Discover the 15 best vegetables to juice for high yields and nutrition with a cold press juicer.
Cold press juicers, also known as masticating or slow juicers, have become increasingly popular in recent years. Unlike centrifugal juicers that rapidly spin to extract juice, cold press juicers use a slow, crushing motion to gently squeeze every last drop of liquid out of fruits and vegetables.
This slower process allows them to retain more nutrients, enzymes, and vitamins that may be destroyed at high speeds and heat. The resulting juice can last longer and contains very little foam or separation.
However, not all vegetables are well-suited to cold-press juicing. Some produce contains high amounts of tough fiber that can jam the juicer. Others are composed of very little liquid to extract.
Choosing the right vegetables to run through a cold press juicer is, therefore, key to maximizing yields and creating nutritious, flavorful juice. In this article, I'll tell you 15 of the best vegetables to juice with a cold press juicer, as well as why they work so well as a juicing ingredient.
Why Certain Vegetables Suit Cold Press Juicers
Cold press juicers operate differently than centrifugal juicers, so not all vegetables juice equally well. Produce with the following characteristics are best suited for maximizing the efficiency of cold press juicers:
High Water Content
The highest-yield juices come from produce composed primarily of water. Vegetables and fruits with a high water content contain much more liquid to extract compared to drier, starchier options.
When vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes go into a cold press juicer, a lot of their volume is retained as hydrating juice. There is very little fibrous pulp waste left over.
Meanwhile, starchy vegetables like potatoes and yams are made up of complex carbohydrates rather than water. Trying to juice these will yield little output and leave you with mounds of pulp.
Prioritizing produce with the highest water content is key to increasing your juice yields. You'll get more juice from less produce, saving money and getting the most out of your juicer.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like kale, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, chard, and collard greens are especially well-suited for cold-pressed juicing despite their naturally fibrous structure.
This is because you get less juice out of them compared to other vegetables like cucumber. You therefore need a juicer with a slower masticating action that can squeeze the juice out more slowly and thus efficiently compared to fast, high-speed centrifugal juicers.
The crushing motion of a cold-pressed juicer gently ruptures the individual plant cells, releasing their nutrient-rich liquid without shredding the greens into irritating pulp.
Soft Cell Structure
In addition to water and fiber content, the actual cell structure of a vegetable impacts how efficiently it can be cold-pressed.
Vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini have delicate, soft cell walls that are easily ruptured under pressure and are well suited to cold-pressed juicers.
By contrast, vegetables like turnips, parsnips, and potatoes have tougher, denser cell structures and are more likely to clog cold-pressed juicers, and are more suited to centrifugal juicers. While they can still juice decently, their firmer flesh means less efficient extraction. More pressure and time is needed to rupture their cell walls.
Prioritizing vegetables with tender cell structures maximizes how much liquid can be pressed out of the produce. Delicate fruits like stone fruits and berries also break down readily under pressure.
Ideal Vegetables for Efficient Juicing
To summarize, vegetables with the following qualities are best suited for cold press juicers:
High water content - at least 85% composition
Low fiber density - avoid tough starchy veg and chopp hard veg such as beets and carrots into smaller pieces before juicing
Soft, delicate cell structure - easily crushed and pressed vegetables like cucumber and tomatoes
Types of produce that meet these criteria include tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens, citrus fruits, melons, berries, and tropical fruits like mango or pineapple.
Now that you understand what makes a vegetable ideal for juicing, let's review 15 of the top options in more detail.
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15 Best Vegetables for Cold Press Juicers
1. Spinach
Spinach is one of the best leafy greens to juice. It needs slow juicing to extract the juice and contains very little tough fiber, meaning no jammed gears or juicer cleanup headaches.
Although subtle in flavor, spinach offers a nutritional powerhouse of iron, vitamin K, folate, magnesium, and vitamin A. Adding just a few handfuls to your juice gives an antioxidant and nutrient boost.
2. Cucumbers
With their high water content and mild flavor, cucumbers are juicing superstars. About 96% of a cucumber is liquid, making it incredibly efficient to juice.
Cucumbers also offer a refreshing, thirst-quenching juice full of immune-strengthening vitamin C and inflammation-lowering cucurbitacins. They blend well with nearly any fruit or vegetable.
3. Celery
Similar to cucumber, celery contains up to 95% water and like spinach is best juiced through a cold pressed juicer. Juicing celery taps into its anti-inflammatory nutrients and hydrating electrolytes like potassium and sodium.
