National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day Date in the current year: January 15, 2024

Juice is a drink made by pressing the natural liquid contained in fruits and some vegetables. The word “juice” was first recorded in Old French in the 13th century, but the history of the beverage is probably much longer. The earliest archaeological evidence of grape juice production is dated 8000 BC, although it is possible that the juice wasn’t intended for consumption but rather for the production of wine.

One of the first modern juices (or rather juice-based drinks) was lemonade. A refreshing beverage made of lemon juice, water and sugar or honey originated in the Middle East and was brought to Italy in the 16th century. Orange juice originated about a century later.

Until the second half of the 19th century, all juices were fresh squeezed because there was no reliable method to store them without the sugar in the juice fermenting into ethanol. In the 1860s, British-American Methodist minister and dentist Thomas Bramwell Welch invented a method of pasteurizing grape juice to prevent fermentation, and that’s how the modern juice industry began.

There is no doubt that pasteurized juices are more convenient than fresh squeezed juices and have a longer shelf life, but fresh juices that are consumed immediately after squeezing have their own benefits. For example, fresh squeezed juices are higher in dietary fiber than processed juices, which is essential to digestive health.

Fresh squeezed juices also contain more vitamins and minerals than pasteurized juices because some nutrients cannot withstand heat (although some manufacturers add vitamins to their processed juices after pasteurization). To make the most of the nutritional benefits of fresh juices, you should drink them right after squeezing.

However, you should keep in mind that some fruit juices are naturally high in sugar, so you should drink them in moderation. It’s also not a very good idea to drink fresh squeezed juices on an empty stomach.

The origins of National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day are unclear, but don’t let it stop you from enjoying a glass or two of your favorite juice on January 15. In fact, the entire third full week of January is referred to as National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week, so you can start every day of the week with a glass of different juice to figure out which one you like best.

You can celebrate National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day by enjoying a glass of fresh squeezed juice you’ve made yourself from fresh fruit and vegetables from your local farmers’ market, making different juices to create the perfect combo, hosting a homemade juice party for your friends and family, hitting your local juice bar, or splurging on a nice juicer. And don’t forget to post about the holiday on social media to spread the word using the hashtags #NationalFreshSqueezedJuiceDay and #FreshSqueezedJuiceDay.