Drinking fruit and vegetable juice mainly results in the loss of vitamins and antioxidant components. This is true even if you drink it immediately after juicing.
Does juicing lead to nutrient loss?
Of course, it mainly results in the loss of vitamins and antioxidant components. This is true even if you drink it immediately after juicing. This is because, within the cells of fruits and vegetables, there are complex ultrastructures. It's like a building with many rooms; each room has its own function, and what's stored in each is different, so they cannot be mixed together.
For example, vitamin C must not meet various oxidases, or they will interact with each other. However, when juicing, the high-speed rotating blades destroy all the cells, and everything inside gets mixed together. In this way, vitamin C encounters multiple oxidases and suffers significant loss.
Studies have shown that after juicing, the destruction rate of vitamin C in cucumbers can be as high as 80%, decreasing from 8 mg/100g to 2 mg/100g. Tomatoes, bok choy, and others show similar results.
In addition to vitamin C, antioxidant components like flavonoids and anthocyanins will also be lost to varying degrees. As for insoluble fiber, it naturally does not go into the juice. Insoluble elements like calcium are also left in the pulp.
Although juicing is fashionable, it is not as healthy as eating whole fruits and vegetables. However, it should be affirmed that you can still get many minerals from juice, such as potassium.
Does heat treatment of fruits and vegetables reduce nutrient loss?
Many people don't know that in commercial production of fruit and vegetable juices, the produce is often blanched. This means the fruits and vegetables are briefly scalded in boiling water to "kill" the oxidases and also to soften the tissue slightly before juicing. This way, not only is the loss of vitamins reduced, but the juice yield also increases, and the color of the juice becomes more vibrant and less prone to browning. This is especially true for vegetables without a sour taste, such as carrots, greens, celery, and sweet corn, which must be blanched before juicing.
As for the feeling of fullness that comes from eating whole vegetables and fruits, you cannot get that from any kind of juice. Therefore, for those trying to lose weight, eating them whole is a better method; juicing is not an ideal choice.
Fresh juice should not be stored
If not blanched, juice should be consumed immediately after juicing and not stored. You could say that every minute, the loss of vitamins and antioxidants increases. If the juice is made from blanched produce, the enzymes have been inactivated, so it can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for one day. You should minimize the juice's contact with air to prevent oxidative discoloration.
Unblanched juice is prone to browning. Browning does not mean it is toxic or harmful; it is still drinkable, but it means the polyphenolic health components in the fruits and vegetables have been oxidized upon contact with oxygen, and their antioxidant effect will be diminished. At the same time, during storage, the flavor will also gradually change, losing its original fresh and delicious taste.
Should you drink the pulp?
If you plan to eat the pulp, its texture is obviously quite unpleasant. Besides, if you are going to eat the pulp anyway, why go to the trouble of juicing? The pulp is rich in fiber, which is good for people who need to relieve constipation and control blood lipids, but it is not suitable for those who are prone to diarrhea and bloating.
Three points to note about fruit and vegetable juicing
First: Carefully select the fruits and vegetables for juicing. First, ensure they are fresh. Before juicing, be sure to wash them thoroughly to prevent pesticide residues on the produce.
Second: After washing the fruits and vegetables, peel them first, and cut them into small pieces before putting them in the juicer. This makes it easier for the juicer to work properly.
Third: After juicing, drink it immediately because the nutrients in fruits and vegetables can easily lose their effectiveness in the air, and freshly made juice is more fresh and beneficial for the body to absorb.