Juicing has become an incredibly popular way to get more nutrients into your diet. Cold pressed juices in particular provide all the benefits of raw, unprocessed fruits and vegetables in an easy to drink format. But with the rise in popularity, cold pressed juices can get very expensive when purchased from juice bars or grocery stores. So is it possible to make your own cold pressed juices at home? Let’s take a look at what’s involved and if DIY cold pressing is realistic for the average person.
What is Cold Pressed Juice?
Unlike traditional juices that use heat and oxidation to extract liquid, cold pressing relies on extreme pressure to squeeze juice from fruits and vegetables. This allows the juice to retain more nutrients, enzymes, and vitamins that would normally be lost through heat exposure. The general process for making cold pressed juice involves:
- Washing and chopping produce
- Feeding the chunks into an industrial juicing press
- Hydraulically pressing the juice out through cold pressure
- Straining and bottling the juice
The hydraulic pressing generates several tons of pressure onto the produce, enough force to extract the maximum amount of liquid and nutrients. This is why cold pressed juices often appear thicker and more pulpy than traditional juices. The lack of heat also prevents oxidation, allowing the juices to be stored for longer periods without losing nutritional value.
Benefits of Cold Pressed Juices
Drinking cold pressed juices provides many benefits over traditional juice and processed drinks:
- Higher nutrient levels – Minimum heat destruction of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes
- Greater phytonutrient content – More plant compounds that may provide health benefits
- Raw food benefits – Enzymes and proteins remain intact, easier digestion
- Higher antioxidant levels – Less oxidation preserves antioxidant capacity
- Longer shelf life – Lack of heat allows juices to last longer
- More fiber – Soluble fiber isn’t destroyed through heat and oxidation
- Better taste – Many prefer the richer, fresher taste of cold pressed juices
Research has linked drinking cold pressed juices to health benefits like improved cardiovascular health, better blood sugar regulation, increased antioxidant protection, and enhanced immune function. However, keep in mind that juice should not completely replace whole fruits and vegetables in the diet.
Equipment Needed for Cold Pressing
To make DIY cold pressed juice at home, you’ll need some specialized equipment to apply enough pressure to extract liquid from produce. Here is the basic equipment you’ll need:
- Juice press – This is the most important piece. You’ll need an industrial strength press that can generate several tons of pressure.
- Juice bottles – Sturdy glass bottles are best for storing juice.
- Strainer – A fine mesh strainer to filter out excess pulp.
- Knife and cutting board – For chopping produce into small chunks before pressing.
- Miscellaneous – Measuring cups, pitchers, towels, cleaning brushes.
Here are some top juicing presses to consider for home use:
| Press | Pressure | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Omega J8006 | 80 RPM | $300 |
| Tribest Slowstar | 47 RPM | $380 |
| Champion 2000 | 56 RPM | $450 |
As you can see, a quality juicing press represents a significant investment. The actual juice yield and efficiency can also vary between models. Overall the Omega J8006 provides the best value in terms of performance, durability, and ease of use for home juicing.
Produce for Cold Pressing
Nearly all fruits and vegetables can be used to make cold pressed juice, but some produce contains more juice and nutrients than others. Here are some of the best options:
| Produce | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Apples | Rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber |
| Celery | High water content, antioxidants, minerals |
| Cucumber | Hydrating, nutritious, mild flavor |
| Kale | Loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients |
| Carrots | High in beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K |
| Beets | Nitrates, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory |
Leafy greens like kale, spinach, chard, and herbs are excellent choices since they pack a nutritional punch. Citrus fruits add a tart flavor along with vitamin C. Combining mild, water-rich produce like cucumber and celery with sweeter fruits and darker veggies can result in well-balanced juices.
Challenges of Home Cold Pressing
While it’s certainly possible to DIY your own cold pressed juices, there are some definite challenges to consider:
- Cost – The equipment represents a significant upfront investment, anywhere from $300 to over $500.
- Time and labor – Juice preparation is very time consuming – washing, chopping, pressing, bottling, and cleaning.
- Reduce volume – It can take several pounds of produce to produce a pint of juice.
- Learning curve – Some skill is required to master juicing techniques and optimal produce combinations.
- Lower efficiency – Home presses tend to have lower yields compared to commercial equipment.
- Shorter shelf life – Juice may need to be consumed within a few days before nutrient levels decline.
Weighing the high startup costs with the significant time investment required, most people will find it is still cheaper and easier to purchase cold pressed juices locally. However, DIY pressing can be a fun project for more devoted juicing fans.
Tips for Home Cold Pressing
If you do want to make your own cold pressed juices at home, here are some tips to get the most out of the experience:
- Use organic produce when possible to reduce pesticide exposure
- Wash all produce thoroughly before juicing
- Chop ingredients into smaller chunks to increase pressing efficiency
- Alternate soft and hard produce in the press
- Juice in small batches to maintain highest nutrient levels
- Mix and match produce to find ideal flavor combinations
- Drink juice immediately or store in air-tight bottles in the refrigerator
- Make sure equipment is properly cleaned after each use
Expect a fairly significant learning curve with home juicing. Keep good notes on produce combinations and techniques to help improve results over time. While it may seem daunting at first, many home juicing fans feel the reward of making your own nutritious juices can be well worth the effort.
Conclusion
Cold pressed juices provide a highly nutritious, conveniently drinkable format for getting in your daily fruits and vegetables. However, the specialized equipment required makes DIY cold pressing at home challenging for the average person. Between high startup costs and significant labor for prep and pressing, purchasing cold pressed juices pre-made is still the simpler and more cost-effective option for most people. Devoted juicing fans may find the hands-on process rewarding, but it requires a substantial time commitment to master home cold pressing techniques. Overall, cold pressed juices are a healthy addition to anyone’s diet, whether store-bought or homemade.
