Juicing fruits and vegetables offers similar nutritional and health benefits as eating whole produce, but many people wonder if one is better than the other. Juice is a healthy way to help you reach the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day, but in some cases, you lose out on nutrients. If you want to try juicing for health reasons, talk with your doctor. Otherwise, enjoying a glass of juice can be a healthy addition to a well-balanced diet for most people.
Fiber
The skins of many types of fruits and vegetables are high in fiber. When you juice them, the peels are often removed, which lowers the amount of fiber you get. Despite theories that advocate drinking juice because it allows your digestive system to take a break, you need an adequate amount of fiber each day for your digestion to stay regular and function properly, according to MayoClinic.com. Your best bet is to balance juice with whole fruits and vegetables, which allows you to get a healthy dose of fiber, along with other nutrients beneficial to your health.
Weight Loss
Many people use the juice of fruits and vegetables to lose weight. To successfully drop unwanted pounds, you must burn more calories than you consume. Drinking fruit juice might hinder these efforts because it is a concentrated source of sugar, which means more calories than a piece of whole fruit. For example, an orange contains about 60 calories, but a glass of orange juice contains about 110 calories. Vegetable juice is lower in sugar and calories than fruit juice, but if you are using either for weight loss, build the calories into your daily allowance or you might not see the results you seek.
Cleansing
Juice diets are sometimes used to cleanse the body of toxins that could cause health problems. Drinking a large amount of juice can result in diarrhea, which many people feel is cleaning out their body. Cleanses are sometimes dangerous and are likely not needed because your liver and kidneys are responsible for eliminating toxins. No scientific evidence supports the use of juice for cleansing, reports MayoClinic.com. Instead, eat plenty of whole fruits and vegetables and moderate amounts of juice to provide your kidneys and liver with the nutrients they need to work efficiently.
Considerations
Purchasing a juicer to prepare your own juice at home allows for more control over ingredients, which makes it easier to consume a healthier product. If you have type 2 diabetes or high triglycerides, you might have to avoid fruit juice due to its high sugar content, reports Joy Bauer, a registered dietitian. If you suffer from high blood pressure, tomato juice might need to be limited because some versions are very high in sodium. If you are otherwise healthy, drinking juice increases your intake of potassium, iron and vitamins A and C.
References
- Mayo Clinic; "Juicing: What Are the Health Benefits"; Jennifer Nelson; October 2010
- Mayo Clinic; "Vegetable Juice: As Good as the Real Thing?"; Katherine Zeratsky; June 2010
- American Cancer Society: Juicing
- Mayo Clinic; "Juicing Fruits and Vegetables: Some Touted Benefits are Far-Fetched"; February 2009
- Fit Day; "Fruit and Vegetable Juice Drinks: Are They Nutritious"; Kari Hartel
- Joy Bauer: Health Benefits of Fruit and Vegetable Juice
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