Why Seasonal Produce Makes The Best Juice: Health Benefits You Can’t Ignore
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Sugar seems to be everywhere these days, hiding in packaged snacks, beverages, and even so-called “health” foods. Unfortunately, the overconsumption of refined sugars, coupled with less active lifestyles, has led to a widespread decline in physical health. While it can be hard to escape sugar entirely, if we’re going to indulge, it makes sense for it to come from the purest source—fruits and vegetables. Seasonal produce not only provides a natural, nutrient-rich sweetness but also delivers another often-overlooked health gem: naturally occurring water. Fresh juice, when created thoughtfully, can transform your health, especially when combined with the right approach and juicing tools.
The Hidden Treasure of H2O in Fruits
Nature offers more than just flavor when it comes to seasonal fruits and vegetables. Many of them are packed with water that is essential for life, but this isn’t your average tap water. The water found in fruits and vegetables is bioavailable, meaning it contains nutrients and electrolytes that are easily absorbed by your body. This makes hydrating through fruits better for you than reaching for plain processed drinks or sugary sodas.
Take watermelon, for example, which is about 92% water and loaded with vitamins like A and C. Cucumber, another hydrating superstar, is packed with minerals like potassium and magnesium that support healthy skin, muscles, and nerves. And then there’s coconut water, a naturally hydrating liquid with electrolytes like potassium, calcium, and magnesium that helps replenish your body after exertion.
We may not realize it day to day, but hydration plays a key role in nearly every bodily function—energy, digestion, circulation, and even cognition. When we incorporate high-water-content foods like the ones found in seasonal produce, we’re not just staying hydrated; we’re nourishing our cells with the purest, most nutrient-packed water the natural world has to offer. And when turned into juice, these benefits are amplified, as you receive a flood of hydration without needing to sit down for a meal.
Juicing is a simple yet powerful way to maximize hydration while enjoying all the vitamins, minerals, and natural flavors packed inside fresh, seasonal produce.
Is Juicing Actually Good for You?
Done thoughtfully, juicing is a fantastic way to provide your body with a nutrient-packed dose of fruits and veggies. By extracting the liquid, juicing delivers a concentrated mix of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—making it perfect for those who’d like to increase their produce intake but struggle with eating whole fruits and vegetables.
Juices made with seasonal produce offer even greater benefits as these fruits and veggies are typically richer in nutrients and more flavorful than those grown out of season. The natural sugars found in fresh juice are unprocessed and much easier for your body to digest compared to refined sugars. However, balance is key, and, as we’ll explore further, choosing the right juicing methods is key to addressing any drawbacks.
Fresh juice is not just a health-boosting beverage, it’s a hydrating, energizing, and healing elixir that supports overall wellness.
5 Cons of Juicing (and How Cold Press Mitigates Them)
While juicing has countless benefits, there are a few common concerns. Luckily, the power of cold press juicing helps reduce these downsides, making juicing more accessible and beneficial.
1. Loss of Fiber
Traditional juicing methods remove the insoluble fiber found in produce, which is vital for digestion and helps regulate blood sugar. Without fiber, your body absorbs the natural sugars faster, which can sometimes lead to blood sugar spikes.
Cold press juicers operate gently and can retain more of the soluble fiber in the juice. Additionally, you can repurpose the leftover pulp into smoothies, soups, or baked goods to enjoy the fiber in other ways.
2. High Sugar Content
Juice made primarily from fruits can have a significant amount of natural sugar, affecting those watching their sugar intake or managing conditions like diabetes.
By using a cold press juicer, you can focus on incorporating more vegetables into your recipes. This ties in perfectly with the 80/20 rule, where veggies dominate while fruits provide just a touch of sweetness to balance the flavor. Cold press juicers handle greens, like kale and spinach, beautifully to help you craft nutrient-dense, lower-sugar juices.
3. Short Shelf Life
Fresh juice often loses nutrients quickly and spoils within a day or two, making it less convenient for long-term storage.
Cold-pressed juice has a longer shelf life than juice made with traditional centrifugal juicers due to the low-speed extraction process. Since heat isn’t introduced during juicing, it preserves nutrients longer, so you can enjoy your juice over a couple of days without compromising on flavor or health benefits.
4. Expensive Ingredients
Juicing with high-quality, organic produce can be costly, especially if consumed daily.
Cold press juicers extract more juice from the same amount of produce compared to centrifugal machines, maximizing yield and saving you money in the long run. Investing in seasonal produce, which is often more affordable, can further help reduce costs.
5. Food Waste
Regular juicing methods often leave behind a lot of pulp, leading to wasted ingredients.
Cold press juicers extract juice more efficiently, leaving drier pulp and reducing waste. Plus, many cold press users, myself included, get creative by incorporating the leftover pulp into recipes like crackers, salads, or muffins—it’s a win for both your wallet and the planet!
What Is the 80/20 Rule for Juicing?
The 80/20 rule is a helpful guide for building balanced juices. About 80% of your juice should come from low-sugar vegetables, like leafy greens, celery, and cucumbers, and the remaining 20% can include sweeter fruits like apples or oranges. This approach reduces sugar content while keeping your juices delicious and refreshing.
For example, during winter, I love using cara cara oranges, which are naturally sweet and vibrant, as a base. Combined with hydrating cucumber and a handful of kale, it creates a perfectly balanced juice that’s both invigorating and guilt-free.
Why Cold Press Juicers Are Superior
Not all juicers are created equal, and the one you choose can significantly influence the quality of your juice. Cold press juicers, also known as masticating juicers, excel at preserving nutrients and maximizing yield.
Unlike centrifugal juicers, which use high-speed blades and generate heat that destroys delicate nutrients, cold press juicers extract juice slowly and without heat. This means your juice contains more of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in the produce.
My Experience with Nama Juicers
Cold press juicers like Nama redefine how you experience juicing. After seeing how much my mom loved hers and used it all the time, I decided to buy my own Nama juicer—partly because I didn’t want to wait my turn! Now, I juice regularly, and I can confidently say it’s one of the best investments I’ve made for my health. From green drinks to sweet cara cara orange juice, it has become a daily ritual that I truly look forward to.
Nama juicers are incredibly user-friendly, extract every drop of goodness, and maintain the nutritional integrity of the produce. Plus, the sleek design and ease of cleaning make it a joy to use. Investing in a good juicer like this transforms juicing into an elevated, rewarding experience.
Last Reflections
Juicing using seasonal, water-rich produce isn’t just a trendy health kick—it’s a way of life rooted in nourishment and hydration. While many factors in modern life challenge our wellness, fresh juice allows us to stay connected to the vitality of nature.
When combined with the right tools, such as a Nama cold press juicer, these cons are minimized while the benefits shine through. Every glass of juice becomes a mindful choice—one that hydrates, energizes, and detoxifies in a natural and deeply satisfying way.
Celebrate the seasons, savor nature’s sweetness, and unlock the power of juice—it’s a simple way to enhance your health and reconnect with the goodness your body craves.