There was a time — a gentler time — when the most complicated decision one had to make about juice was “with pulp or without.” Juice was orange, or it was apple. Sometimes, but not often, it was grape. Pineapple? That was reserved for fancy drinks containing colorful umbrellas and served by pools.
Today, things are different. Reality stars are politicians and juices are pressed.
But honestly, WTF does that even mean? As the cold-pressed juice revolution takes over cities and strip malls across America, we thought we’d lay out a quickie primer on the trend.
It ain’t Jamba
Cold-pressed juice is not the same thing as a smoothie. It doesn’t involve yogurt or milk of any kind.
Cold-pressed juice is not the same thing as a smoothie. It doesn’t involve yogurt or milk of any kind.
It’s kind of complicated!
Pressed juice is named as such because it is literally made using a hydraulic press to extract pure juice from a variety of fruits and vegetables. This method ensures that you get the maximum amount of juice out of the fruit or veggie you’re pressing.
Pressed juice is named as such because it is literally made using a hydraulic press to extract pure juice from a variety of fruits and vegetables. This method ensures that you get the maximum amount of juice out of the fruit or veggie you’re pressing.
Hmm, ok. But what the heck is a hydraulic press?
It’s a device that uses thousands of pounds of water to exert pressure on an object, in this case a fruit or vegetable. It operates as a lever of sorts. Fun fact: A hydraulic press used to be known as Bramah press, after the dude who invented it in 1795, Joseph Bramah. Not known whether or not he was a juicer.
It’s a device that uses thousands of pounds of water to exert pressure on an object, in this case a fruit or vegetable. It operates as a lever of sorts. Fun fact: A hydraulic press used to be known as Bramah press, after the dude who invented it in 1795, Joseph Bramah. Not known whether or not he was a juicer.
So this newfangled fad uses super old technology?
Yep!
Yep!
Got it. So why is it better than juice that was just squeezed, or whatever?
Other than being less wasteful than other methods, since you get the most bang for your buck (or juice for your press), cold-pressed juice actually is better for your body. Unlike other juicing methods, cold-press doesn’t require any additional heat or oxygen, which basically means that no nutrients are lost.
Other than being less wasteful than other methods, since you get the most bang for your buck (or juice for your press), cold-pressed juice actually is better for your body. Unlike other juicing methods, cold-press doesn’t require any additional heat or oxygen, which basically means that no nutrients are lost.
But you have to drink it fast, because cold-pressed juice, in its natural form, is only good for about 3 or 4 days max.
This is because cold-pressed juice is not pasteurized in any way (which is a good thing). But that also means that some nasty microbes can start to invade the juice if you don’t drink it fast.
Um, ew. So should people be worried about accidentally buying it past its drink-by date?
No! That’s just if you were to make it at home. All the major cold-pressed juice shops and manufacturers have a special process to ensure that the juice actually has a shelf life of 30 to 45 days!
No! That’s just if you were to make it at home. All the major cold-pressed juice shops and manufacturers have a special process to ensure that the juice actually has a shelf life of 30 to 45 days!
Which is?
After the juice is extracted and bottled, the juice is submerged in very cold water under very high pressure to kill any pathogens.
After the juice is extracted and bottled, the juice is submerged in very cold water under very high pressure to kill any pathogens.
All that said, cold-pressed juice is expensive as hell.
A single serving (16 ounces) of cold-pressed juice can cost a cool ten bucks! For comparison, a 59 ounce bottle of Tropicana OJ runs you less than $5. So, your call, moneybags.
A single serving (16 ounces) of cold-pressed juice can cost a cool ten bucks! For comparison, a 59 ounce bottle of Tropicana OJ runs you less than $5. So, your call, moneybags.
