Drinking freshly made fruit and vegetable juices is virtually as good as eating the ingredients raw – especially if you are using a slow speed masticating, or cold press juicer.
There are differences in the quality of juice made by different machines – basically the faster the processing occurs, the lower the quality. This is due primarily to aeration (tiny air bubbles get mixed in, and oxygen reacts with the juice) and secondarily because high speed leads to heat generation – again causing deterioration of fresh, raw substances.
If you are prepared to do your body a huge favor, and begin taking your health seriously, then juicing may be for you. If you are trying to decide what sort of a juicer you should buy, here are a few pointers that may help you. Basically the best machines are (as mentioned) masticating, or cold press juicers. These work on the principle of using a slowly turning auger, or screw, to crush fruits and vegetables. Some of the better models actually use two slowly turning gears instead – often they are called twin gear juicers. Some of the most respected machines are the Angel juicer, and the Greenstar Green power juicer. Both are able to process any kind of ingredient, and are built to last a very long time, something reflected in the impressive manufacturers warranties (10 years).
Both single gear and twin gear juicers have one huge advantage over cheaper, more readily available juicer machines such as those you see in department stores. By virtue of their slow grinding, crushing mechanism, twin gear juicer machines are able to extract wheat grass juice, and juice from similar dry and tough ingredients. This alone can be a big selling point, as many people are turning to wheat grass juice for its cleansing and invigorating properties. The old saying applies – you get what you pay for, and a the versatility and build quality of twin gear juicers like the Angel and Greenstar will not disappoint.