Carrot juice is delicious and nutritious. It is rich in beta-carotene, vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, as well as minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium. Carrots are good for your skin, hair, and nails, promote liver function, so juicing them at home is a winning move for your health. You can use a blender, a food processor or a super-technological juicer. This article will tell you how to proceed.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: With a Blender or Food Processor
Step 1. Clean the carrots
Wash one kilogram of carrots (about 8) with cold running water. Scrub them with a vegetable brush if you can. Use a knife to remove the wider end, where the carrot is connected to the clump of green leaves.
- If you are concerned about pesticides that may have been used during cultivation, peel the vegetables. This does not significantly reduce their nutritional value.
- Alternatively, buy organic carrots; they cost more but are pesticide free.
Step 2. Cut the vegetables into easy-to-handle pieces
Even if you have a very efficient blender or food processor, it's best to avoid damaging the blades when trying to chop whole carrots. Cut them into small pieces before extracting the juice. If you cut them into segments of 2.5-5 cm you will have no problem, regardless of the model of your appliance.
Step 3. Turn the carrots into puree
Place the cleaned vegetables in the food processor / blender and work them until they are reduced to a pulp.
- Add a small amount of water if you feel the mixture is quite dry.
- Remember that a robot cannot turn carrots into puree like a blender can. If you follow this method it won't be a big problem but, if you have a choice, use the blender.
Step 4. Mix the puree with the water
We recommend diluting the intense flavor of the puree with a little water. Not only will you improve the taste, but the final product will have a more juice-like appearance.
- Boil 500ml of water.
- Mix the puree with boiling water in a glass container.
- Stir the mixture to dilute the carrots well.
Step 5. Leave to infuse
One of the most incredible peculiarities of boiling water is that of being able to extract nutrients from food. Just like with tea, the longer you leave the carrots soaking, the better the flavor of the juice, as well as richer in nutrients. Let it steep for 15-30 minutes.
Step 6. Remove the pulp
Use a colander and strain the mixture into a 2-liter pitcher.
- Use the base of a clean glass or other blunt object to press the puree and extract the largest amount of juice.
- If you want to filter the pulp as well as possible, use a percolating strainer.
Step 7. Add some orange juice
This is an optional ingredient, but it tastes great!
Step 8. Make small changes
Depending on the intensity of the flavor you want to achieve, you can dilute the juice with more water.
Step 9. Serve immediately
The juice starts to oxidize and loses its nutritional properties immediately, especially if you have used a high-speed juicer. Try to drink it as soon as possible, at room temperature or with ice, depending on your taste. If you have to keep it, store it in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours.
Method 2 of 2: With a Centrifuge
Step 1. Clean the carrots
Wash one kilogram of carrots (about 8) with cold running water. Scrub them with a vegetable brush if you can. Use a knife to remove the wider end, where the carrot is connected to the clump of green leaves.
- If you are concerned about pesticides that may have been used during cultivation, peel the vegetables. This does not significantly reduce their nutritional value.
- Alternatively, buy organic carrots; they cost more but are pesticide free.
Step 2. Cut the carrots
If you have a professional, very robust juicer, this step may not be necessary. If not, cut them into 5-7.5 cm pieces.
Step 3. Prepare the juice container
Place a tall glass under the juicer spout. Make sure it is stable and does not fall out when the juice begins to flow. Also check that it is large enough for the amount of juice you want to extract.
Half a kilo of carrots produces about 240ml of juice
Step 4. Insert the vegetables
Drop the carrot pieces into the opening provided and push them down with the plunger provided to force them into the appliance.
- Check the glass. If the carrots you purchased are particularly high in liquid, you may end up with more juice than expected. Conversely, if they are rather dry, you will need more pieces.
- The wider the funnel of the juicer, the faster it turns carrots into juice.
Step 5. Serve immediately
The juice starts to oxidize and loses its nutritional properties immediately, especially if you have used a high-speed juicer. Try to drink it as soon as possible, at room temperature or with ice, depending on your taste. If you have to keep it, store it in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours.
Advice
- Carrot juice tends to settle, so mix well before serving.
- Carrots are rich in natural sugars. Carrot juice could cover your daily sugar requirement, so avoid eating dessert for dessert as well.
- If you want to experiment, use fruit like strawberries or lemons.
- Pure undiluted carrot juice (made by skipping the optional steps) has a similar consistency to whole milk.
- Add a sprig of mint for garnish and to add flavor.