Despite having an overpowering taste when eaten raw, celery has a very mild flavor when juiced. It combines well with sweeter produce like apples or carrots to create a tasty vegetable juice.
Related article: 4 Easy Ways To Make Celery Juice More Tasty
4. Carrots
Carrots have a high water content of between 86-95% making them a good vegetable to juice through a cold-pressed juicer. Although higher in fiber and slightly tougher than some vegetables, juicing carrots are a good option when chopped into smaller pieces before feeding through the juicer.
The resulting carrot juice explodes with beta-carotene, an antioxidant that gives carrots their vibrant orange color. Carrot juice is both nutritious and delicious, making it an ideal base for vegetable-forward juices.
5. Tomatoes
Juicy tomatoes are another excellent water-dense, soft-cell structure choice, containing about 94% liquid. Cold-pressing tomatoes harness their nutrition like lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C.
Tomatoes blend well with any combination of vegetables or fruits. Try mixing tomato juice with carrots, strawberries, and blueberries to create your signature juice.
6. Kale
Along with spinach, kale is a leafy green that juices remarkably well through a cold-pressed juicer.
Just a handful of kale juice can provide a mega dose of vitamins A, C, and K. The bold, earthy flavor of kale mellows out deliciously when mixed with milder vegetables and fruits.
Related article: 5 Delicious Low-Sugar Green Juice Recipes
7. Bell Peppers
Crunchy bell peppers have a water composition of 92% and have a soft-cell structure making them a great vegetable for juicing through a cold-pressed juicer.
The outstanding vitamin C and antioxidant content of bell peppers shines through wonderfully in juice form. For a neutral flavor, use green peppers. Yellow and red lend a subtle sweetness.
8. Beets
Beets juice surprisingly efficiently through a cold press juicer. Although high in natural sugars, their cell structure is soft enough, when chopped into small pieces or boiled before juicing to extract a dark purple, nutrient-filled juice.
Known as a superfood, beets serve up antioxidants, folate, manganese, and vitamin C once juiced. When blending beet juice, opt for milder flavors that won’t get overpowered by its earthiness.
9. Zucchini
The high water composition and tender skin of zucchini make it a great choice to pass through a cold press juicer. Along with its hydration properties, zucchini offers vitamin C, manganese, and antioxidant carotenoids.
Zucchini is a neutral-flavored vegetable that combines tastily with virtually any produce. It brings moisture and nutrition without much taste impact on your final juice.
10. Cabbage
A dense and crunchy vegetable when eaten raw and one you may not consider for the juicer cabbage retains surprising juice when cold-pressed. Red cabbage in particular brings an earthy sweetness and vibrant color to juice.
In addition to hydration, cabbage juice provides glucosinolates, which may have cancer-fighting properties. It blends well with other vegetables when you’re seeking a healthy, low-sugar juice.
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11. Brussels Sprouts
Another surprising vegetable that many people will not associate with juicing is the Brussels sprout. If you can get past the taste by adding sweeter fruits to it and focusing on the nutritional value, they contain high amounts of water and nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin C, and folate.
12. Sweet Potatoes
Although not as starchy as white potatoes and and juice aswell as other vegetables, sweet potatoes are still a good vegetable to juice if you are looking for something a little different to add to your daily juice. The juice provides a sweet, earthy flavor along with antioxidants like beta carotene.
Sweet potato juice also blends deliciously with ginger, carrots, apples, and lemon for a nutrient-packed beverage without added sugars.
13. Fennel
The crisp flesh and licorice-like flavor of fennel come through wonderfully when juiced. Though not as efficient as water-rich produce, fennel still juices decently.
In addition to its uniqueness, fennel contains inflammation-fighting anethole along with vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. It pairs well with milder veggies.
14. Green Beans
Surprisingly, green beans juice well in a cold press juicer. Their soft pod and seed interior breaks down to yield a mild, earthy flavor and pale green juice. In addition to water content, green beans offer vitamin K, vitamin C, and manganese.
15. Swiss Chard
Like spinach and kale, Swiss chard shines in cold-pressed juicers! this is because like other leafy green chard has a relatively high juice extract rate which means it needs a slow crushing action to extract as much of the juice as possible. A centrifugal juicer will just shred it to pieces.
About Author:
Gavin is the owner of Tru Foo Juice Bar. He has over 6 years of experience running a juice bar and creating juice and smoothie recipes for the consumer market.
His passion for juicing began in his early 20s as he explored natural ways to boost nutrition and energy. Over the years, Gavin has experimented with countless ingredient combinations to create the perfect juice and smoothie blends and bring them to the masses.
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