Getting fresh carrot juice is easy. It is enough to have a juicer or blender with a special function on hand, as well as several kilograms of carrots.
The drink is useful for its vitamin and mineral composition, but only if stored correctly. Depending on the ambient temperature, its shelf life will differ.
Read the article about how long freshly squeezed carrot juice can be stored.
How long does it stay fresh after juicing?
Fresh carrots spoil very quickly . If you leave it in the fresh air, then within 30 minutes it will become unusable. Therefore, small portions should be drunk immediately after preparation.
You can extend the shelf life of the drink if you put it in the refrigerator. With the right approach, it will last up to 48 hours.
Carrot juice can be frozen. At the same time, it will lose about 10% of its nutritional properties, but will still remain healthy. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Contraindications
Despite its numerous beneficial properties, freshly squeezed juice is a controversial product. It should be used with caution and in moderation.
In addition, there are a number of contraindications:
- in diabetes due to high concentrations of sugar;
- for gastrointestinal diseases and high acidity;
- with a tendency to allergies.
In addition to general contraindications, each juice has its own recommendations, so if you decide to prescribe juice therapy yourself, do not forget to consult your doctor.
For example, fresh beetroot can be harmful to hypotensive people and people suffering from urolithiasis.
The grapefruit drink contains naringin, a substance that inhibits the action of enzymes that break down drugs in the liver, as a result of which they (that is, drugs) accumulate in the body, and this, you know, is not at all healthy.
Storage rules
You can store carrot juice in the refrigerator, freezer or at room temperature. Each method has its own characteristics, as well as advantages and disadvantages that need to be taken into account.
In a refrigerator
Fresh juice can last up to 2 days in the refrigerator. To prevent it from deteriorating ahead of time, proceed as follows:
Peel the carrots, wash them and pass them through a juicer.- Strain the drink through 3 layers of gauze to remove excess pulp.
- Wash the glass jar. To kill bacteria, you can use baking soda. Additionally, scald the jar with boiling water.
- Pour the juice into a clean container.
- Close the jar with a nylon lid and put it in the refrigerator.
Do not leave the container open. In direct contact with oxygen, the drink will quickly deteriorate.
You can extend the shelf life of juice by 1-2 days using preservatives - citric acid and sugar . However, such a drink cannot be considered 100% natural.
The acid can be replaced with lemon juice, which will additionally enrich the product with vitamin C.
This storage method is good because it allows you to slightly extend the shelf life of the drink if you have received too much of it. However, it will not last long in the refrigerator.
Can it be frozen?
If the juice is to be frozen, for its preparation you need to choose those vegetables that have reached the peak of ripeness. They start pouring it without delay.
Step-by-step algorithm of actions:
- Peel and rinse the carrots and pass them through a juicer.
- If the final product contains a lot of pulp, it must be removed by straining the drink through a sieve.
- Pour the juice into plastic bottles. Once filled, squeeze them slightly to release the air. Close the container with a lid.
- Place the juice in the freezer. If it works at full capacity, it will freeze within 3 hours.
The drink is frozen in its pure form; there is no need to add preservatives or other chemicals to it.
It is better to defrost the juice gradually. The bottle is taken out of the freezer and placed in the refrigerator. It will completely thaw in 12 hours. If you need to speed up this process, then leave the container in the fresh air.
The main advantage of freezing is extending the shelf life of the product to 6 months . In the freezer, it loses no more than 10% of vitamins and minerals.
However, it will not be possible to prepare large volumes in this way, since the bottles take up a lot of useful space in the chamber.
You can pour the drink into a glass container, but there should be some free space in it, since after freezing the molecules tend to expand.
At room temperature
At room temperature, the drink does not last long, maximum 30-40 minutes . Therefore, you need to prepare it with the expectation that the entire volume will be drunk at one time.
Without a refrigerator, only sterilized juice can be stored, but with this processing method, some of the beneficial substances will be lost.
It is not recommended to consume more than 3 glasses of freshly pressed juice per day. This dose should be reduced if a person has problems with the digestive system.
Exposing the drink to direct sunlight makes the situation worse. Its main value is that it contains vitamin A and carotene. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation they are quickly destroyed. Therefore, the juice should stand in the dark.
