How long can I wait to drink my veggie juice?

by Julie
(Sacramento)

Q I have been doing this for about one month now and I am wondering if I am getting all of the benefits because I make my drinks at night and take them to work with me in the morning every day. Is this ok? Am I getting all of the health benefits as though I was making the drinks in the morning?

Also, are frozen fruits ok to use? I throw some in with my veggies and am wondering if they have the same health benefits as fresh?


A Fresh is always best, but better to drink them the next day than not at all. If you fill the container to the top with juice so there is very little if any air then they will last longer nutritionally speaking. As soon as the juice is made it begins to degrade, but still has nutritional value hours later and even the next day. The minerals are still intact, but the quality and quantity of the enzymes, vitamins, and phytonutrients will be degraded.

As for frozen fruit, they might have been riper and fresher when frozen than what’s in the produce section now, however freezing destroys or degrades enzymes, vitamins and phytonutrients. It’s said that freezing destroys about 2/3 of the nutrition. But once again, better to eat some frozen fruit than none at all.

Rule of thumb with juicing and raw foods diet: Use the freshest ripest produce available, and consume as soon after making as possible.