If you are looking for an eating plan that offers lots of flavors and nutrients then juicing diets to lose weight could be for you. Unlike diet plans based on severely restricting your food choices, juicing diets encourage eating a variety of fresh, healthy foods in a way that will help you lose weight, while still feeling satisfied and refreshed. Juices lack fat and protein, however, so consult your doctor before starting if you have any concerns.
Juicing
A juicing diet not only helps you cut calories, it actively supports weight loss, according to the "Juicing Book," which notes that typical calorie-restricted diets can actually hamper weight loss because they deprive your body of the nutrients it needs to effectively burn fat. You don't have to go on an all-juice diet -- which is known as a juice fast -- but rather you supplement a healthful, low-calorie diet based on fruits, vegetables and legumes with juices which provide essential vitamins and minerals, as well as filling you up and satisfying your cravings.
Benefits
James Robinson, author of "Health Unplugged" notes there are many benefits to juicing for weight loss. Unlike some diets, juicing supplies your body with a range of vitamins and minerals, which aid digestion, boost your immune system and can help fight illness. Fruit juices can help flush out fat, lower cholesterol and are a good way to replace sweets in your diet, as the natural sugars will curb your cravings. You can also lose water weight by drinking natural diuretics such as lemon, kiwifruit, melon, asparagus and cucumber.
Fruits & Vegetables
Juicing diets should go beyond the basic apple, carrot, orange or tomato juice because almost every vegetable offers essential nutrients which are more easily absorbed by your body in juice form, according to "Juicing for Health." You can juice almost any fruit or vegetable. Choose a wide, colorful variety of vegetables such as broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, beets, squash, pears, apples, citrus, melons and berries to get the maximum health benefit from your diet.
Equipment
A juicer is vital equipment for your diet, but don't be put off by thinking that you have to buy the biggest, fanciest, most expensive machine available. "Crazy Sexy Diet" recommends shopping around online to find the best deals. It notes that centrifugal juicers are relatively inexpensive and easy to use but they don't extract as much juice as more expensive ones. You can overcome this by scooping the pulp from the initial juicing out of the catch basket and putting it through the juicer a second time to squeeze out the last drops. Alternatively, for a real bargain, whizz up fruits and veggies in a blender then pour the mixture through a paint-strainer bag to get the juice out.
References
- "Juicing Book: All You Need to Create Delicious Juices for Your Optimum Health"; Carole Jacobs; 2010
- "Julie Stafford's Juicing for health"; Julie Stafford; 1994
- "Health Unplugged: Can Food & Technology Co-Exist?"; James A. Robinson; 2010
- "Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies... and Live Like You Mean It!" Kris Carr; 2011
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