To Juice or Not To Juice

Are you recovering from an illness or do you just want to be healthier and have more energy? If so, juicing may be the answer for you.

Juicing offers our bodies a high quality, useable source of nutrition that revitalizes weakened organs by creating new cells that are healthier than the ones being replaced. By daily consumption of fresh veggie juices, we can provide the very components our cells need to rebuild - vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. The advantage in drinking fresh vegetable juice rather than eating the whole vegetable is that the fiber has been removed, and thus we can get much more nutrition to the cellular level of our bodies much quicker and with much less energy expended in assimilating it.

So, which juicer is the best one for you? There are four major types of juicers on the market: Centrifugal, masticating, single or twin gear and a cold press type. We must first understand the enemies of juice before we look at each type of juicer. The juice “killers” are heat (from friction) and oxidation (from air). Heat and oxidation first kill enzymes, then vitamins - even some minerals can be lost.

With that in mind, let’s look at centrifugal juicers, the least expensive juicers. These have a spinning basket that pushes air into the juice. They also have a fast spinning blade that heats the juice – neither of these features allows for optimal nutrition from the juice. The juice from these machines is best when taken immediately after juicing.

The second kind of juicer is a masticating type, such as the Champion juicer. It has a much slower blade, only 1700 rpm, so no air is pushed into the juice. The juice from the Champion, if stored in a glass mason jar, lasts up to 24 hours so that you can juice once a day.

The next kind of juicer is a twin or single gear juicer, like the Green Star. It has a very slow rpm, at only 110, producing less heat and better juice quality. We have also found that with the same amount of veggies we get 25% more quantity. Juice from the Green Star can be good up to 2 days after juicing, if stored properly.

The granddaddy of all juicers is the Norwalk Press. This uses a two-step process; one to grind the vegetables and the second to press the juice out of the pulp. This juicer provides the best juice in terms of quality and quantity. However, the price tag on this juicer may be too steep for many.

The choice is up to you. Whether you’re choosing based on convenience or price, choosing the right juicer for you is a must for health and longevity.

Please enjoy my favorite juice recipe:

Leslie’s Favorite Green Juice
1 cucumber
2 celery stalks
1 bunch chard
1 bunch spinach
1 green apple
½ lemon
Juice and strain out any extra pulp. Enjoy!

Leslie Kirchmeier is the owner of Hallelujah Acres, a raw food retreat in Fallbrook, CA. To attend a raw food preparation class, please call 760-


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To Juice or Not To Juice By Leslie Kirchmeier Are you recovering from an illness or do you just want to be healthier and have more energy? If so, juicing may be the answer for you. Juicing offers our bodies a high quality, useable source of nutrition that revitalizes weakened organs by creating new cells that are healthier than the ones being replaced. By daily consumption of fresh veggie juices, we can provide the very components our cells need to rebuild - vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. The advantage in drinking fresh vegetable juice rather than eating the whole vegetable is that the fiber has been removed, and thus we can get much more nutrition to the cellular level of our bodies much quicker and with much less energy expended in assimilating it. So, which juicer is the best one for you? There are four major types of juicers on the market: Centrifugal, masticating, single or twin gear and a cold press type. We must first understand the enemies of juice before we look at each type of juicer. The juice “killers” are heat (from friction) and oxidation (from air). Heat and oxidation first kill enzymes, then vitamins - even some minerals can be lost. With that in mind, let’s look at centrifugal juicers, the least expensive juicers. These have a spinning basket that pushes air into the juice. They also have a fast spinning blade that heats the juice – neither of these features allows for optimal nutrition from the juice. The juice from these machines is best when taken immediately after juicing. The second kind of juicer is a masticating type, such as the Champion juicer. It has a much slower blade, only 1700 rpm, so no air is pushed into the juice. The juice from the Champion, if stored in a glass mason jar, lasts up to 24 hours so that you can juice once a day. The next kind of juicer is a twin or single gear juicer, like the Green Star. It has a very slow rpm, at only 110, producing less heat and better juice quality. We have also found that with the same amount of veggies we get 25% more quantity. Juice from the Green Star can be good up to 2 days after juicing, if stored properly. The granddaddy of all juicers is the Norwalk Press. This uses a two-step process; one to grind the vegetables and the second to press the juice out of the pulp. This juicer provides the best juice in terms of quality and quantity. However, the price tag on this juicer may be too steep for many. The choice is up to you. Whether you’re choosing based on convenience or price, choosing the right juicer for you is a must for health and longevity. Please enjoy my favorite juice recipe: Leslie’s Favorite Green Juice 1 cucumber 2 celery stalks 1 bunch chard 1 bunch spinach 1 green apple ½ lemon Juice and strain out any extra pulp. Enjoy! Leslie Kirchmeier is the owner of Hallelujah Acres, a raw food retreat in Fallbrook, CA. To attend a raw food preparation class, please call 760-