Juicer reviews: FAQs
Does the nutritional quality of juice depend on the juicer?
Pulp is ejected separately from the juice
Aside from tasting good, the main objective of drinking juice is to take advantage of all the nutrients within your fruit bowl and vegetable basket. However, the way in which you juice may affect what makes it into the glass.
Centrifugal juicers spin fast, which can introduce more oxygen and heat into the juice, whereas masticating models are much gentler.
The Australian consumer organisation, Choice, analysed carrot juice from both types of juicer, and found masticating machines generally gave a much higher amount of calcium, although there was little variation in the levels of potassium or vitamin C.
It’s always best to drink freshly-prepared juice, as even when it’s stored in the fridge it can turn brown, which shows the nutrients are oxidising.
Do juices count towards my ‘five-a-day’?
Juices and smoothies are a great way to help you get your 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
A glass of fruit and/or vegetable juice (150ml) counts as a portion, but juice can't make up more than one portion a day. This is because you don't get the same nutritional benefits from juice as you do from whole fruit and vegetables.
What can I do with all the leftover pulp?
Don't forget to make the most of fruit pulp - it needn't be wasted. Pulp is often of nutritional value, and is a good source of fibre. It can be used to thicken soups, sauces or minces, or in baking.
What type should I buy?
A built-in pulp container requires emptying more often
Think about how often you are likely to use your juicer. If you have the space, and are serious about juicing, then a masticating model is probably best.
They're generally too heavy to carry to and from a cupboard each time you use them, so are likely to stay on the worktop. Centrifugal juicers are usually much smaller and lighter, so easier to store.
On the high-street, centrifugal models dominate the shelves. If you decide on a masticating model, then you'll need to go online to specialist websites, or track down a local specialist kitchenware shop which stocks them.
How much juice will you make?
If you're making large quantities of juice then juicers with a separate pulp container will be best as you can simply remove the container to empty when it's full. Models which store the pulp in the area around the rotating sieve will need to be dismantled when pulp builds up.
What will you use it for?
Think about what you're likely to want to juice. All juicers will handle common fruit and vegetables, but for leafy vegetables such as spinach or wheatgrass, a masticating model will be required. They also have the added benefits of being able to perform other tasks such as making pasta or grinding coffee beans.
Warranties and guarantees
Some more expensive juicers are built to last, and will give you added peace-of-mind with a long warranty. If you're juicing on a daily basis, the cheaper juicers may not survive more than a couple of years, whereas some machines have guarantees on the motor which last 10 years, or even a lifetime.
