When Was Juice Invented: The History of Juicing from Antiquity to Hurom

August 10, 2024

Juicing seems to have become a health fad in recent years. However, juicing has a rich history and evolution.

That’s what we’ll uncover in this article.

We’ll discuss:

When was juice invented
The history of juicing methods from Ancient to modern times
Where the best modern juicers are manufactured
The best slow juicers in the market today

Keep reading below.

What Is Juicing?

Juicing means pressing fruits and vegetables to make juice. You can even squeeze nuts, seeds, and roots like ginger – if you have the right juicer for ginger.

People have invented different methods to make juice over the millennia.

Manual squeezing is a traditional method, but it’s now mainly used for fruits, particularly citrus fruits, because it’s hard and inefficient.
Centrifugal juicing uses a fast-spinning blade to shred fruits and vegetables. Basically, these juicers use centrifugal force to separate the juice from the pulp. This high-speed process generates heat, which can destroy some essential nutrients and enzymes in the juice.
Cold-press juicing or Slow juicing is a much better method. Compared to centrifugal juicers, cold-press juicers minimize heat and oxidation. That means they preserve more healthy nutrients and yield a higher quality juice.

With that in mind, let’s get to the part you’re here for: to learn when juice was invented and how people came to use cold-press juicers.

Juicing History: From Ancient Times to 1936

Juicing has a long and fascinating history.

Ancient to Medieval Times

Ancient civilizations: The earliest records of juicing come from around 100 BC. That’s where we have written records that the Essenes, an ancient tribe in Israel, were mashing pomegranates and figs to extract their juice. Ancient Egyptians and Sumerians also used primitive methods to make juice from fruits and vegetables. These early juices were used in cooking and as a means to preserve fruits and vegetables.
Middle Ages: During this period, people used juices to treat ailments because they believed juices had healing properties. Their techniques were still basic, relying on manual methods like pressing and straining.

The 18th and 19th Centuries

18th Century: Lemonade became popular in 16th century Italy, thanks to the influence of Middle Eastern cuisine. By the 17th century, orange juice began making its mark in Europe. People enjoyed these citrus-based juices thanks to their refreshing taste and health benefits.
19th Century: The Industrial Revolution brought about more sophisticated methods for juice extraction and preservation. The development of commercial juicers allowed people to start batch juicing. And the pasteurization method meant juices could be stored for longer periods.

Pro tip: Interested in juicing for more people or for the entire week? Here are 8 awesome tips for batch juicing.

Juicers Are Made: 1936 to 2024

So, let’s step into more modern times and see how commercial juicers transformed the history of juicing. Be ready – we’ll take you through several firsts.

The First Juicer Was Invented: The Norwalk

Norman Walker is credited with inventing the first mechanical juicing machine in the 1930s. His Norwalk juicer grated and pressed fruits and vegetables, making fresh juice more accessible to the public.

This era also saw Dr. Max Gerson develop The Gerson Therapy. He included fresh, organic juices as a central component of his dietary regimen for treating chronic diseases.

The First Masticating Juicer: The Champion Machine

The first masticating juicer was developed in 1955 and was called “The Champion.” This machine made it easier for people to produce fresh juice at home.

Holistic health practitioner Ann Wigmore also promoted the health benefits of wheatgrass juice and raw foods through her institute. And that helped to popularize detox juices.

The First Juice Bar

In the 1960s to 1970s, juicing gained significant traction in the health and fitness communities. Dave Otto's juice bar in California became a hotspot, contributing to the smoothie craze and the growing popularity of fresh fruit juices.

In the 1990s, juicing entered the mainstream. Celebrities and health practitioners supported them massively.

That’s why juice bars also became ubiquitous. For example, NY juice bars are famous today for their cold press juices.

The First Twin-Gear Juice Extractor: The Greenpower Juicer

The first twin-gear juice extractor, known as the Greenpower juicer, was introduced in the early 1990s. It used two interlocking gears to efficiently crush and press produce. This machine maximized nutrient extraction while minimizing oxidation, but it wasn’t yet perfect.

Still, this innovation set a new standard for high-quality juicing, especially for leafy greens and hard vegetables.

First Juicer with Slow Squeeze Technology: Hurom

Hurom invented the Slow Squeeze Technology in 2003.

The system is designed to mimic the gentle motion of hand-squeezing juice. Our patented technology also minimizes heat and oxidation. We patented this innovative tech to preserve the natural taste, nutrients, and enzymes found in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Plus, we want to make juicing easy for everyone.

