No, Centrifugal Juicers Don’t Destroy Nutrients

When juicing first became a mainstream idea, “the juicer to buy” was the centrifugal juicer. We all saw the infomercials and many of those same juicers can still be purchased. However, across the internet, new information quickly spread that centrifugal juicers produce too much heat and therefore kill all the nutrients we’re trying to drink! But is that true? Do centrifugal juicers destroy nutrients or is that internet hype? I did a lot of research to find out, and what I learned is that we have a lot more testing to do.

Do Centrifugal Juicers Destroy Nutrients?

Juice from a centrifugal juicer contains about 15% less nutrients, which is a minimal amount overall. This information was the only unbiased, well-tested data I was able to find on the matter. There has been no scientific testing done to determine if heat and oxidation are truly factors in that 15% difference of nutrition. But if heat from a centrifugal juicer doesn’t destroy nutrients, why is there less overall?

Masticating cold press juicers extract more nutrients; that much is a fact. So while it is possible, and widely accepted in the juicing community, that the heat and oxidation from centrifugal juicers creates a lesser quality juice, there is no current evidence that they destroy the nutrients in juice.

Of course companies will always want to prove that their product is better than the competition; that’s only natural. However, my goal is to represent that information in the most honest, straightforward way so that you can make the purchasing decision that’s right for you.

I would like to share both arguments below, and allow you to draw your own conclusions. Then, we’ll cover the pros and cons of centrifugal juicers when compared with cold press juicers.

Arguments For & Against Centrifugal Juicers Destroying Nutrients

Argument For:

It is believed that centrifugal juicers destroy nutrients for two reasons: heat and oxidation.

Centrifugal juicers are faster than masticating juicers and that speed is the problem. Speed produces heat, which breaks down nutrients and enzymes in the juice. This creates a less nutritional juice. Oxidation also occurs. Grinding fruits and vegetables in order to extract the juice exposes the cell walls of the produce, allowing oxygen to react with the natural chemicals inside. This process is exaggerated by the speed of the machine; it reduces not only the quality of the juice but also its shelf-life.

Argument Against:

The argument that centrifugal juicers destroy nutrients is partially based in reality: some nutrients and enzymes begin to break down when heated or exposed to oxygen. However, there are many vitamins that remain stable when heated. And there is no evidence to suggest that the heat from a juicer is capable of breaking these nutrients down so quickly.

Juicers that produce heat are very quick; it follows then that the heat produced simply doesn’t have a chance to destroy the nutrients. However, since centrifugal juicers are often much faster than cold press juicers, oxidation to some extent is inevitable. This is most observable when comparing the color of juice created and how long the juice remains fresh (in taste) when stored.

Nonetheless, there is no evidence to suggest that the oxidized juice from a centrifugal juicer is significantly worse than that from a cold press juicer. Though the resulting juices are observably different depending on the quality of your machine, the nutritional value is not necessarily affected.

Centrifugal Juicer VS. Cold Press (Masticating) Juicer

Centrifugal juicers use speed and spinning to mash your fruits and vegetables into a pulp before straining. Whereas cold press masticating juicers use one or two gears to grind fruits and vegetables, similar to a chewing jaw.

Pros of Centrifugal Juicer

Cost
Speed
Slightly less cleanup

Cons of Centrifugal Juicer

Less juice extracted from produce
Can’t juice leafy greens or wheatgrass well
Louder

Centrifugal juicers generally have fewer parts than masticating juicers, which can make the cleanup process slightly quicker. Since they are high speed, the juicing process is almost instantaneous. And of course, Centrifugal juicers are widely available and therefore generally less expensive.

However, the speed of centrifugal juicers often means they are louder machines when running. Leftover pulp from centrifugal juicers is also far more wet than those from masticating juicers, which suggests that cold press juicers are able to extract significantly more juice from produce. Cold press masticating juicers are also capable of juicing leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and wheatgrass. Whereas centrifugal juicers are not.

Which Juicer is Right for You?

My hope is that you have a much greater understanding of how centrifugal juicers do and do not affect the nutritional value of juice, as well as the information to decide whether a centrifugal juicer is the right choice for you or not. If you would like to learn more about masticating juicers, we have a complete guide you’ll find here.

Overall, what matters most is that you choose a juicer you’ll use. Regardless of whether it’s a centrifugal juicer or masticating juicer, the juicer that will provide the most nutritional value is the one on your countertop. If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email us; we’d love to connect with you.

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO JUICERS FOR GERSON THERAPY

Dan christy

May 29, 2020

I have had both types of juicer. From the $600 green star to the $50 big mouth Hamilton beach. I juice currently use the Hamilton juicer. The quality and amount, especially with Kale looks to be exactly the same. I stopped using the green star because it takes about 3 times as long to use. It was such a pain (gears kept getting clogged up) I just quit. The Hamilton is just so much easier. Contrary to what I read, the kale juice is very thick and dark green. Thanks 😊

Comments will be approved before showing up.