Home made berry juice.

[Seth1968]

Greetings.

I'm 43 years old, and only now starting to seriously address my health. I'm doing fine with the exercise aspect, but have been failing miserably at changing my poor diet.

I suspect the failure is a result of trying to change my diet too suddenly. So, I've decided not to initially worry much about the crap food I eat, but instead focus on getting used to eating more healthy alternatives.

Anyway, I'm really interested in pure berry juice and the antioxidants they provide, and prefer to blend them at home, but a mouthful of seeds is damn annoying. A sieve won't work, as the juice is way too thick and fibrous. Anyone else do this and know how to get rid of the seeds?

Hmm. As I was typing that last sentence, I thought of an idea. Maybe if I let the juice sit for a few hours, most of the seeds will settle to the bottom. I'll give that a try later, but any other suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

[ExtraSlow]

Where are you getting enough fresh berries at a reasonable price that making your own juice is viable? Have you seen the vareity they have a places like community natural food?

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Where are you getting enough fresh berries at a reasonable price that making your own juice is viable? Have you seen the vareity they have a places like community natural food?

I just started this, and so far I've only purchased large bulk bags of frozen mixed berries.

I'd consider "store" bought pure berry juice, but there's no fibre and I suspect very little vitamins/antioxidants per serving (comparatively).

[Seth1968]

One other question:

Does anyone know if frozen berries are "reject" berries, or the same quality as fresh berries?

[lint]

get a blendtec/vitamix and most of the seeds get pulverized. I believe frozen berries are quality, flash frozen immediately after picking for transport. I've read that frozen berries and vegetables can be better than fresh for that reason.

[CanmoreOrLess]

What kind of berries are you talking about where seeds are an issue?

I follow a one day a week "eat anything I wish, in any amount" works well. Oddly, I find myself not eating like I planned all week and only having say a burger and fries on the free day. It is easy to make a nice "ice cream" from frozen berries, bananas, etc with my GreenStar juicer with seeds not being a factor as they are crushed. I have also used an Excalibur food dehydrator to make fruit leather, etc. One quickly learns why sun dried tomatoes are seemingly expensive in the supermarket. Home dehydrating also is free of all that sulfur dioxide you find hidden in the retail store products.

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http://www.greenstar.com/special.asp

[InRich]

buy a vitamix.

[project240]

Ever since buying our blendtec, we've been using it at least once everyday for smoothies among other things.

I usually buy frozen berries from Costco along with fresh stuff like bananas, mangos, pineapple, spinach, kale, etc. Experiment and figure out what you like best.

My wife and kids and I love them and very healthy on top of that.

Costco has the blentec on sale right now for under $400, which is a great price.

http://www.costco.ca/Blendtec%C2%AE-Combo-Pack-Total-Blender.product.100018226.html?catalogId=11201&langId=-24&storeId=10302&krypto=J71XftbfAzwnYI4MkDvnZw5SPc31JsEo

[Seth1968]

Thanks for the replies.

I blend a mix of blue berries,black berries, strawberries, and raspberries. I've used two different cheapo blenders, and while they both blended to a smooth texture, they left virtually all of the seeds intact. A spinning blade doesn't work well in trying to pulverize tiny seeds suspended in a liquid.

That Blentec and Vitamix seem promising based on the replies, but I don't get how they could address the seed problem any better than a cheapo blender. I mean, they're all just a spinning blade. What am I missing here?

[project240]

The blades spin much faster and the design does a better job at pulling everything into it. I've never had a problem with the seeds, but if you want to remove them completely, buy some cheesecloth and after blending, then strain and remove them altogether.

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by project240
The blades spin much faster and the design does a better job at pulling everything into it.

That makes sense.

I'll first try the "seed sinking" method I mentioned in a previous post, but if that doesn't work I'll get the Vitamix or the Blendtec. Is there any significant difference between the two?

[project240]

Originally posted by Seth1968

Is there any significant difference between the two?


To be honest, after reading many reviews, both are very comparable. I went with the blendtec because I like the look a lot more (to be the vitamix looks much more like a 1980s blender) and because the overall height of it is less.

Also, with the current sale, the blendtec is about $150 cheaper plus you get an extra caraffe.

[sputnik]

Hurom > Vitamix/Blendtec

XXTEPUggyuw

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Seth1968
One other question:

Does anyone know if frozen berries are "reject" berries, or the same quality as fresh berries?

Frozen berries (and other frozen fruits and vegetables) are the same grade and are usually better because they are picked when ripe and then frozen.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are picked prematurely so that they ripen in the trucks and not rot.

[phreezee]

Blendtec is on sale at costco.ca again, $369 with Wildside jar (which Vitamix blatantly copied and lost a lawsuit over).

I don't get Vitamix fans, less HP, stupid plunger, simplistic speed dial, taller height.
Blendtec is 3HP, better jar design doesn't require plunger, and pre-programmed variable speed function modes, and compact design for the counter-top.

Seems like it's a Apple vs Android hype thing. Whatever it is, the inferior yet more expensive product seems to have more fanboys.

For juicing though, a masticating juicer is better due to it's single purpose, but doesn't have the verstility of the blender since you can also make soups, nut butters, almond milk, grain flour, etc.

[lint]

hurom is a juicer, it's not comparable to a vitamix/blendtec which are blenders.

and as far as vertical single auger masticating juicers, omega > hurom based on warranty. 10 years parts and motor vs 10 years motor and 1 yr on parts

[phreezee]

^^^ yup, my buddy just bought an Omega 8006.

[Seth1968]

Holy smokes. I'm way out of my league here.

I'm going to look into this further and come back with a more refined question.

BTW-My "seed sinking" experiment didn't go so well. I made the blend and let it sit. It only took about 30 minutes for the blend to fully separate. That is, all the pulp and seeds ended on top:)

[phreezee]

If seeds are your only concern buy a french press and use it solely for your juice. :thumbsup:

[Kritafo]

http://www.costco.ca/.product.100018226.html?&cm_mmc=CNEmail_EN_711-_-Focus-_-3-_-MarketingItemName

Blendtec now 359.99 at Costco