One of the best things to do after a hard day at work is sit down with a glass of fresh homemade juice, but do you know just how long fresh juice lasts? You might think that making fresh juice does not require much knowledge, but I am here to show you the opposite!
From the type of fruit to what kind of juicer you use, there are a lot of things that should be taken into consideration when you are thinking of making fresh juice.
Knowing how to keep the juice fresh for longer is also very important, so I am going to share with you some great storage methods that you can try.
If you want to learn more about fresh juice, make sure to keep reading as I will try to answer all possible questions on how long fresh juice lasts and how to properly store it to make it last longer!
Do You Have To Drink Fresh Juice Immediately?
When it comes to fresh juice, it is always advised to drink it immediately after you make it. For example, if you wonder whether your orange juice goes bad, there is always a specific shelf life for it.
Because fresh juice can become contaminated quickly, you should only make the amount of juice you can drink at a time and drink it right after you squeeze it.
I personally love fresh juice and have tried to find as much information as possible on the best practices of making homemade juice. What I found was that stored juice is known to become contaminated with harmful bacteria.
You might be wondering why this is the case with homemade juice and not with the juices sold at stores, like your favorite store-bought cranberry juice. Well, they usually go through a process called pasteurization. It helps get rid of all bacteria in the juice, making it last longer as a result.
Unless you are capable of using this process on your homemade juice, I highly recommend that you drink your fresh juice immediately after you make it. This will help avoid any possible infections and problems.
How Long Can I Keep Fresh Juice After Juicing?
Usually, the time limit for keeping fresh juice can depend on the type of juicer used as well as the storing methods. After you finish with the juicing, you should drink your juice within 24 hours. That is the limit during which it tastes the best and it keeps its nutrients.
However, if you went a bit over the limit and made more juice than you initially wanted, you can always store it in the fridge. In that case, the juice will last for as much as 72 hours. With that being said, you should remember that the juice will not stay as fresh as it is in the beginning.
There are different storage methods that you can use to make your fresh juice last longer. Some of them will be mentioned further in the article, so make sure to keep reading to learn more about keeping homemade juice fresh for longer.
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How Long Can I Keep Fresh Juice In A Fridge?
I have already mentioned some information about keeping fresh juice in a fridge, but I will tell you more about how to make it last longer when stored in a fridge, regardless of what refrigerator type.
For example, you can choose between side-by-side and French door fridges to store your juice as they all have big storage space. But you have to drink your fresh juice within 72 hours of the time when you put it in the fridge.
This is because fresh juice contains a lot of nutritional compounds, vitamins, minerals, and so much more. All of these compounds are found in fresh juice only, not in the juice that has been stored for days at a time.
The same goes for juices that you can buy at the store. They might taste nice, but they are not nearly as good for you and your health as fresh juice. From better digestion to having more energy, getting more antioxidants, and even losing weight – these are only some of the things that fresh juice can help you with.
How Long Can I Keep Fresh Juice In A Freezer?
If you want to keep your fresh juice stored for more than just a couple of days, then it is best not to put it in the refrigerator but in the freezer instead. What this will help you do is keep the juice from going bad for as long as six months.
One thing that you should know before freezing your fresh juice is that juice is much like water and when frozen, it can expand. This means that when storing it, you will need to fill only 2/3 of the container or maybe even fill only half of it. No matter what material the container is made of, always do this to keep the juice from bursting out of the container.
Another thing that you have to know about frozen juice is that after three months, it loses most of its nutrients. This means that when you unfreeze it, it will be more like water than like the fresh juice you created months ago.
An interesting idea that you should consider if you want to freeze fresh juice is to do it in ice cube trays. This will make them taste amazing when they are taken out of the tray, while you will also be able to use them with some fresh water on those hot summer days.
How Long Can I Keep Fresh Juice In A Mason Jar?
A mason jar is a great way to store fresh juice because of the fact the jar is made of glass and it does not contain any toxins. When you store juice in such a jar, you should only keep it for a couple of days and not any longer. This is, of course, if you keep the jar in the fridge for the duration of those days.
How Long Does It Take For Fresh Juice To Lose Its Nutrients?
Fresh juice will start to lose some of its nutrients within thirty minutes of the time when you squeeze it. This is why from the very beginning I have advised you to drink the juice immediately after you make it.
In the case of lime juice, you might be unsure about whether your lime juice can go rancid. Though it contains citric acid, it might not be spoiled quickly but after time, it will have a bad smell or taste, and of course, lose all its nutrients.
For better understanding, try to imagine – when you cut your fruit, like pineapple, and leave it like that for some time, it will start to go brown. This is the case with almost all fruits and vegetables. Therefore, leaving them exposed is not the best idea.
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Is Juicing A Day In Advance OK?
If you do not have the time to make fresh juice every day, you can make it a day in advance. As I have mentioned so far, it is okay to leave the juice for up to 72 hours in the fridge before you drink it.
The only problem with juicing a day in advance is the fact that the juice will start losing some of its nutrients before you drink it. With that being said, you can always store it away properly to make sure that you make the most of it before you get to drink it.
If you make fresh juice in advance, you should drink it in the morning and on an empty stomach instead of drinking it at night. This will help you get a lot of carbs that will be good for your stomach and your body in general.
Does The Type Of Fruit Play A Role In The Longevity Of The Fresh Juice?
The general rule is that all fresh juices spoil at the same rate. You will not notice any big differences between juices from different types of fruit. Probably the biggest difference will be between fresh and juice bought from the store.
The difference between these two is in the content – juice from the store tends to have a lot of preservatives in the content. These things make it last for as long as a couple of months, but you should still check the expiration date to make sure it is good before you drink it.
