How to Prepare Fresh Fruit Juice At Home

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How to Prepare Fresh Fruit Juice At Home
Fruit juice is a favorite for most American households. This is not a wonder given that nutritional experts believe that it is wise to take at least a glass of fruit juice in the morning so as to rehydrate the body. It is also notable that just eight ounces of fruit juice, especially orange, provides the body with enough folic acid, thiamin (vitamin A), ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), potassium, niacin and Vitamin A and B6 (Florida Department of Citrus, 1). With fortification, the juice can also provide calcium. Fortification is the process of adding to a food product a nutrient that is not naturally found in the food. However, the cost of fruit juices at the stores has gone up and the cheaper ones are less tasty. Furthermore, individuals are paying much attention to health issues and therefore prefer less processed foods or foods in their natural state with no chemicals, additives, preservatives or colorings. Making fresh fruit juice at home is an easier and healthy way. It is also easy and much fun as explained in the following paragraphs.
For ingredients, you will need fruits of your preference. Buying the fruits in season can make it even cheaper. Select the fruits that have the right texture, good maturity level and have firm skin. Ensure the skin is not spotted and that no pests have pricked the skin. Remember the largest fruits are not necessarily the best, so be keen on the quality. You will also need to have the equipment ready which include a jars for making the juice in, holder to hold the hot jars, a funnel, a sieve or colander. If you want filtered juice, then pick a suitable filter such as cheesecloth, a jelly bag or a coffee filter. If you need to can your juice, then a water bath canner can come in handy. This is a large pot fitted with a rack for sanitizing the fruit jars after filling them. A chopping board and knife for preparing the fruits are required.
With the ingredients and equipment ready, the next step is setting up the working station. Ensure that there is a clean waste bucket near the working area. Have a towel to continually dry the station. Wash your hands thoroughly and then clean the jars. Washing is done in a dishwasher that has a sanitizing cycle. If this is absent, then hot, soapy water can be used for washing. The jars are then rinsed and sanitized by boiling them for ten minutes then leaving them in hot water awaiting filling. The other equipment should be cleaned according to the manufacturer`s guidelines.
Next, you need to prepare the fruits. First, the fruits need to be washed so as to remove any physical dirt. This can be done in cold water. Prepare the fruits depending on their nature. For instance; skinning fruits such as oranges and lemons and removing the rough outside for pineapples. For fruits with tough skin, blanching can help. This is where the fruits are dipped in hot water for some time to soften the skin. Onc...