide range of fruits and vegetables can be combined in a variety of ways.
According to the undisputed recommendation of nutritionists, five portions of fruit and vegetables should be eaten per day. Looking at our busy lives in Dubai, this can be difficult at times. Freshly squeezed juices are a convenient way to add essential vitamins, minerals and co. They are easy to pack, store or transport and can be consumed quickly.
Smoothies vs. juices
In the USA freshly squeezed juices have already replaced smoothies. The difference between the two is: Smoothies are made of whole fruits and vegetables. They are thus not only creamy, but also very saturating because of the high fiber content.
Juices on the other hand have a lower amount of dietary fiber because the liquid is separated from the solid ingredients. The result is a refreshingly light drink. Admittedly, the idea of squeezing fruit and sipping the juice is anything but new, but for a long time almost exclusively oranges and other citrus fruits were cold pressed.
A variety of household items is available for juicing
A manual hand press or an attachment for the kitchen machine belongs to the basic equipment of most households. In the last few years, household electrical centrifuges and presses have significantly expanded the spectrum of possibilities. With only a little effort, they make the processing of fruits and vegetables of all kinds possible. At the same time, the increasing attention for local fresh products is still growing and the unbroken wellness trend greatly help the growing interest in juicing.
The market is picking up the juice trend
Juice bars boom as well as recipe books do. And the advertising surpasses itself with promise of salvation. Juicing is supposed to make beautiful skin and stunning hair, detoxify the body, promote digestion and lighten the mood. Green Juice, the super-star among the juices, is credited with all these positive effects. And at least in America, the super super star is already visible on the horizon: Black Juice – fruit or vegetable juice spiced with activated carbon is to detoxify the body even better.
Juicing brings variety to the freshness kitchen
Unfortunately, not all these miracles are scientifically proven. Or in other words: According to today’s knowledge, freshly squeezed juice do not offer any 
additional benefits that whole fruits and whole vegetables already provide. It is not a must in the context of a holistic, balanced diet, but also does not cause any damage. It’s healthy, tastes great and brings variety of freshness into the kitchen. Therefore, there is no reason to stop the juicing as long as you do it in moderation.
Store-bought freshly squeezed juices
When you’re in a hurry, a drink pressed at the juice bar is a temptingly comfortable alternative.
Even though there is a recurring discussion about a possible exposure to germs or pesticides, the conclusion of several tests is: don’t worry, on only very few occasions germs were found.
Light and heat promote microbial changes in food. Therefore, you should avoid uncovered and non-refrigerated juices that don’t show signs of freshness. In the ideal case, the desired juice is freshly pressed from cooled, visibly washed fruit. A water connection, clean shelves and cleaned machines are further indications that the juice bar is serious about hygiene.
Juice and health
Freshly squeezed juice contains almost all ingredients that also make whole fruits and vegetables so valuable – vitamins, minerals, enzymes and dietary fiber. But many of them are sensitive to oxygen, heat and light. They can be lost in juicing and in addition, most of the dietary fiber will be removed during the juicing process. Thus, juices are easier to digest, but less saturating than whole fruits. The only concern regarding juicing as substitution for whole fruits and vegetables is: as we take too little fiber to us anyway and the body needs it, among other things, for a healthy digestion, we should stick more often to whole fruits and vegetables and treat juices as a healthy add-on. Whoever wants to take all the health benefits should eat fruits and vegetables in their whole form. This at the same time strengthens chewing muscles and gums and stimulates saliva production. For a change, one of the recommended five daily portions can be consumed by a glass of juice. In regards of the nutrient density this needs to be considered not as a drink, but as a meal. Also, the fruit sugar content of juices should not be disregarding. If you are looking for weight loss, you should reduce your consumption of juice to a minimum.
Preparation of Juice
Only ripe, unspoiled and thoroughly washed fruits and vegetables are allowed in the juicer. Into the filling shafts of many presses large ingredients such as whole apples fit only if diced beforehand. The juice prepared with centrifuges should be consumed within half an hour. Using this method, the juice is exposed to oxygen. Through oxidation, taste and vitamins are lost. Juice from the electrical press can be stored in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to one day. If the juice serves needs to be stored for a longer period, it should be heated on low heat before storing it in the refrigerator. Whoever looks with regret at a large pile of pomace: It does not have to end on the compost. Depending on the ingredients it is a delicious filling for sweet or savory puff pastry or can be used for vegetable soups.
Ingredients for juicing
Classic juices are citrus fruits, but freshly pressed apple juice gained importance in the last few years. And with the current juicing trend, almost all fruit and vegetable varieties find their way into the juicer. At the same time, the ingredients and mix conditions can be varied as desired and available. Perfect combinations are apples and celery, mango and carrot or tomato and peach. Just like green smoothies, green juices are trending. The reason: drinks from cabbage and lettuce, wild herbs and leafy plants of root vegetables are regarded as super-healthy, because they contain a particularly generous portion of vitamins and mineral as well as antioxidants. Apart from fruit and vegetables are two other ingredients allowed: Mineral water to make the juice more liquid and a few drops of vegetable oil to improve the taste and ensure that the body absorbs fat-soluble vitamins better.
Differences in juicers
Juice centrifuges produce the juice with a grater and spin the juice through the centrifugal force through a sieve. With well under AED 500 such devices are quite affordable. Their big drawback: they work quite loudly. Electric juice presses crush the ingredients with a snail or counter-rotating rollers and squeeze the juice through a sieve. juicing with electric presses takes longer, but is also more gentle. Mechanical fruit presses are only suitable for individual fruits.
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