Did Jack LaLanne make a juicer?

Jack LaLanne was an American fitness, exercise, and nutrition expert who is often referred to as the “Godfather of Fitness”. He had a prolific career that spanned decades and left a lasting impact on the health and wellness industry.

Introduction

One of LaLanne’s most well-known contributions was popularizing juicing and high-powered juicers for health benefits. But did he actually create or manufacture his own juicer models? Let’s take a closer look at Jack LaLanne’s career, his juicing advocacy, and his association with juicer brands over the years.

Jack LaLanne’s Career and Focus on Nutrition

Jack LaLanne (1914-2011) opened one of the nation’s first fitness gyms in California in 1936. At a time when the link between exercise and health was not widely promoted, LaLanne was pioneering the field of personal fitness training andnutrition.

Some key facts about his influential career:

• LaLanne hosted the first exercise TV show, The Jack LaLanne Show, from 1953 to 1985. It was one of the longest running exercise programs on television.
• He focused on inexpensive homemade fitness equipment using things like broomsticks, chairs, and rubber cords.
• LaLanne emphasized a balanced diet with natural, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, fish, and eggs.
• He was a proponent of raw foods and juicing.
• He spoke out against processed foods and sugar decades before it became mainstream.
• LaLanne opened dozens of gyms and fitness studios across the United States.
• He invented several fitness machines like the Smith machine, cable crossover machines, and weight selectors.
• Even into his 80s and 90s, LaLanne continued to set athletic records and promote his fitness principles.

Because of his pioneering TV show, books, training programs and outspoken health principles, LaLanne influenced millions to improve their diets and incorporate exercise into their daily lives. He is rightly credited as laying the groundwork for the fitness movement that blossomed across the country beginning in the 1950s.

Jack LaLanne’s Beliefs on Juicing

One of the core tenets Jack LaLanne preached was the health benefits of raw juices made from fresh fruits and vegetables. Here’s an overview:

• LaLanne was an early proponent of juicing as far back as the 1930s, favoring fresh raw vegetable juices for their concentrated nutrients.
• He often recommended juicing to patients in his gyms as a way to get more vitamins and minerals from produce.
• LaLanne regularly drank juice combinations like carrot, celery, and beet juice.
• He advocated drinking fresh juices first thing in the morning and between meals to provide the body with enzymes and easy absorption of nutrients.
• LaLanne warned against overcooking vegetables, saying it destroyed nutrients and enzymes.
• He recommended juicing not only for health, but for weight loss and cleansing programs.
• LaLanne drank juices well into his later life, believing they helped maintain his legendary strength and fitness.

LaLanne was outspoken about the benefits of juicing fruits and vegetables decades before it became a national health trend. He helped introduce juicing into the mainstream health and diet lexicon.

The Rise of Electric Juicers

Jack LaLanne’s juicing philosophy gained popularity in tandem with the rise of household electric juicers in the mid-20th century. Here’s a look at that timeline:

• 1930s – Early manual juicers require physical strength to operate. Juicing is time consuming and accessible only to health enthusiasts.
• 1940s – First electric juicers introduced, reducing manual labor. Brands like Hamilton Beach manufacture larger models for cafes.
• 1950s – Jack LaLanne endorses juicing for health on his national TV show, driving public interest.
• 1960s – More brands launch smaller electric juicers for household kitchens. Plastic starts replacing metal housing.
• 1970s – Juicing popularity rises among celebrities and athletes. New centrifugal ejection design speeds up juicing.
• 1980s – Jack LaLanne partners with PowerJuicer infomercials. More health claims boost juicing hype.
• 1990s – Juicing goes mass market. New models feature higher power and convenience features.

LaLanne’s message drove much of the enthusiasm for juicing from the 1950s forward. As electric juicers became more affordable and efficient, they were embraced by health and fitness fans attracted to LaLanne’s principles.

Did Jack LaLanne Design His Own Juicers?

Given his vocal advocacy for juicing over more than 50 years, many people assume Jack LaLanne designed his own juicer models or product line. But he did not actually invent or manufacture juicers himself.

Here are some key facts about Jack LaLanne’s association with juicer appliances:

• There is no evidence LaLanne had any formal training in juicer engineering or technology.
• He is not credited with any patented juicer inventions filed under his name.
• LaLanne did not launch his own branded line of Jack LaLanne juicers while he was alive.
• He partnered with established brands to promote juicers, but did not design the actual appliances.
• Most images of LaLanne with a juicer are holding branded models like Champion or PowerJuicer.
• No major juicer company has claimed LaLanne as a core inventor or designer in its history.

Based on this, it appears Jack LaLanne served as an influencer and spokesperson for juicing, rather than the original creator of any specific juicer models sold to the public.

Jack LaLanne’s Legacy with Juicer Brands

While Jack LaLanne did not invent his own juicers, he was closely associated with select juicer manufacturers through endorsements and partnerships:

Brand	Association
PowerJuicer	LaLanne heavily promoted PowerJuicer infomercials in the 1990s while wearing his signature jumpsuit and boater hat. This helped popularize the PowerJuicer name.
Champion Juicer	LaLanne was often photographed in his later years drinking juice from a Champion Juicer, though he did not formally endorse the brand.
Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer	A Jack LaLanne branded juicer was released by Tristar Products Inc. in 2007 after LaLanne’s death, likely using his name and likeness rights.

LaLanne managed to leverage his celebrity status to partner with established juicer brands, rather than developing his own competing product line. But his identity is still closely tied to juicing appliances and culture today.

Did Jack LaLanne Invent Juicing? No, But He Popularized It

While drinking vegetable and fruit juices for health certainly existed prior to Jack LaLanne, he played an instrumental role in bringing juicing into the mainstream through his relentless promotion and savvy partnerships.

Key impacts:

• Introduced juicing on early exercise TV shows in the 1950s, when it was obscure
• Positioned juicing as essential for nutrition, energy and weight loss
• Lent credibility as a fitness celebrity and performance example in his 70s and 80s
• Boosted juicer sales and helped develop the market for new brands
• Associated his personal brand with juicers as endorsements in late career

Although juicing existed prior to Jack LaLanne, he acted as the leading evangelist, popularizer and public face that drove juicing from a niche health hobby to a national wellness trend. For this, he deserves the title “godfather of juicing” along with fitness.

Conclusion

Jack LaLanne clearly did not design or manufacture juicers himself. But his tireless advocacy for juicing as essential for nutrition and vitality helped transform the practice from obscurity into a mainstream health phenomenon. While brands benefitted from his celebrity endorsements, LaLanne deserves credit for cementing the idea of juicing into the public consciousness over decades. His promotion directly contributed to the rise of electric juicers in American kitchens since the 1950s. So while LaLanne did not actually invent the juicer itself, he helped invent juicing as we know it today.