With the fresh juice you make at home, you get a completely natural drink without any preservatives or other elements. There is a great health benefit to drinking this type of juices over store-bought juices, you should put aside the longevity and always go for something natural.
My favorite one is pineapple juice from high-quality brands. If you are looking for something more unusual, you can also try out some choicest aloe vera juices. Both taste amazing and will make you love juice even more!
How To Make Fresh Juice Last Longer?
I have mentioned several times so far that proper storage is crucial if you want to make your fresh juice last longer. If you do not know how to store it properly, I will share with you some of my favorite storage techniques that are very easy and convenient. Let’s get to them!
Use Airtight Glass Containers
Instead of using plastic containers, you should always try to find a glass container to put fresh juice in. The biggest reason for this is the chemicals and harmful materials that are usually found in plastic.
If you store juice in a plastic container, it will inevitably get infected with those chemicals and you will not want to drink that juice afterward. To add to that, the acidic features of the juice can cause leakage with plastic containers.
These things will not happen to your juice if you are using a glass container. It is completely safe to use this type of container; you just have to make sure that you close it as tightly as possible to avoid oxidation.
Fill Containers To The Top
If you are planning on freezing the fresh juice, then you should always leave some space in the container as frozen juice can sometimes expand a bit. However, if you are planning on storing the juice in the fridge only, then you should fill in the container up to the top.
When you do this, you make sure that there is no space for air in the container. If you fill in the glass jar to the top, you will prevent the possibility of oxidations and will keep the juice fresh for as long as possible.
Store Immediately After Making The Juice
If you are not planning on drinking the juice, then you should store it and put it away in the fridge right away. I have mentioned that leaving juice exposed is just like leaving fresh fruit exposed – it will start to go bad very soon.
Once you finish with the juicing, get a glass container with a good lid and store the juice away. You can go back to it and drink it whenever you want!
Freeze The Juice Properly!
Freezing juice can last longer but it will also cause it to lose much of its nutritional value. As I have mentioned before, it might be a better idea to freeze it in the form of ice cubes than to freeze it in bottles or jars.
Vacuum Seal The Container
Even though a lot of people are not used to vacuum sealing their containers, this is a very effective method when it comes to keeping the juice fresh for longer. Because it is becoming increasingly popular, some companies are even making machines that will seal bottles and jars for you.
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What Type Of Juicer Should You Use To Make Fresh Juice?
Many people do not know, but the type of juicer you use can make a big difference when it comes to homemade fresh juice. There are several types of juicers that are usually used by people and I will discuss them in some details.
I hope that this will show you the difference that a juicer can make in a case like this. Let’s get to it:
Centrifugal Juicer
The centrifugal juice is much like a blender – it is used to extract juice from a fruit’s pulp through the mesh that gets the juice into a container. It can be used for both fruit and vegetables, but some of the juicers are very hard to clean because the pulp often gets in the way.
I do not advise using this type of juicer because it tends to oxidize the juice. That means that neither the flavor nor the color will be the same after the juicing.
Masticating Juicer
Masticating juicers are also known as cold pressed as this machine uses force to get the juice out of the fruit or vegetable.
Also, you can find them under the name compact juicers. And remember to choose the top-level compact juice maker to have the best juicing experience and preserve all the nutrients of the fruits.
A simple way to explain how this machine works is by saying that it is a torture device for food. With this type of juicer, the food is not shredded but compressed so your juice might not have as many particles in it.
Champion-Style Juicer
This type of juicer gets the juice from the fruit with the help of rotating blades. These blades rip through the walls of the fruit and then push the juice into a container.
What makes them great is the fact that there is a separate bowl for the juice and the pulp – in other words, it keeps the waste away from the juice. However, in some cases, not all juice from the pulp is extracted.
A review of the best types of juicers on the market. Watch this video to know more:
Can Fresh Juice Go Bad?
The answer to this question is definitely yes – fresh juice can go bad and it can do it quick.
If you leave it at room temperature, fresh juice will only stay fresh for a couple of hours. If you put it in the fridge or the freezer, it can last anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months.
In case you are not sure if your juice is still good or has gone bad, there are several methods that you can use to check its state – the simplest methods are checking its smell and its color.
How Do You Know When Juice Goes Bad?
There are several signs that can tell you if your juice is still fresh or if it has gone bad. Some of the easiest ways to check its state are by smelling it and checking for discoloration. You can also check for any sign of mold on the juice to find out if it is bad.
If your juice shows any of these signs, it is best to throw it away without even trying it. You do not want to make your stomach upset only to drink some old juice. Consider making some new fresh juice and drinking that instead!
Can You Get Sick From Drinking Old Juice?
If you have some old juice that has been properly stored and kept in a cold place, then you might be able to drink it after all. However, make sure to check the juice before you drink it.
Consuming old juice can cause certain health issues in case the juice has gone bad in the meantime. Some of the issues that it can cause include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and fevers.
To avoid having any of these symptoms, you should drink only fresh juice or juice that has been properly stored. Check out the guidelines that I have provided thus far to learn how to store juice properly.
Frequently Asked Question
All the information that you need to know about how long fresh juice lasts has been covered so far. By now, you should have a clear idea about how long juice lasts and what you can do to make it last longer.
Last but not least, I would like to mention some of the most frequently asked questions about this topic. So, let’s go over them!
Make Your Own Fresh Juice Today!
There are so many benefits to drinking fresh juice that you must consider making this a part of your daily diet. With the help of my detailed guide, you should have no problem making and storing fresh juice from just about any fruit or vegetable.
I cannot stress this enough – you must consider drinking fresh juice immediately after you make it. Your body will thank you for it. Please leave a comment and tell me how drinking fresh juice has affected your life!
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