Here’s how it works:

Low-speed auger: The core component is the auger, which crushes and presses the produce slowly. We’re making this from durable polyetherimide (PEI) to minimize exposure to oxygen and heat. That’s how you can enjoy the maximum nutritional value of your delicious glass of juice.
Fine strainer: We added a fine strainer with a mesh grid of 0.3 millimeters. This filters out solid particles, so you get a smooth, velvety juice texture.
Spinning brush: The spinning brush continuously mixes the juice inside the chamber. We did that so you can enjoy a uniform juice texture and the best possible flavor.

Where Is the Hurom Juicer Made?

Hurom juicers are manufactured in South Korea. Our company was founded in 1974 and has its corporate headquarters and main production facilities located there.

Pro tip: Our product line proudly carries the "Made in Korea" label to ensure quality and durability. So, don’t settle for cheap fakes.

Hurom is known for its high-quality and innovative juicing technology.

We’re not just bragging:

Forbes recently named our Hurom H400 Easy Clean Slow Juicer as the “Absolute Best” of 2024.

Other Juicers Using Slow Squeeze Technology

Hurom, renowned for its innovative Slow Squeeze Technology, extends its expertise to the manufacturing of Nama and Omega juicers. This collaboration ensures that the high standards of quality and performance associated with Hurom are consistently maintained across these brands.

Where Is the Nama Juicer Made?

Nama juicers are also manufactured in Hurom’s advanced facilities in South Korea.

Juicers made under the Nama brand use Hurom's Slow Squeeze Technology to provide higher quality juice extraction than in any other factory. Nama juicers benefit from the meticulous engineering and rigorous quality control that we apply to our own products.

Where Is the Omega Juicer Made?

Similarly, Omega juicers are crafted in Hurom's South Korean factory. They also leverage Hurom’s Slow Squeeze Technology to ensure maximum nutrient retention and optimal juice yield.

Are Hurom Juicers Better than Nama and Omega?

While Nama and Omega juicers also use Hurom's patented Slow Squeeze Technology and are manufactured in the same high-quality factory, discerning customers often find that Hurom juicers stand out.

For example, some of our cold-press juicers feature Easy Clean Technology, which is Hurom’s innovation. We basically replaced the mesh strainers with a two-part auger that filters out pulp-free juice. This technology helps you rinse your juicer under water to get it clean in seconds, without any scrubbing.

Our extensive experience and continuous innovation in the juicing industry also give us a unique edge. And we use that edge to make healthy juicing easy and accessible to everyone.

That brings us to the next point:

Benefits of Juicing [and How to Get Them]

If you pick the right juicer, you will reap all the health benefits of juicing.

Nutrient absorption: Drinking juices lets you absorb essential nutrients easily. Fresh juices are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that will all improve your health.
Improved digestion: Juices don’t have insoluble fiber, so they’re easier to digest, especially if you have a sensitive digestive system.
Enhanced immunity: Fresh juices can strengthen your immune system. For example, juices rich in vitamin C and antioxidants maintain your immune health so you can decrease the risk of acute or chronic illness.
Detoxification: Juicing supports your body's natural detoxification processes. Drinking raw green juices helps you flush out toxins.

Pro tip: Try our Lemon Detox recipe.

Increased energy: The high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in fresh juices skyrockets your energy levels. Juicing gives you a sustained energy boost without the crash associated with caffeine or sugar-laden beverages.

These are the benefits that people have been aiming to get since juicing was first invented.

That’s why the history of juicing has evolved so much over the years. People kept wanting to refine their processes to make the most out of juicing.

If you’re trying to maximize these health benefits of juicing, Hurom is here to help.

Here’s how easy it is to make a delicious glass of green juice:

Pro tip: Browse Hurom juicers now to find the right one for your needs.

FAQ

When Was Orange Juice Invented?

Orange juice has a long history, with its origins dating back to the 17th century. However, it wasn't until 1916 that freshly squeezed orange juice was popularized by Albert Lasker, who marketed it effectively to address the surplus of oranges produced by the California Fruit Growers Exchange. Canned orange juice came into existence in 1931, thanks to Dr. Philip Phillips' development of flash pasteurization. During World War II, frozen concentrated orange juice was invented in 1945 to supply American soldiers with vitamin C, which revolutionized the orange juice industry.

When Was Grape Juice Invented?

Grape juice was first commercialized by Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch in 1869. Welch was a dentist and prohibitionist, so he developed a pasteurization method to prevent grape juice from fermenting into wine. That’s how he created the first recorded commercial non-alcoholic grape juice. This process allowed grape juice to be preserved and distributed widely, and it became especially popular among those seeking an alternative to alcoholic beverages.

When Was Apple Juice Invented?

Apple juice's history is less precisely documented, but it has been consumed in various forms for centuries. Commercial production of apple juice began in earnest in the 19th century, particularly with the advent of pasteurization. The mass production of apple juice expanded significantly in the early 20th century, making it a staple beverage in many households. Today, apple juice is one of the most commonly consumed fruit juices worldwide.