Cold Pressed Juice Craze!
Now a multi billion-dollar industry, cold pressed juices are the latest food trend. With these trends always comes conflicting information that can entice us to buy into them. Are cold pressed juices the key to good health like they claim to be? Are they better than any other juices or just plain old fruit and vegetables?
Cold pressed juices are a great way to consume lots of important vitamins and minerals! Many Canadians don’t consume their required amount of fruits and vegetables each day but juices can help us meet these needs. Additionally, cold pressed juices do not contain added sugars or preservatives. The process of cold pressing retains the most vitamins and nutrients compared to any other juicing method. These juices are refreshing and a wonderful way to stay hydrated!
There are a few things to keep in mind when buying and drinking these juices. Cold pressed and raw juices do not undergo pasteurization, which is a process that exposes foods to extreme heat to kill bacteria. Unpasteurized juices are something to possibly avoid for infants, young children, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system. Also, because they aren’t pasteurized they have a very short shelf life of just 2-3 days in the refrigerator after juicing. Fiber has many great benefits for our digestive health, however, so much of the awesome fiber is lost when fruits are made into juice. Finally, juices can contain a lot of sugar. One bottle of juice can be made from upwards of 3 pounds of fruit, which comes with a lot of sugary sweetness!
At Kids & Company we are not only focused on food and nutrition for our students but also for our staff members! Our HR Team has invited everyone to participate in Monthly Health Challenges. This month, the challenge is the 4 & 3 Vegetable and Fruit Challenge by eating AT LEAST 4 vegetables and 3 fruits each day! I am pretty sure that I am going to win because I LOVE my fresh produce – especially my veggies! 😊
Enjoy the great nutrition this summer provided by cold pressed juices but keep in mind the factors to consider when choosing your juice and how often you drink them!
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @kidcochildcare and on Instagram @cheflisaruscica!
Cheers,
Chef Lisa Ruscica
Chief Food Ambassador