Can you juice celery in a centrifugal juicer?

Introduction

Celery is a versatile vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked. It’s low in calories and full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Juicing celery is a great way to consume more of this nutritious veggie. But can you actually juice celery in a centrifugal juicer? In this article, we’ll take a look at whether or not celery can be juiced in a centrifugal juicer, the pros and cons of doing so, and some tips for getting the most out of juicing celery.

Can You Juice Celery in a Centrifugal Juicer?

The short answer is yes, you can absolutely juice celery in a centrifugal juicer. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Centrifugal juicers work by spinning produce at high speeds to separate the juice from the pulp. This process works best for fruits and veggies with high water content that are relatively soft and easy to break down, like oranges, apples, carrots, etc.

Celery is a fibrous vegetable composed mostly of stringy fibers and cellulose. While centrifugal juicers can breakdown celery, the high speed spinning often isn’t enough to fully separate all the juice from the pulp. This can result in a lower yield of celery juice.

Pros of Juicing Celery in a Centrifugal Juicer

Despite some drawbacks, there are still some advantages to juicing celery in a centrifugal model:

• Convenience – Centrifugal juicers are the most common and affordable types of juicers. So they provide an easy and convenient option for juicing celery if you already own one.
• Speed – The high speeds of these juicers allow for quick juice extraction. You can juice celery fast and whip up a nutritious drink in no time.
• Less prep work – Centrifugal models require little prep like peeling or chopping since they handle whole fruits and veggies well.
• Adds flavor – Even if some celery pulp gets left behind, it can add more flavor to your juices.

Cons of Juicing Celery in a Centrifugal Juicer

There are also some downsides to keep in mind:

• Lower yield – Due to the stringy fibers in celery, a centrifugal juicer is likely to leave more unused pulp behind, resulting in a lower celery juice yield.
• Oxidation – The high speeds introduce air into the juice, causing oxidation. This can diminish nutrients and lead to shorter shelf life.
• Foam and froth – Centrifugal models whip air into the juice, creating foam and froth. Some find this unappealing.
• Nutrient loss – The heat and air produced can degrade nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.

Tips for Juicing Celery in a Centrifugal Juicer

If you want to juice celery in a centrifugal juicer, here are some tips to get the most out of it:

• Chop or cut celery – Cutting celery stalks into smaller pieces before juicing can help increase yield and juice extraction.
• Alternate with fruits/veg – Alternating celery with fruits and vegetables with more moisture can help flush out the juicer and increase yields.
• Wrap in leafy greens – Wrapping celery in leafy greens like spinach or kale can aid in juice extraction.
• Strain pulp – Consider pouring the juice through a fine mesh strainer or nut milk bag to separate out excess pulp.
• Drink juice immediately – Drink celery juice right away to get the most nutrients and minimize oxidation.
• Clean juicer – Thoroughly clean juicer parts after use to avoid leftover pulp and fibers impacting future juicing.

Celery Juice Nutrition Facts

Celery is chock full of beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here is the nutrition breakdown for 6 ounces (170g) of fresh celery juice (Source: USDA):

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	42
Protein	1.1g
Carbohydrates	9.6g
Sugar	3.7g
Fiber	1.6g
Calcium	44mg
Iron	0.2mg
Magnesium	13mg
Phosphorus	37mg
Potassium	300mg
Vitamin K	30mcg

As you can see, celery juice is low in calories but provides important vitamins and minerals like vitamin K, potassium, and magnesium. It’s also rich in powerful antioxidant compounds like flavonoids, phytonutrients, and phenolic acids.

Health Benefits of Celery Juice

Drinking celery juice on its own or adding it to your favorite green juices can provide some great health benefits, including:

• Hydration – Celery juice consists of about 95% water, making it an excellent hydrator.
• Detoxification – It can help flush toxins due to its high antioxidant and nutrient content.
• Reduced inflammation – Compounds like polyacetylenes and phenolic acids have anti-inflammatory effects.
• Lower cholesterol – The phytonutrients may help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
• Blood pressure – Celery contains phthalides that can help relax artery walls and lower blood pressure.
• Cancer prevention – Research shows the phytochemicals may slow cancer cell growth and induce apoptosis.
• Immune support – Vitamins like vitamin C, antioxidants, and polyacetylenes can boost immune health.

More research is still needed, but the potential health benefits of celery juice are promising.

Recipes for Juicing Celery

Here are a few tasty celery juice recipes to try:

Strawberry Celery Juice

• 1 cup strawberries
• 4 celery stalks
• 1⁄2 lemon

Green Apple Celery Juice

• 1 green apple
• 4-5 celery stalks
• 1-inch ginger
• Squeeze of lime

Orange Celery Juice

• 1 orange, peeled
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 cup pineapple
• 1-inch turmeric

Feel free to mix and match your favorite fruits and veggies to make delicious celery juice combinations.

How Long Does Celery Juice Last?

Celery juice oxidizes quickly, so it’s best to drink it immediately after juicing. However, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

To get the most nutrients and flavor, try to drink celery juice within:

• 5-10 minutes for best taste and minimal nutrient degradation.
• 3 hours for decent flavor and nutrition.
• 24 hours maximum for adequate nutrition but some diminished flavor.

Conclusion

Celery is a versatile vegetable that can be juiced in a centrifugal juicer. While juicing celery may yield less juice and introduce some oxidation, it can still be a quick and convenient way to make nutrient-packed celery juice.

Drinking fresh celery juice provides important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial plant compounds. Celery juice offers hydration and nutrition along with a variety of potential health benefits.

You can juice celery combined with fruits and veggies like apples, strawberries, pineapple, greens, ginger, and turmeric. Try to drink your celery juice immediately to get the maximum nutrition and flavor. Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Overall, juicing celery in a centrifugal juicer provides a fast way to reap the many perks of celery juice as part of a healthy lifestyle.