Oxygen is destructive to vitamin C, which oxidizes upon contact with it . If you plan to drink the drink not immediately, then cover the container with a lid.
The main advantage of aging juice at room temperature is the preservation of all nutritional properties, and the main disadvantage is the short shelf life.
For whom is carrot juice good and bad?
Due to the large amount of vitamins and minerals in its composition, fresh carrots are useful for most people.
- Vitamin A, for example, helps maintain vigilance and tone of the eye muscles.
- It is also a powerful antioxidant, which means it prolongs the youth of the skin and the body as a whole.
- Beta-carotene has a positive effect on hair condition.
- Girls know a little secret: before visiting the beach or solarium, you need to regularly drink a little carrot juice, and then the tan will be more intense.
- Potassium and magnesium in fresh carrot juice strengthen the heart muscle.
- Iodine is needed for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, and carrot juice also contains it.
- B vitamins, which are present in carrot juice, affect the human nervous system and improve mood.
- Folic acid in fresh carrot juice is a valuable addition to iron, which enters the human body with food. Folic acid is known to enhance the beneficial properties of the iron mineral, which means it prevents the development of anemia and other problems associated with iron deficiency.
It is worth remembering that vitamins and minerals are useful as disease prevention; if the symptoms of the disease are pronounced, and examinations show an acute condition, it is necessary to take special treatment as prescribed by a doctor.
How to extend the shelf life?
To extend the shelf life of carrot juice, you can resort to 3 main methods:
- Cool it to +1...+2 degrees. Under such conditions, fermentation processes slow down. Be sure to protect the drink from oxygen and direct sunlight.
- Freeze it.
- Resort to conservation. In this case, the drink can be stored at room temperature or in the cellar.
To preserve freshly squeezed carrot juice, you will need the following ingredients :
- 1 kg carrots;
- 100 g sugar;
- 2 g citric acid;
- 0.2 liters of water.
Instructions:
- Peel the carrots, rinse them from dirt and sand;
- pass the products through a juicer;
- pour the drink into a clean container and let it sit for 15 minutes;
- strain through cheesecloth, dilute with warm boiled water;
- bring the juice to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes;
- add sugar and citric acid;
- pour into clean glass jars, cover with metal lids;
- sterilize for 20 minutes, roll up the jars.
The sterilized product can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to six months. For additional protection from ultraviolet radiation, you can use foil.
It is used to wrap the jar in 2 layers. The appearance of sediment is not a sign of spoilage. Before use, shake the jar several times.
To keep the juice fresh for several hours, and there is no way to put it in the refrigerator, the drink must be poured into a plastic bottle and placed in cold water.
This video will show you how to prepare carrot juice for the winter:
How to store freshly squeezed juice
There is no doubt that juices are the best nutrition for humans, since this is one of the ways to replenish the body’s reserves of mineral elements. Juices are absorbed by the human body almost instantly, because the enzymes necessary for their digestion are present in the juices themselves. At the same time, the energy resources of the juice are completely used by the body. If we heat the juice, then all the enzymes and vitamins will be destroyed, and the juice will turn into a pleasant, but devoid of benefits, dessert.
It is advisable to consume the juice within 15–20 minutes after preparing it, since over time the vitamins are destroyed and the properties of the juices deteriorate.
But if you still need to store the juice for some time, then you need to know the rules for storing juices.
Helpful information
To ensure that carrot juice is stored as long as possible and does not spoil, you need to take into account the following information:
To get the maximum benefit from the drink, you need to use fresh vegetables. The best time to make juice is September and October, since the harvest is carried out in the fall.- The drink will not ferment in the refrigerator if you squeeze it from healthy root vegetables. Rotten and diseased carrots are not suitable for this purpose.
- You need to freeze juice in such volumes as can be consumed at one time. You cannot put it in the freezer a second time.
- The best fresh juice comes from bright orange fruits. It indicates a large amount of carotene.
- Carrot juice goes well with other freshly squeezed drinks. It can be beetroot, pumpkin, orange, apple and even cucumber juice.
- If the concentration of the drink is too high, it can be diluted with boiled water. In order not to destroy the vitamins, it must be cooled first.
