Ginger is a versatile and flavorful ingredient that can add a spicy kick to juices, smoothies, and other drinks. However, to get the most out of fresh ginger root, you need the right kind of juicer. Not all juicers are created equal when it comes to juicing tough and fibrous ingredients like ginger.
Centrifugal Juicers
Centrifugal juicers are the most common and affordable type of juicer. They use a fast spinning blade to grind ingredients against a mesh sieve. The centrifugal force separates the juice from the pulp. These juicers excel at juicing fruits and veggies with high water content, like oranges, apples, celery, etc. But they are not as efficient for juicing ginger.
There are a few reasons centrifugal juicers struggle with ginger:
- The coarse sieve has larger holes and openings, allowing ginger fibers and pulp to slip through into your juice.
- The quickly spinning blades generate heat through friction, which can diminish some of ginger’s health benefits and alter the flavor.
- Centrifugal juicers lack the crushing force to break down tough ginger fibers.
While centrifugal juicers will still extract juice from ginger, you’ll get lower yields and the resulting juice will have a frothy, foamy texture along with excess sediment.
Masticating Juicers
Masticating or “cold press” juicers crush ingredients between an auger and a screen. They operate at much slower speeds compared to centrifugal models. This allows them to gently “chew” or masticate produce to get the most juice out.
There are a few advantages of masticating juicers for ginger:
- Their slower rotational speeds minimize heat buildup and oxidation.
- They have a tighter squeeze that finely grinds ginger for higher juice yields.
- The juice comes out with minimal foam and separation.
Vertical masticating juicers like those from Omega, Tribest, and Kuvings work especially well for longer, stringier produce like ginger. The vertical auger is more efficient than horizontal models at handling ginger without clogging.
Triturating Juicers
Triturating juicers, also known as twin gear juicers, are a subset of masticating juicers. They have two interlocking gears that simultaneously crush and press ingredients between them.
For ginger, triturating juicers have some advantages over standard masticating models:
- The twin gears provide added crushing force for maximum juice extraction.
- They have a specialized homogenizing stage that finely grinds ginger pulp.
- Their slower speeds limit oxidation and preserve nutrients.
The Super Angel Juicer is a popular premium triturating juicer that excels at juicing all kinds of produce, especially ginger. However, its high cost makes it overkill for most home juicers.
Key Features for Ginger Juicing
When shopping for a ginger juicing machine, look for models with the following features:
- Slow masticating action – Look for juicers with 60-120 RPM speeds. Slower is better to minimize oxidation.
- Powerful motor – It takes significant torque to crush tough ginger fibers, so look for 200 watt motors or higher.
- Vertical auger – Vertical masticating juicers handle ginger better than horizontal models.
- Smaller screen holes – Masticating juicers should have small screen holes to filter out ginger sediment.
- Feed chute – A larger 3-4 inch feed chute minimizes prep and pre-chopping.
- Reverse function – The ability to reverse spin helps clear jams from ginger pulp.
Masticating juicers with these specifications will be able to handle moderate amounts of ginger root and deliver high yields of flavorful, nutritious juice.
Best Juicers for Ginger
Based on their performance with fibrous ginger, these are some of the best juicers to consider:
| Juicer | Type | Ginger Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Tribest Slowstar | Vertical masticating | Dual-stage auger crushes ginger thoroughly |
| Omega J8006 | Vertical masticating | Industry leading juicer grinds ginger well |
| Kuvings EVO820 | Vertical masticating | Ideal for long, stringy ginger fibers |
| Super Angel Juicer | Triturating | Top performer, specialized twin gears |
Tips for Juicing Ginger
Follow these tips to get the most out of juicing fresh ginger root:
- Cut ginger into thin, 1/2 inch coins. Chunks are harder to feed through.
- Alternate ginger pieces with softer produce like apples or cucumbers.
- Juice ginger first, then follow with your other ingredients.
- Mix small amounts of ginger – Start with a 1 inch knob and adjust as desired.
- Drink ginger juice right after making it. The flavor fades over time.
- Combine with lemon, apple, carrot or other juices to mellow the flavor.
Ginger Juice Recipes
Here are a few tasty ginger juice recipes to try:
Orange Ginger Juice
- 1 knob of ginger (1-2 inches)
- 2 oranges, peeled
- 1 apple
Carrot Ginger Zinger
- 1 inch ginger knob
- 5 carrots, tops removed
- 1 lemon, peeled
Ginger Beet Juice
- 1 inch ginger
- 3 beets, scrubbed well
- 1 green apple
- 1/2 lemon
Conclusion
When it comes to juicing ginger root, masticating and triturating juicers deliver the best performance. Their slower speeds, stronger motors, and tighter squeezes are ideal for extracting the most flavor and nutrition from tough ginger fibers. Vertical masticating juicers from brands like Omega, Tribest, and Kuvings are excellent mid-range options, while the Super Angel triturating juicer is top-of-the-line for serious juicing. With the right juicer and proper preparation, you can enjoy the many health benefits of fresh ginger juice.
