“Freshly-squeezed” juice is very “in” at the moment.

According to insiders, the ready-made juice market here is worth around 800 billion won. The so-called “premium juice” focusing on organic and healthy juice takes up around 15 percent of this, but is marking some 30 percent annual growth.

Market leaders such as Pulmuone and CJ have presented their “I’m Real” and “SQUEEZE” products that feature a wide range of flavors, from apples to mango and tropical fruits at the price at between 3,500-3,600 won a bottle. “The market is expected to grow even bigger,” a spokesman of CJ said.

Just Juice from Herald EcoFarm is the latest add-in to the field. Launched in November, its line-up features organic fruits blended with hibiscus and other organic vegetables grown without agrichemicals and is delivered daily to your door.

Claire’s Blueberry with blueberries and pears; Joy’s Strawberry with strawberry, carrot and apple; Alex’s Banana with Tangerine; Helen’s Kiwi Apple; and Morning Balance Soy Milk with black bean, grains, farm nectar and soy milk all trade on the natural, organic and healthy aspects of juice. Priced at 4,500-4,900 won, they do not contain any additives including sugar and are also low in calories ― none exceeding 120 kcal a bottle.

“We believe that we should be responsible for every process of the juice-making: from the farms to delivery. Since all ingredients are organic people should feel safe to drink them,” said Kwon Young-soo, representative of the firm.

The company recently watered down the smoothie texture to greater appeal to customers.

“The juice goes through high hydrostatic pressure pasteurization, which keeps the nutrients and flavor but also guarantees good flavor at the same time,” Kwon said. To order, visit http://www.heraldecofarm.com.

Squeeze at home

Some people make it a ritual to drink juice every morning before leaving for work.

“We both feel great,” 30-year-old office worker Jeong, who makes juice every morning for her husband and her, said. “I had never thought about drinking juice instead of eating rice for breakfast. But once we got used to it, it is easier on the stomach and we feel healthy already.“

“Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the keys to longevity and health. It prevents cardiac diseases, stroke and cancer; the phytochemicals enhance resistance against DNA destruction and strengthen the immune system. Fruits and vegetables also contain abundant fiber which lowers the risk of constipation, hemorrhoids and diabetes, and controls digestion,” says professor Lee Ju-hang of Ewha Womans University.

Juice is one good way to have nutrients absorbed easily, which helps the body regain energy. Juice from fresh vegetables and fruits is the best, she said.

Lee, however, disapproved of many of the juice products in supermarkets, which she claims are unhealthy because many of them contain with corn syrup, additives, fructose, sugar, honey and other flavor enhancers or sweeteners.

“They hardly have vitamin C or anti-cancer substances ― about 10 percent is left there after the final process,” she said.

“If you want a real juice, just make one.”

Juicer’s juice

Some people prefer freshly squeezed fruit juice rather than boiled vegetables.

“It is more convenient and fresher,” said Kim Yu-jin, a 35-year-old office worker who prepares orange, banana and other seasonal juice for her family every morning.

Hurom, which makes slow juicers, has sold 1.5 million units since 2009. The juicer has a special squeezer instead of blades.

“We believe that blades produce heat that can destroy some nutrients in the juice and with the slow squeezer we minimize the heat, providing fresher and healthier juice,” Kim Young-jin, marketer of the company, said.

The juicer manufacturer is now exporting the item to over 50 countries around the world and is receiving a positive response.

Juice bar

Juice bars are usually found at gyms at five-star hotels but Hurom has decided to push it to another level, recently opening juice bars in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, and Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul.

At the Hurom Farm, the visitors can choose the vegetable or fruits and order them into juice, ice-blended drinks, ice flakes, or sherbets with no sugar, water, artificial additives or powder. Ingredients vary from fresh berries to almonds and kale. The caf also serves some light snacks such as waffles and bread made with spinach and other vegetables.

“We wanted people to have a meal here. It’s not that we are serving a real meal but our juice and snacks are healthy enough to be a meal. A glass of juice and a light snack could be a good way to detox,” Kim said.

Body detox

If juice doesn’t sound appealing enough try detox juice. What Jeong is taking at this moment is the so-called “haedok” (detox) juice touted by Dr. Seo Jae-geol, a local doctor specializing in natural medicine. He reinterpreted detox juices prescribed to cancer patients in the U.S., using local vegetables and fruits.

“The American Cancer Society recommends at least six servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits a day. But it’s quite difficult to do so and even if one follows the rule, the body absorbs only 5-10 percent of the greens when they are eaten raw,” Seo said in a previous interview with The Korea Herald. By cooking and grinding up the ingredients, the juice is said to enhance the body’s absorbance rate of nutrients to 90 percent, possibly helping preventing cancer with good stuff like digestive enzymes and other substances, he said.

The juice can be made through boiling carrots, broccoli, cabbage and tomato, then grinding them up with apple and banana when cooled. The recipe has been frequently featured on TV programs and newspapers, attracting health fanatics to follow the regimen.

“Yes, it takes some patience because you have to prepare the ingredients, boil them, cool them and grind them. But I feel that I am investing for health for the future,” Jeong said.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)