They’re an ideal way to add more vegetables and fruits to your diet, particularly for those who struggle to reach the recommended daily serving of produce.
Have you ever visited the juice aisle of a grocery store or convenience store and come across the term cold pressed? But what exactly does that mean?
Cold pressed juice is produced using a hydraulic press, an environmentally friendly process that preserves the nutrients found in its ingredients.
What Is Special About Cold-Pressed Juice?
No Heat
Cold pressed juice is created by inserting fresh fruits and vegetables into a hydraulic press that presses them down on them. This preserves more of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants present in raw produce.
Heat and oxidation can destroy essential nutrients like vitamin C, so it’s essential to avoid heating your juice when juicing fresh produce.
Juice often comes with a label indicating whether or not it has been pasteurized, an FDA requirement to enable wholesale distributors to keep juice fresh longer without risk of foodborne illness.
However, if you’re worried about drinking unpasteurized juice because it could potentially give you an illness, bring the juice to a low boil on the stovetop and then allow it to cool before drinking. Doing this helps kill off bacteria that could potentially lead to foodborne illness.
No Oxidation
Cold pressed juice is produced using a hydraulic press that uses thousands of pounds to extract liquid from produce without using heat, thus minimizing oxidation and providing you with an incredibly nutrient-dense beverage packed full of vitamins and minerals.
Oxidation occurs when fruits and vegetables are cut, leaving them exposed to oxygen. This process degrades nutrients while encouraging the growth of harmful bacteria.
Juicing can cause cell wall breakdown on any fruit or vegetable, but it’s especially common with juice as the cell walls are broken down during processing.
However, if you store your juice properly, many of its beneficial nutrients will remain intact for an extended period of time. The key is to store it as soon as possible after juicing so that it remains fresh and nutritious.
No Preservatives
Cold pressed juice is a fresh, raw product produced with the hydraulic press method of processing. This method of manufacturing is much superior to heat pasteurization which alters the flavor and nutritional value of fresh juice.
Cold pressed juices may contain more vitamins and minerals, but they tend to lack fiber because they lack the pulp that typically stores this beneficial dietary fiber.
Avoid high-sugar drinks that could do more harm than good for your body. When searching for a nutritious juice option, look for one made with whole fruits and vegetables.
Cold pressed juices are generally safe to drink if stored correctly. However, keep in mind that the shelf life of a juice may vary based on ingredients, preservatives and storage conditions.
No Chemicals
Cold pressed juice is a popular juice alternative because it doesn’t use heat or chemicals to extract liquid from fruits and vegetables. It’s often promoted as a healthier, better-tasting alternative to pasteurized juices.
Most juices are created using a centrifugal juicer that separates the fruit’s flesh from the juice using spinning metal blades against a mesh filter. Unfortunately, this process generates heat and oxidation which can destroy enzymes and micronutrients.
Unfortunately, fresh squeezed juice can lose its flavor when exposed to air. The oils responsible for its intense flavors oxidize quickly, diminishing their aromatic qualities.
Cold-pressed juices that have been made using the cold-press method can be stored at room temperature for up to 48 hours without losing their beneficial compounds or antioxidant capacity.
However, if you keep these drinks in your fridge, it’s best to store them at 4 degC to maximize protection from bacteria and other pathogens.
How to Make Cold Pressed Juice
To make cold pressed juice, feed the produce into a juicer and collect everything in a pitcher. Cold-pressed juice is made using a two-step process of chopping the produce with a grinder and then pressing slowly using thousands of pounds of pressure.
Home juicers are not able to replicate this process, so it is best to purchase cold-pressed juices from stores.
If you do have a home juicer, there are two main kinds – centrifugal (fast) and masticating (slow or cold-press). To create a cold-pressed juice product, fruits and vegetables must be crushed and pressed with thousands of pounds of pressure.
What is the Difference between Cold-Pressed Juice and Regular Juice?
Cold pressed juice is made by pressing fruits and vegetables inside of a press that applies thousands of pounds of pressure to extract all their juice. Chopped up produce is placed inside this press, which then presses them out with incredible force.
Cold-pressed juice has zero heat or oxygen exposure, meaning your fruits and vegetables don’t lose any of their natural nutrients during pressing.
That means you get more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients from cold-pressed juice than normal juice does.
Ordinary juice shops typically sell their product in cartons, which not only has a shorter shelf life than cold-pressed juice but also contain added sugars and preservatives that may spoil it prematurely.
Therefore, it’s important to get your juice as fresh as possible to maximize its health benefits.
Most commercially available juices have only three to four days before microbes spoil it so make sure yours arrives intact at its freshest!
Cold-Pressed Fruit and Vegetable Juices are more nutritious than bottled juices because they retain their natural nutrients better when squeezed out. Plus, this process allows you to experience the full flavor of your fruits and vegetables to which they were originally intended.
Cold-pressed juice is not only more nutritious than bottled juice, but it’s also safer for everyone (including pregnant women and the immunocompromised).
Most companies use a non-heated process called High Pressure Processing to pasteurize their juices and extend its shelf life from 3 to 5 days to 30 to 45 days.
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