Healthy made easy
Forget eating your fruits and veggies. Drink them.
THE idea of consuming juice for better health is not new. In recent years, however, the practice has become popular, more so after celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Richie and Khloe Kardashian are often photographed leaving the gym toting a bottle of juice like it is a designer handbag. They have claimed in various interviews that on top of regular exercise, liquefied fruits, veggies and herbs help them maintain a healthier lifestyle.
So where can you get your hands on this wonder potion? At home actually. It is only logical that these juices should be prepared at home – not only will you get more value for your money, you can also choose the exact ingredients you want in your juice. Kale, cucumber, avocado and beetroot? Hey, who’s to stop you if that is what you want? But it is best to consult the doctor before undergoing any diet changes.
An important element when it comes to juicing at home is choosing the right juicer. There are so many types of juicers that claim to do the trick but it is crucial that you pick one that suits all your needs. It is a longterm investment after all.
Up for the challenge is the all- new Panasonic Slow Juicer.
Panasonic Malaysia Home Appliances General Manager Jonathan Ang says that slow juicing is an easy and very effective way to enjoy the benefits of fresh and also frozen fruits and vegetables.
He adds that Panasonic’s Slow Juicer was designed and developed to offer consumers the widest range of options when juicing and can also process frozen and harder foods such as ginger root which high- speed juicers are unable to process effectively. But the most important benefit of our slow juicer, says Ang, is that it does not damage the nutrients and enzymes that are so important as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Slow juicing is the method of extracting water and nutrients from vegetables and fruits, leaving behind fibres in skins, peels and seed hulls.
Traditional juicers cut and spin food – like a lawn mower – causing damage to the nutrients. The spinning action also creates heat and introduces air which can oxidise the juice and degrade its colour and flavour. The Slow Juicer, however, presses and squashes fruits and vegetables – like a mortar – which avoids damage to nutrients and limits the heat and air exposure so that the juices maintain their natural colour and great taste. Even after five minutes, there is no separation in the juice and the colour stays vibrant.
The appliance has a sleek design and houses a low- speed motor which operates at 45 spins per minute and is rated for 15 minutes of continuous operation. It comes with an anti- drip cap, juice beaker, pulp beaker and an attachment for making frozen foods.
Assembling the juicer is easy as all connecting points are marked for easy reference. Just make sure that the markers meet, lock them in place and you’re good to go.
Now, all you have to do is wash and cut the fruits and veggies into small pieces before inserting them into the funnel and watch as the magic happen. The spinning blade pushes almost every drop of nectar out of the fibres, producing a drink dense with nutrients. This way, you’ll get more veggies and fruits per serving, since the removal of the fibre allows more juice to fit into the beaker. Unlike blending, juicing extracts more nutrients and this allows your body to absorb them quicker without having to expend energy to digest all the fibre.
The wiper rotates automatically to keep the filter from clogging. The fibre and pulp are collected in the pulp cup, which make for an easy clean- up. The spout cap prevents dripping after the juice is extracted.
When juicing, you will end up using more ingredients than you would with a regular blender. However, knowing that the entire glass of juice is filled with vitamins and nutrients makes it worth the splurge.
Use the attachment for frozen ingredients to make smoothies or sorbet. When making sorbets, make sure that the fruits and vegetables are completely frozen, otherwise it will end up mushy.
You can also use the slow juicer to grind pre- boiled and cooked vegetables to make soup. And as for the leftover pulp ... you can use them to make jams or even face mask. Now, how easy is that? Panasonic Slow Juicer MJ- L500 retails at RM899. For more information call Panasonic Malaysia Customer Care Centre at 03- 7653 7600 or visit www. panasonic. com. my