The Do’s and Don’ts of Slow Juicers: A Comprehensive Guide

To ensure your household slow juicer stands the test of time, we've put together an essential guide of dos and don'ts. This informative article will ensure you get the most out of your slow juicer and avoid any potential pitfalls.

0
52

Knowing how to use a device and being aware of any precautions are essential steps to operating it correctly, maintaining its longevity, and ensuring its durability. In this article, we will be focusing on slow juicers and providing some essential tips for their usage.

Slow juicers, as the name suggests, operate at a slower pace, extracting pure and nutritious juice from various ingredients. We will be covering some key points to keep in mind when using a slow juicer. Let’s dive in!

1Principles of Juicing

It is recommended to follow this principle: Soft before hard – less fibrous before more fibrous.

This means alternating between softer and less fibrous ingredients such as watermelon, oranges, kiwi, avocado, grapefruit, etc., and then moving on to harder and more fibrous ones like carrots, beets, ginger, spinach, etc.

The idea behind this is to use the harder and more fibrous ingredients to push out the pulp of the softer ingredients, preventing clogging and making cleaning easier.

Juicing Principle: Soft before hard – less fibrous before more fibrous

2Cut Fibrous Vegetables into Shorter Lengths

In conjunction with the above principle, fibrous vegetables like carrots, apples, and pumpkin should be cut into smaller pieces or chunks that fit comfortably into the juicer’s mouth.

Leafy greens such as celery and spinach, which have long fibrous strands, should also be cut into shorter lengths of 1-3 cm or rolled up before being fed into the juicer to prevent long fibers from tangling and causing damage. For ginger, it is recommended to cut it into a few millimeters.

Cut Fibrous Vegetables into Shorter Lengths

3Chill the Ingredients Before Juicing

Chilling the ingredients before juicing makes them easier to process, resulting in less pulp. Additionally, the juice will be cooler and more refreshing to drink.

Pro Tip
For ingredients like pumpkin, carrots, and lotus root, if you cut them ahead of time and store them in the fridge, soak them in water first and then place the container in the fridge. This will prevent them from drying out and ensure you get more juice.

Chill the Ingredients Before Juicing

4Don’t Overload the Juicer

Slow juicers gradually grind and crush ingredients, so there is no need to overload the juicer by pushing or pressing too many ingredients into the feed tube at once.

Doing so may cause clogging, result in juice with more pulp, and reduce the lifespan of your juicer. The pusher should only be used when an ingredient is blocking the feed tube or when a soft ingredient is not moving down on its own.

Don’t Overload the Juicer

5Ingredients to Avoid in a Slow Juicer

While slow juicers can handle a variety of fruits and vegetables, there are some ingredients that should be avoided:

  • Sugarcane: Do not use a slow juicer to extract sugarcane juice.
  • Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, and tangerines, as well as apples and pears, should have their peels removed before juicing.
  • Ice cubes or frozen fruits should not be put into a slow juicer as they can damage the auger and cause malfunction.

Peel citrus fruits before juicing

These are some essential tips to keep in mind when using a slow juicer. We hope that this article will be helpful to you before you start using your slow juicer.

Frequently asked questions

Slow juicers, also known as cold-press juicers, use a slow-turning auger or gear to crush and press fruits and vegetables to extract juice. This method minimizes heat buildup and oxidation, preserving nutrients and enzymes, and resulting in a higher-quality juice with a longer shelf life.

Slow juicers offer several advantages over traditional centrifugal juicers. They produce a higher yield of juice, especially from leafy greens and wheatgrass. The juice has a longer shelf life and can be stored for up to 72 hours without significant nutrient loss. Slow juicers also operate more quietly and are easier to clean.

Yes, slow juicers are capable of making nut milk. Soak your choice of nuts overnight, then rinse and place them in the juicer. The process is the same as juicing fruits and vegetables, and you can add flavors and sweeteners to your nut milk as desired.

When choosing a slow juicer, consider your budget, the types of produce you’ll be juicing, and your desired level of convenience. Higher-end models offer more features and durability, while some juicers are designed specifically for certain types of produce, like citrus fruits or wheatgrass. Think about the ease of cleaning and assembly, as well as the noise level, to find the right juicer for your needs.

One common mistake is not preparing the produce properly. Always chop produce into sizes that fit your juicer’s feeding tube. Another mistake is not alternating between soft and hard produce to help the machine run more efficiently. Remember to also take your time and avoid rushing the juicing process to get the most out of your slow juicer.