Local grocery stores, food trucks, farmers markets, coffee shops… cold-pressed juices are everywhere, and there’s a great deal of promotion encouraging their consumption.

So, is this a marketing scheme or do they offer real health benefits?

The first thing to understand is how conventional juice is made and how cold-pressed juice is different.

How is conventional juice made?

Traditionally, juice is made by a centrifugal process where fast-spinning blades shred fresh fruits and vegetables into juice, which is extracted through a mesh filter. The centrifugal force actually causes mild heating and oxidizing of the produce.

This model both adds heat and exposes the content to air, potentially decreasing the number of nutrients in the finished product.

How is cold-pressed juice different?

The cold-press grinds fruits and vegetables, using tons of pressure to crush and press the produce instead of aggressively blending. It is believed that by minimizing heat and air exposure, cold-pressing juices results in a product that contains more vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

Another benefit of cold-pressed juicing is it physically gets more out of your fruits and veggies! A traditional centrifugal juicer does not extract as much juice per ounce of produce as the cold-press. 

Why choose cold-pressed?

Cold-pressed juices are loaded with beneficial vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

Vitamins and minerals help maintain healthy teeth, bones, skin, energy levels and immunity. Enzymes are essential in ensuring we actually absorb the vitamins and minerals we consume.

The slight heating of produce in conventional juicing can actually destroy many natural enzymes, making it more difficult to digest what you’re eating. Cold-pressing leaves enzymes untouched!

Any drawbacks of cold-pressed juice?

One potential drawback of cold-pressed juice is it can have a thicker consistency. Personally, I prefer this, but some enjoy a thinner consistency to their morning juice.

Another deterrent could be the price tag. Cold-presssed juices can be costly compared to other juices, but in my opinion the high nutrient count gives you more than enough bang for your buck.  A 16oz. cold-pressed juice can contain up to 6 pounds of produce!

Look for quality!

Your juice is only as good as the fruits and vegetables that made it, so be sure to check for quality ingredients! You can’t go wrong with organic juices made with farm fresh produce. You may even be able to find a local farmer who cold-presses juice to sell at local markets, which is always my favorite.

The moral of the story is there are a lot of health benefits to consuming cold-pressed juices. Try your first cold-pressed juice today!