About 3 years ago I started seeing cold pressed juice start popping up on social media, in stores and it seemed like every fitness guru was holding a bottle of this liquid gold. As I was walking around the supermarket last weekend a part of my favorite aisle was dedicated to just cold pressed juices. I stood there staring in the market refrigerator, reading each label, looking at all the bottles and colors of the juices.
I had no idea what they were and why someone would pay $11.00 for a bottle of green juice. I already drink green smoothies daily (usually some mixture of spinach/kale, fruit and proteins) so how different could this be other than one being a juice and one having a little bit of coconut milk added? I splurged and bought two very different types; I really wanted a wheatgrass or kale based one but they seemed to be all out.
The day after I tried my first juice I watched two documentaries: Hungry for Change and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dying; I had no idea that they were going to be about cold pressed juice. Hungry for Change didn’t discuss it nearly as much as the second documentary but both films made a strong case for the importance of the health benefits to these juices and the importance of using organic and locally sourced vegetables and fruits. I already purchase organic everything and do my best to use locally sourced food but how much of a difference could this juice make?
Apparently this juice is truly liquid gold because the man in the second documentary was cured of all his ailments simply by drinking this juice everyday. Now he was very extreme in the way he went about this, he drank only cold pressed juice for sixty days. Crazy right!? I wanted to know more, how could this juice be so beneficial? It turns out that the process of making this juice by cold pressed juicers is entirely different than regular centrifugal juicers.
 Cold Pressed Juice
Cold pressed juicers use a very low speed to press the juice out of fruits and vegetables while discarding the dry or damp pulp. If you purchase a juicer that produces a wet or damp pulp it’s because they are giving you the opportunity to use all of the fruit or vegetable so nothing goes to waste. You can freeze this pulp and use it in smoothies or other foods. When the juicer slowly presses the juice out, it maintains a cool temperature that doesn’t destroy the nutrients and enzymes that are so beneficial to your body. I’ll get into these benefits below!
Centrifugal Juice
Centrifugal juicers use a very high speed blade in order to macerate the fruits and vegetables and then it filters out the pulp. These juicers do not yield the same amount of juice as a cold press juicer and thus wasting your food and your money. You are essentially turning your money into pulp. The juice that you produce does have nutrients and vitamins but due to the high speed, energy and heat is created which destroys the very sensitive live enzymes that are so great for your digestive system. These juicers however are much cheaper than the cold pressed ones but you will waste more money in produce.
Health Benefits of Cold Pressed Juice
It’s pretty amazing all the health benefits that people get when they begin to incorporate this juice into their lifestyle. I do not have a degree or any training in nutrition or what our bodies need other than what I have taught myself so I just want to discuss what others have noticed changing when they started drinking this juice. People begin meeting all their daily vegetable and fruit goals so their body begins to function how it’s meant to. Meaning better digestion, clearer skin, healthier nails and hair. People have noticed a reduction in the daily stress they feel, an increase in the overall quality of their sleep and lasting energy all day long. Some doctors have also discussed the positive impact upon your skeletal system, nervous system and lengthening a quality life. Similarly, I have read very similar health benefits attached to green smoothies. Like I said, I don’t have a science/medical degree so I cannot tell you the significant difference on a microbiology level or scale. Maybe I’ll discuss this with Conor!
My Experience with Cold Pressed Juice
My experience with Cold Pressed Juice is very limited. I have only tried the two above however I decided to replace my daily coffee with these juices. I thought that I would be falling asleep at my desk if I drank one of these instead of my coffee but I was so wrong. I was awake, attentive and I felt very satisfied and did not need to snack throughout the day. I also typically feel really guilty after buying Starbucks since it’s not all fair trade or organic but these cold pressed juices in particular were organic. It is important to note that you should not drink these after you have eaten, you will get a sour stomach. It’s best on a empty stomach so the nutrients absorb better into your body. After feeling so great after drinking one as a snack I really would like to try a four or five day juice cleanse. Everyone talks about the three day cleanse however by the third day everyone is just starting to adapt to it and are so ready to eat normal again so I would like to get past that and enjoy juicing.
Is it Worth the Money?
I am not going to lie these juices are not cheap. If you order a cleanse online they are expensive but they are so because they are delivered to your home for convenience and the cleanse is clearly outlined for you. If you plan on purchasing cold pressed juice I would recommend supporting your local juicer. If you’re having a tough time finding one, check farmers markets or reach out to local farmers, I know a family owned farm that makes their own apple cider and cold pressed juice for sale. Personally, I feel that I’ll probably shift my coffee budget to cold pressed juice. From what I’ve tried so far, I love the taste and how it makes me feel. I would encourage you to try it out for yourself and if you don’t have the money for it, maybe you can make it a “treat” once a week, plus you don’t ever have to feel guilty about it!
What I Recommend
If you have the money then go for it! If not then maybe treat yourself every once in awhile or one per week. If you have a blender at home you can always make green smoothies from organic, locally sourced  or fair trade produce. I do know that I’ll be supporting my local Juice cafe though!
*Note* People have said that they lost weight while doing a juice cleanse or drinking smoothies, I decided to discuss the health benefits rather than the weight loss aspect because what really matters is your health.
