The Five Methods, Quickly
Centrifugal (₹3–6k juicer): spins produce at 6,000–15,000 rpm against a mesh. Fast. Generates heat. Oxidises rapidly. The juice you drink is already warmer than the produce that went in.
Masticating (₹15–25k juicer): slow auger (40–110 rpm) crushes and squeezes. Cooler than centrifugal but still produces some friction.
Cold-pressed (hydraulic) (₹25k+): two plates slowly squeeze pulp inside a cloth bag. No spinning. No friction. The juice is the same temperature as the produce.
HPP (high-pressure processing): juice is bottled, then subjected to 87,000 psi water pressure to kill microbes. Extends shelf life to 45 days. Kills most bacteria. Also damages some enzymes and changes texture.
Pasteurised: heated to 72°C for 15 seconds (flash pasteurisation) or 85°C for 30 minutes (old-style). Kills everything — microbes, enzymes, heat-sensitive vitamins. Shelf-stable for months.
The Three Things That Actually Matter
- Enzymes. Every raw fruit and vegetable contains digestive enzymes that your gut uses directly — amylase, protease, lipase. These denature above ~40°C. Centrifugal juicers sometimes cross that temperature through friction; HPP damages them mechanically; pasteurisation eliminates them entirely. Hydraulic cold-pressing preserves them.
- Heat-sensitive vitamins. Vitamin C starts degrading at around 70°C. Folate and B-complex vitamins are even more sensitive. Pasteurisation removes most. Cold-pressing retains them.
- Oxidation. Exposure to air breaks down phytonutrients (colour pigments, flavour compounds). High-rpm methods incorporate air into the juice and accelerate this. Hydraulic pressing keeps oxidation minimal.
What the Label Should Tell You
Brands use “cold-pressed” loosely. If it matters to you, look for:
- “Hydraulic press” (not just “cold-pressed”)
- “Not HPP” or “No high-pressure processing”
- Shelf life under 7 days refrigerated — anything longer has been processed somehow
If a juice says “cold-pressed” and lasts 45 days on a shelf, it's HPP. That's not dishonest — HPP juice is genuinely cold-pressed, and then processed afterwards. But the word “cold-pressed” alone doesn't tell you which kind you're holding.