The World Health Organisation recommends eating 5 servings or 400 grams of fruits and vegetables daily, and one of those servings is advised to be replaced with a glass of juice. Freshly squeezed juice at breakfast or in the middle of the day helps to regain the much needed dose of vigour. Fruit and vegetable juices are not only healthy – they also contain a variety of valuable nutrients, such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other biologically active substances that also enhance health and beauty. Which is the best juice extractor to choose?

The citrus juice extractor operates according to the following principle: a halved citrus fruit is placed on the convexly tapered part of the device. When pressed on the tip, it starts to rotate and the juice is extracted from the flesh of the fruit.

Centrifugal juice extractors cut up fruits and vegetables with blades and are perfect for both softer and harder fruits and vegetables. However, taking into consideration that blades produce heat during operation, a large part of the juice remains in the flesh of the fruit or vegetable and the juice loses some of its nutritional value. For this reason, the juice made with this type of juice extractor should be drunk immediately. If you store the juice, it loses its valuable properties.

Masticating juice extractors (auger juicers or slow press juicers) operate according to the principle used in a meat grinder, working at lower rotations. With a low-speed juice extractor, you can get a high-quality, nutritious and vitamin-rich drink which, by the way, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. There are also special masticatingdevices that allow you to enjoy thick juice rich in fibre and other valuable nutrients. For example, using Philips HR1897 masticatingjuicer you can get up to 90% fruit and vegetable juices, also from products that are hard to squeeze for juice like bananas and mango. Some juicer models allow you to put whole fruits and vegetables in them, while others require you to cut them up in smaller pieces before squeezing the juice.

Juice extractor power

Juice extractors can mostly be divided into three groups: low power (up to 500 W), medium power (700 – 1000 W) and high power (1000 – 1500 W). The higher the power, the easier it is to squeeze the juice from harder fruits and vegetables. However, this does not necessarily mean that you have to buy the most powerful device – medium power is absolutely sufficient for everyday use. A low power device will be enough for extracting one to two juice glasses a day, but a large family is advised to opt for a more powerful juicer.

Useful tips

• Mix the pulp with flour, add salt and pepper or, if you want a sweet version, add sugar and vanillin, and fry juicy vegetable cutlets or fruit pancakes.
• If you do not want the pulp to be wasted, it can be frozen and later added to sauces or soups.

Try something unusual!

Various fruit and vegetable juices can be combined to obtain new flavours.\

Sunny carrot and turmeric juice

• 6 carrots (or more)
• 1 – 2 apples
• 1 small fresh turmeric root

Invigorating green juice

• 1 small lemon
• 4 – 8 celery stalks
• 1 – 2 apples
• A small bunch of parsley
• 1 small cucumber or half of a long cucumber

An interesting fact isthatit is possible to save 1.7 million human lives every year by eating more fruits and vegetables, says the World Health Organisation.