Is a celery juicer better than a regular juicer?
Introduction
Celery juice has become hugely popular in recent years, with claims that drinking 16 ounces on an empty stomach every morning can provide various health benefits. Some people swear by celery juice and have incorporated it into their daily routines. But is using a dedicated celery juicer really better than just using your regular juicer or blender? In this article, we’ll compare celery juicers to regular juicers and blenders, looking at the pros and cons of each when it comes to making your morning celery juice.
How Celery Juice is Made
Before getting into the nitty gritty of appliance comparisons, let’s first look at how celery juice is made.
Celery juice is simply made by juicing celery stalks and leaves. It’s typically made from organic celery for maximum nutrient density. The fiber is strained out through juicing, leaving only the liquid celery juice to drink.
Some key points about making celery juice:
- Use organic celery stalks and leaves
- Wash and chop celery before juicing
- Juice celery stalks and leaves
- Strain out the fiber, reserving only the liquid
- Drink immediately for maximum nutrient retention
The appliance used can impact the efficiency, nutrient retention, and taste of the final product. Now let’s look at how three common appliances – celery juicers, centrifugal juicers, and blenders – compare for making fresh celery juice.
Celery Juicers
Celery juicers, also sometimes called masticating juicers, are designed specifically for juicing celery stalks and leaves. Here are the key features and pros and cons of celery juicers:
Key Features
- Designed for long celery stalks
- Masticating/slow juicer mechanism
- Juices celery stalks and leaves
- Ejects pulp
Pros
- Maximizes celery juice yield
- Minimizes oxidation and nutrient loss
- Easy to use and clean for celery
- Compact size just for celery juicing
Cons
- Only designed for celery juicing
- Lower juice yields for non-celery produce
- Higher price point than some centrifugal juicers
Celery juicers provide efficient celery juicing with high yields and low oxidation. But their specificity for celery makes them less versatile for other produce.
Centrifugal Juicers
Centrifugal juicers use a fast spinning blade to shred produce, then strain the juice out through small holes in a basket. Here are the key features and pros and cons of centrifugal juicers:
Key Features
- Fast spinning blade
- Strainer basket
- Higher speed juicing mechanism
- Juice and pulp separation
Pros
- Very fast juicing
- Less prep time needed
- Juices all types of produce
- Typically more affordable price
Cons
- Produces more foam and oxidation
- Not ideal for juicing leafy greens like celery leaves
- Can heat juice more than masticating types
- Louder operation
Centrifugal juicers are fast and convenient for all produce, but may result in more oxidation and yield less juice from celery.
Blenders
Standard blenders use fast blades to finely chop and puree produce into smoothies and juices. Here are the key blender features and pros and cons:
Key Features
- Chopping blades
- Large mixing chamber
- Liquifies produce into juices/smoothies
Pros
- Most affordable option
- Great for smoothies
- Chops produce thoroughly
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Doesn’t fully strain out fiber
- Higher oxidation potential
- May heat juice more than other methods
- Can be messy with pulp
Blenders are budget-friendly and versatile, but may retain more fiber and oxidize nutrients more than juicers when making celery juice.
Juicing Yield Comparison
One of the biggest differences between these appliances is the juice yield you can get out of celery stalks. Juice yield refers to the amount of liquid juice extracted from the celery.
Here is a comparison of approximate juice yields from 16oz of celery stalks:
| Appliance | Juice Yield from 16oz Celery |
|---|---|
| Celery juicer | 12-14 oz |
| Centrifugal juicer | 10-12 oz |
| Blender | 8-10 oz |
As you can see, a celery juicer extracts the highest yield of juice from celery stalks. Centrifugal juicers produce a moderate amount of juice, while blenders tend to result in lower yields with more celery fiber included.
Nutrient Retention Comparison
In addition to yield, we also have to consider how well each appliance retains nutrients when juicing celery. The main nutrients in celery juice include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes.
Here is a comparison of nutrient retention among the three juicing methods:
| Appliance | Nutrient Retention |
|---|---|
| Celery juicer | Very high |
| Centrifugal juicer | Moderate |
| Blender | Low |
Celery juicers retain the most nutrients because they minimize oxidation and extract juice at slower, cooler speeds. Centrifugal juicers lose more nutrients due to their fast spinning and higher heat output. Blenders perform the poorest, as the blending process introduces a lot of air and frictional heat that can degrade nutrients.
Juicing Speed Comparison
How long it takes to make your celery juice is another variable to consider when choosing between appliances. Here is an overview of juicing speeds:
| Appliance | Juicing Speed |
|---|---|
| Celery juicer | Slow (5-10 min for 1 lb celery) |
| Centrifugal juicer | Fast (1-3 min for 1 lb celery) |
| Blender | Very fast (30 sec – 1 min for 1 lb celery) |
Centrifugal juicers and blenders are significantly faster than celery juicers. This makes them more convenient for juicing on busy mornings. But celery juicers take a bit more time to operate slowly and gently for maximum nutrition.
Cost Comparison
The last major difference is cost. Here’s an overview of the typical pricing for each type of appliance:
| Appliance | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Celery juicer | $80 – $200 |
| Centrifugal juicer | $50 – $150 |
| Blender | $20 – $60 |
Celery juicers tend to be the most expensive option since they’re a specialty product just for celery. Centrifugal juicers have mid-range pricing. Standard blenders are generally the most budget-friendly option.
Conclusion
So is a dedicated celery juicer really better than using a regular juicer or blender to make your morning celery juice? Here’s a quick summary:
- Celery juicers extract the maximum juice yield from celery with the highest retention of nutrients. But they’re slower, single-purpose, and more expensive.
- Centrifugal juicers juice produce quickly and are more affordable, but may result in lower yield and nutrient degradation for celery.
- Blenders are versatile and budget-friendly, but deliver lower yields with more oxidation.
Ultimately, a celery juicer is the ideal appliance if you plan to juice celery frequently and want to maximize nutrients. But centrifugal juicers and blenders can still make celery juice with slightly reduced quality and quantity. All three appliances will provide the basic benefits of drinking celery juice.
If you’re new to juicing, starting with an affordable centrifugal juicer or blender is fine. But if celery juice will be a daily habit for you, investing in a specialty celery juicer is worth it for the highest quality results. Just be sure to factor in the higher cost of these appliances.
Making your own fresh celery juice allows you to control the ingredients and quality, delivering more nutrients than store-bought. Drink your celery juice immediately after juicing to get the most benefits. Feel free to modify the ratio of celery leaves to stalks depending on your tastes. And consider combining celery juice with other healthy ingredients like lemon, ginger or apples to liven up the flavor.
Whatever appliance you choose, making and drinking fresh celery juice is an easy way to incorporate more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into your morning routine. Experiment with celery juicers, centrifugal juicers and blenders to see which works best for your lifestyle.