You dropped the kids off at school. And got through your favorite hot yoga class. Win.
But now you’re starrrving. You reach into the back of the fridge only to find that your favorite green juice is now brown —eek. If this sounds like you, you are not alone. Life gets busy and the back of the fridge can quickly turn into a grocery graveyard.
The struggle is real...but it doesn’t have to be. With the right knowledge, you can learn to keep your juice fresh, recognize signs of spoilage, and reap all the health benefits that raw juice has to offer.
Understanding Our Juicing Process:
Raw juices are made by running fresh fruits and veggies through a cold press juicer. They are gently pressed into a nutritional liquid without the use of high temperatures (unlike other types of juicers like high-speed juicers and centrifugal juicers, for example, which use heat).
After juicing, most companies use treatments like high-pressure processing (HPP), pasteurization, and adding preservatives for a longer shelf-life - All of which are practices that compromise nutrition, freshness, and taste [1].
Unlike these companies, we never heat or treat any of our products. Instead, we blast-freeze our juices and smoothies immediately after they are produced. Blast-freezing naturally preserves the nutritional value of a product, from enzymes to antioxidants— so you can savor those benefits with every sip without having to run out to the nearest juice bar.
The Benefit of Our Cold-Pressed Juices Vs. Store Bought Juice:
Consuming fresh, cold-pressed juice offers a world of difference compared to store-bought pasteurized juice. Refraining from heating and treating means all essential nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants stay intact. Not only are these 100% raw juices providing you with an abundant amount of nutrients with every sip, but they also taste way better than chemically treated juices from the grocery store.
The fruits and vegetables in raw cold-pressed juices provide a plethora of health benefits, like hydration, improved digestion, gentle detox, enhanced mental clarity, clearer skin, and weight loss. You simply are not getting the same results from heated and treated juices.
Because juices in the store undergo harsh processes, it completely degrades the quality and taste of these juices. The result is a product full of added sugars and preservatives or added vitamins to compensate for the loss of natural flavor and nutrients—and virtually way fewer benefits than our products.
While store-bought juices may have a lengthier shelf life, it's important to understand that these processes diminish quality, so the next time you reach for juice, make sure it’s from Raw Generation, which is made with 100% raw, real ingredients— minis the harsh processing.
How Long Does Cold-Pressed Juice Last?
Store-bought juices have a longer shelf life than raw, cold-pressed juices. This is due to those high heat and pressure treatments that make it possible for juices to last on grocery store shelves for months on end—this is anything but fresh.
Since we skip the use of any such treatments and are committed to using fresh produce daily, our bottled juices do have a quicker expiration date.
To maintain freshness and preserve the maximum nutritional value, we strongly recommend keeping our products frozen until you are ready to consume them. Thaw the bottles in the refrigerator. Thawing may take up to 48 hours, depending on how cold your refrigerator is. Juices must be consumed within 24 hours of thawing. Never consume juices left out at room temperature or past the suggested 24-hour mark (even if they were thawed in the refrigerator).
How Do I Recognize Spoilage?
When it comes to juice, understanding the oxidation process means trusting your senses. Color, texture, smell, and taste are indicators that your juice may need a date with the trash can. Here are some signs to look out for when it comes to juice oxidation:
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Color: Significant changes in color, from vibrant to murky, are typically a warning sign (i.e., green juice turning brown).
Nutritionist Tip- This is not to be confused with the natural separation in fresh fruit and vegetable juices. -
Texture: Chunky or slimy texture indicates a lack of freshness.
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Smell: Sour smells are a red flag and are often the most obvious one. This indicates over-fermentation. Sometimes, this also leads to the bottle having a “bloated” look to it.
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Taste: Do not taste the juice if any of the above bullets are suspect. Throw it away immediately.
How Can I Prevent Spoilage?
Preventing juice waste is quite simple and only takes a little effort on your end. To ensure that your juices and smoothies are consumed at their freshest, follow these tips for the best experience:
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Thawing: Your bottles will arrive in thermally efficient packaging to keep them frozen. Upon arrival, store them in the freezer and defrost the number of bottles you plan on drinking the day before you plan on drinking. Keep in mind that thawing can take 28-48 hours, depending on how cold your refrigerator is, so make sure to plan ahead. Juices may partially thaw in transit, but Ice means your juice is still safe to drink—no need to worry.
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Consume within 24 hours: The shelf life of cold-pressed juices is short. To ensure freshness, consume juices within 24 hours. Never consume juices that have been left at room temperature for an extended period of time.
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Always drink fresh juice: The sooner you drink your juice, the more enjoyable your juice cleansing experience will be. Fresh juice is vibrant, tastes delicious, and has many health benefits.
Are you ready to experience the goodness of fresh, cold-pressed juices and smoothies delivered straight to your door? Customize a personal juice box here.