You can get the maximum benefit from the drink if you add a small amount of fat to it. This could be a teaspoon of vegetable oil or sour cream.
You will find a lot of useful information about storing carrots in this section.
How to drink correctly
To reduce the sugar concentration, it is advisable to dilute the fresh juice with water 1:1.
Due to the presence of a large number of organic acids that can destroy tooth enamel, it is advisable to use a straw.
Drink freshly squeezed juice correctly between meals or on an empty stomach. This is explained by the fact that it is digested in the duodenum under the action of pancreatic enzymes. It practically does not linger in the stomach. If you consume fresh juice along with a meal, it will begin to ferment in the stomach along with the food, which will lead to increased gas formation.
How to choose beets for a drink
The taste is influenced by which vegetable is chosen for preparing fresh juice. To get tasty and nutritious beet juice, you shouldn’t buy the first root vegetables you come across in the store.
What you need to know to choose the right vegetable:
- To prepare fresh juice, root vegetables of dark burgundy, red or purple colors are used.
- There should be no white or black veins inside, which indicate the depravity of the beet or its immaturity.
- Oval or spherical varieties are excellent.
- There should be no rot, mold, mechanical damage, or dents on the surface of the skin.
- You should not take root vegetables that are too large (more than 12-15 cm in diameter), because they contain a large amount of harmful substances.
- Green tops indicate that the vegetable is young and juicy, which means you will get a sweet and tasty fresh juice.
To prepare the drink, you need to use juicy apples, which have a pleasant taste and rich aroma. Such fruits crunch when bitten, but they may look inconspicuous.
The best varieties:
- Antonovka.
- Grushovka.
- Golden.
- Fuji.
- Honey Crisp.
- Mac.
- Arlet.
Winter varieties are not suitable for making a drink. The fruits produce little juice, so it is better to send them to the cellar unchanged.
Fresh bar menu
A juice bar differs from a smoothie bar in having a wider range of options. In the second, customers are offered only thick cocktails and milkshakes based on juices, milk, yoghurts, ice cream and pieces of chopped fruits, berries or vegetables. To prepare them, they use kiwi, bananas, citrus fruits, watermelons, grapes, pomegranates, melons, pears, carrots, cucumbers, spinach, and beets. Refreshing drinks are in great demand in the summer.
The fresh bar menu is more varied. They serve not only “fresh” cocktails, but also other drinks (even coffee and tea). The most popular remain non-alcoholic versions of the famous cocktails “Mojito”, “Pina Colada”, “Absinthe Mix”, “Kir Royal”, “Black Jack”, “Sex on the Beach”, “Pelican”, “Bumblebee”. Cold drinks based on coffee are also in demand, which have a double effect: refreshing and invigorating.
In addition, the juice bar can serve light snacks: vegetable and fruit salads, ice cream, chocolate, and puffed pastries. Such an establishment cannot be called a classic one, where only drinks are sold, but the option is suitable for those who want to develop their business.
Benefits for men
Every man has faced the problem of impotence at least once in his life. Single erectile dysfunction is considered normal, since no one is immune from age-related changes, stress and general ailments. However, if such disorders become a companion of a young person, it is important to take immediate action. A rational, balanced diet plays a significant role in alternative treatment of impotence. One of the aphrodisiac products that restore erectile function is fresh carrot juice.
Benefits for men:
- increases sperm motility;
- stimulates sexual desire;
- improves sperm quality;
- enhances erectile function;
- increases the synthesis of male sex hormones (in particular testosterone);
- reduces the risk of cancer in prostate tissue.
Along with this, carrot juice has antioxidant, antiviral and tonic effects on the male body [8].
Under what conditions should it be stored?
Unfortunately, fresh juices have a very short shelf life. Therefore, you won’t be able to buy a natural product without preservative additives in the store. But in cases where it needs to be stored for a short time, the container can be tightly sealed and placed in the refrigerator.
It is known that fresh juice is considered most useful within 10 - 30 minutes after production. The exception here is beet juice. It will need to be cooled before use.
To keep the fresh juice fresh a little longer, add a few drops of lemon juice to it.
The maximum shelf life of freshly squeezed juice in the refrigerator is 24 hours. After this time, the product is no longer recommended to be used.
