The idea of juicing was popularized in the early 2000s, but many people were skeptical. Mainstream media quickly created panic around centrifugal juices, saying that the juicer uses more heat and oxidation compared to a cold press juicer, and thus destroys the nutrients present in the juice. But how true was all this hype, in fact, was there any truth to it at all?
Let’s investigate together so we can figure out whether or not buying one is worth risking your health over false advertising.
Are nutrients destroyed by centrifugal juicers?
A centrifugal juicer extracts about 15% less nutrients than a cold press juicer; the data for this has been well-tested and documented. However, there is no scientific evidence indicating that the difference in nutrient extract is linked to increased heat and oxidation caused by centrifugal juicers.
While the masticating cold press juicer extracts more nutrients, and thus indicative of producing a better-quality juice, there is no scientific evidence that nutrients or enzymes are destroyed by centrifugal juicers.
Arguments for centrifugal juicers destroying nutrients
It is theorized that heat and oxidation are the main causes for loss of nutrients in centrifugal juices. As the name suggests, these types of juicers use blades which spin at a very fast rate to extract juice.
This spinning blade heats up the fruits and vegetables, resulting in heat being transferred to the juice. The heat also oxidizes some of the nutrients present in the juice, which results in their destruction and thus shortened shelf-life.
Argument against centrifugal juicers destroying nutrients
The argument that centrifugal juicers destroy nutrients is partially true. Some nutrients and enzymes may break down somewhat when heated or exposed to oxygen, however, there are many vitamins that remain intact, many of which provides great nutritional value.
Centrifugal juicers are much quicker than cold press juicers, and produce juice with a more rapid pace. This means that there’s less time for the nutrients to be destroyed via the process of oxidation.
As a result of the blade speed, one could argue that some degree of oxidation is inevitable, however, the argument is not good enough to conclude that the nutritional value is any less or even compromised.
Advantages of centrifugal juicers
- Because they are widely available, they tend to be less expensive than the cold press juicers
- The juicer is versatile, as it can juice different fruits and vegetables, not just hard ones
- It has high speed variables and will work well for the on-the-go juicers
- Centrifugal juicers have less equipment, and thus require less clean-up
Disadvantages of centrifugal juicers
- Due to the rapid extraction process, it may result in less juice being extracted from produce
- The centrifugal juicers tend to be a bit noisier compared to their cold press counterparts
- It does not do well in extracting the juice from leafy vegetables
So, which is the best juicer for your needs?
The first type is the traditional centrifugal juicer, which spins at a high speed to grate vegetables and fruits while extracting out the juice. The second type of juicer (also known as a cold-press or masticating juicer) chews up produce and squeezes out the juice by slowly pressing produce against a stainless-steel mesh.
The purpose of this article was to provide you with contextualized information about the nutritional value derived from centrifugal juicers. Now that you are in a more informed position, you can make a decision without having to be concerned about whether you are compromising on health benefits.
Best of luck!