Let’s talk about the value of juice. And no, I’m not talking about the modern trend of turning every piece of food in the refrigerator into a liquid. I’m just talking about good old-fashioned juice made from fresh fruit you picked up from a farm or the local grocery store.
Fresh juice simply tastes fresher. There’s something about squeezing an orange and drinking it shortly afterward that makes the stuff sitting on the grocery shelf for who-knows-how-long seem a little less exciting. Fresh juice is best consumed fairly quickly—within a day or two—because there are no magical preservatives keeping it around forever. |
| (Illustrative Only) Yep just 10 more to go to get my little glass full.🙃 Around here we have apples, berries, and a few others. Oranges are more tropical. Support your local farmers by buying local. |
It can also be a good way to get vitamins and nutrients from fruit without relying on the high-sugar drinks we sometimes hand to kids and then proudly call “healthy.” If the ingredient list looks like it was written by a chemistry professor, maybe we should rethink the definition of healthy.
There’s also a bigger economic argument here. Encouraging more of our food supply to come from local and regional sources can benefit both food security and rural economies. Big companies have an important role in producing and distributing food, but having more local growers—and making it easier for them to get their products onto store shelves—can create more choices and keep more economic activity in the community.
And there is a simple physical benefit: fresher food is, well, fresher.
Of course, there is a downside. Fresh fruit can be expensive, especially something like oranges. You might spend four dollars on four oranges and end up with only a cup or a cup and a half of juice. At that point, you have to decide whether that cup of fresh juice is worth four bucks. For some people, absolutely. For others, that's a lot of orange squeezing for a small glass.
Buying directly from a farm, picking your own fruit, or buying locally when prices are reasonable can make more sense. And if you have enough fruit, you can always move beyond juice into pies, jams, canning, or whatever other food-preservation adventure you decide to undertake.
Even the peels can have a second life. Orange peels can be used in various household ways or added to compost and garden systems rather than immediately heading for the trash.
So, yes, fresh juicing can be a little expensive and a little messy. But there is something satisfying about squeezing a few oranges in the morning and having fresh juice with breakfast. You don't need to make 47 gallons of it. Make enough for a day or two, drink it fresh, and enjoy one of the simpler pleasures in life.
Sometimes the good life is not complicated. Sometimes it's just an orange, a little elbow grease, and a glass.
I have a fitness trainer license, yoga instructor license, coach, and engage in sports so if you need a little fitness trainer virtual help just let me know.A couple of articles,
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