Most people who make juicing a part of their lives have three levels of preference for the ingredients they use. At the top of the heap is organically grown produce, the kind that you’d pick in your own backyard, find at roadside fruit and veggie stands, or get at a local farmer’s market. Next, are fruits and vegetables that you can get at any supermarket aisle - definitely not as good as organic ingredients, but it’ll do for most city dwellers who don’t have easy access to the real stuff. And at the bottom are either canned/bottled fruits that you try to turn into juice - or even pre-bottled juice that you buy at the supermarket.

That organically grown stuff is just better because it often (although not always) is left unsprayed and is not artificially ripened with chemicals. For produce in the supermarket, they often have to pick it when it’s still unripe so that it will survive the long trip to your store. The apples and carrots that you get at the supermarket may LOOK better and less flawed than the rustic items you see at the farmer’s market, but they look that way because they’ve been picked while the fruit or vegetable is still hard to ease transport.

You’ll also notice that you can actually smell the difference in organic fruits and vegetables from standard supermarket produce. It is often picked while fresher and is richer in vitamins and minerals. So, while it is consistently much more expensive than supermarket fare, it is definitely worth it if you can afford. Also, even if you don’t have a local farmer’s market or roadside stand close to you, you may want to check your area for organic produce stores which are springing up everywhere. Most supermarkets also now carry at least some organically grown items to appease health-conscious customers.

In any case, even if you just use standard produce in making your juice, it’s still a world away from buying pre-made juice. If organic produce wins out over supermarket produce by a yard, making your own juice wins over store-bought juice by a mile. Yes, sometimes you don’t have the time to make your own OJ in the morning. They do sell fresh-squeezed juice as well, though it is much more perishable compared to the concentrate variety. It is also quite a bit more expensive.

Surprisingly, making a glass of the kind of juice that’s brimming with nutrients and goodness from scratch may actually be cheaper pound for pound than buying pre-made juice. That’s especially true if you can buy the vegetables in bulk, say at an apple orchard - or even at a chain megamart if it comes to that. In any case, if you’ve been a lifelong drinker of bottled juice, you might want to give juicing a try just for some variety.