What Is the Difference Between Centrifugal and Masticating Juicers?

Juicing has risen in popularity in recent years with an increase in concern over health. Drinking fruit or vegetable juice is a great and convenient way of increasing your nutrient intake. Juice can be part of a weight loss diet and it also claimed by many people that it helps to combat a large range of diseases and health conditions.

For those new to juicing buying a juicer can be a highly daunting process with such a vast array of models available. What you will quickly see is that in the main, juicers fall into two varieties; centrifugal juicers and masticating juicers.

Let's look first at centrifugal juicers. One of the first things that you will notice is that they are considerably cheaper which always has to be a consideration. With some centrifugal juicers you need to chop your fruit first before processing. However, more recently there has been a rise in popularity of whole fruit juicers which allow you to add the whole fruit without any chopping or peeling beforehand.

Once added the fruit is sliced with a flat cutting blade. It is then spun at high speed to separate the juice from the pulp - that's the centrifugal bit. The higher speed the juicer operates the more juice it is able to extract. An unfortunate side effect of this process is that the juice can become warm and air is introduced into it. Both of these can cause a loss of vitamins and will not keep as long.

Masticating juicers work in a very different way. These have a single screw type mechanism (known as an auger) which crush the fruit and vegetables into small pieces before squeezing out the juice. This type can juice from a wider range of produce including leafy greens and wheatgrass. Typically the juice yield is much higher than centrifugal juicers and there does not tend to be the same loss of nutrients. The downside of these models is that are generally more expensive.

So which should you choose? Well that rather depends on what your priorities are. If cost is the most important factor for you, then you should choose a centrifugal juicer. However, if you want the maximum amount of juice from a wide range of fruit and vegetables without loss of nutrients then a masticating juicer is the way to go. Whichever you choose, introducing juicing into your life will improve your diet.

Greek Yogurt and Your Digestion

Wait... Greek Yogurt can help with my digestion? Yes!

The digestive health benefits in Greek yogurt are amazing. So much so that major universities are now starting to thoroughly study its effects. Many people have had positive results and you can find online great reviews from both doctors and people alike. In fact, there are a lot of doctors that tell their patients with bowel problems to, yep -- EAT MORE YOGURT!

Greek yogurt contains millions of live bacteria or rather probiotics that may essentially up the number of antibodies in your digestive track. This boost works at heightening your reaction to infections and that may form and are caused by bad bacteria. All yogurts are not the same however as regular yogurt has live microorganisms in it as well. The major difference between Greek yogurt vs plain yogurt is Greek yogurt is hardly processed and not treated with heat- It's almost in a raw form. This difference in processing provides yogurt lovers with maximal healthy bacteria such as acidophilus and lactobacillus. These have been said to improve intestinal well being, leading to a regularly functional colon.

Probiotics in recent times, have not fully received the proper attention or have been put through many in depth studies despite the obvious benefit on the digestive system. Regardless, many professionals in the medical field have studied reviews on probiotics and their positive effects. Due to this, they continue to prescribe products like Greek yogurt to their patients. A fun little fact: It's a healthy and natural way to improve the intestinal wall lining which can become damaged over time with poor eating habits.

Although probiotics are live bacteria normally found in the gut, consuming outside products with these bacteria can aid those who's body may not properly be producing naturally inside them. This can help to prevent inflammation as well as those ailed with the dreaded IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). These bacteria helps to digest food, create vitamins in the body, and keep our digestive tracts running smoothly! They can assist in treating symptoms of gas, bloating, or irregularity as well. The effects of this boost in live bacteria shows different results in different people however. It is something worth trying but I wouldn't recommend consuming yogurt thinking it will be a cure all. It may improve your digestion or symptoms of a gut problem, but it will not cure anything (or so some doctors say).

To help get the best out of your Greek yogurt, try eating it with other foods high in prebiotics. Incorporating these into your diet will give you great health benefits. Prebiotics help the probiotics thrive inside the body; they are nutrients that make probiotics more capable of fighting off disease. Great sources are: kiwis, oatmeal, onions, berries, bananas and other fruits, as well as legumes. Combine any of these ingredients into your daily diet along with a serving of Greek yogurt and you are almost sure to have a regular digestive system.