Juicing is the process of extracting juice from plant tissues such as fruit or vegetables. There are many methods of juicing, from squeezing fruit by hand to widescale extraction via industrial equipment. Juicing by individuals is often completed with a household appliance called a juicer, which may be as simple as a cone upon which fruit is mashed or as sophisticated as a variable-speed, motor-driven device. It may also refer to the act of extracting and then drinking juice or those who extract the juice.
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Commercial juicing focuses mostly on fruit juices, judging by the ratio of fruit to vegetable juices available in grocery markets. Residential juicing is often practiced for dietary reasons or as a form of alternative medicine. Interest has soared in the last decade due to a number of books, videos, and claims and quick dissemination due to the World Wide Web.
While its availability in discount stores has made it more common, it is not a staple kitchen appliance due to its expense, single-use nature, and relatively small presence in stores (judging by shelf space).
Juicing tools have been used throughout history. Manual devices include barrel-shaped presses, hand-operated grinders, and inverted cones upon which fruit is mashed and twisted.
Modern juicers are powered by electric motors generating from 200 to 1000 or more watts. There are several types of electric juicers: masticating, centrifugal, and triturating juicers. These variations are defined by the means of extracting the juice.
Masticating - utilizes a single gear driven by a motor; slower operation; kneads and grinds items placed in a chute; thought to retain more plant fiber
Centrifugal - utilizes a spinning blade that resembles a grated basket; faster operation; quickly grinds items and discards pulp in a receptacle
Triturating - utilizes twin gears to extract maximum juice; slower operation; often has multiple uses (e.g., purees, dips, sauce)
Juicing is popular among diverse groups. Proponents may simply wish for fresh juice at home, or may believe juice has healing properties.[1] Some cite spiritual or religious reasons.
Juicing has become popular in niche markets, such as those interested in alternative medicine, fad diets, or gourmet foods, due to word-of-mouth, mainstream celebrity marketing, a heavy internet presence, and a documentary film entitled Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead. Juicing proponents claim that juicing can maximize nutrient intake, fight disease, strengthen cellular defense against free radicals, alleviate pain, encourage weight-loss, and decrease the need for medication. They also claim that juicing can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, strokes, diabetes, certain types of cancers, mental illness, metabolic syndrome, and may result in longer lifespans.
The Mayo Clinic has responded to several of these claims by noting that the effects of drinking juice can be helpful, benign, or, at worst, counter-productive (depending on a person's motivation).[2] Its main conclusion is that there is no scientifically-based advantage of juicing over simply consuming a fruit or vegetable in its original form and by showing that, at best, these claims are derived from research based on eating fruits and vegetables, not drinking them. The Mayo Clinic (and some juicing proponents such as Joe Cross) advise potential "juicers" to speak with their primary medical providers before beginning any type of short or long term juicing program.
Definition of "juicing" - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/juicing Types of juicers - http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-juicer.htm