Can I Eat Anything With A Vegetable & Juice Fast?

Fasting is an extremely personal action to take and can affect your health in both positive and negative ways, so deciding when and what to eat is up you and your health care provider. A vegetable and juice fast can be a safer way to fast than completely eliminating food and drink from your diet for short periods of time. Fasting's negative effects can include fatigue or dizziness. If you're hungry and want to eat additional foods during the fast, consider whether continuing to fast is the best choice for you.

Intended Benefits

People fast for different reasons. If you're fasting for religious or spiritual reasons, eliminating foods and beverages other than water is intended to provide extra focus on less-earthly considerations, according to the Christian Broadcasting Network. If you're fasting as part of a detoxification or weight loss plan, the intended benefit is to eliminate heavier or unhealthy foods and reduce overall calorie consumption to let the body recuperate and become lighter. Some researchers have concluded that restricted diets in mice contributed to a longer life span and increased stress resistance, according to an article in USA Today. Regular fasting may also have some benefits for the heart, as reported by The New York Times.

Vegetables

Eating vegetables during a fast is an efficient way to introduce healthy, nourishing nutrients, vitamins and calories so that your body doesn't become depleted. Eating a variety of vegetables can also remain part of your overall eating plan for a healthy diet, according to CNN Health. Vegetables also contain valuable antioxidants including polyphenols, quercetin, and anthocyanins.

Juice

Juices also provide nutrients, vitamins and calories during fasting. Fruit juices often contain potassium, which can help lower blood pressure, according to CNN Health. Vitamin C can assist in iron absorption, and vitamin A contributes to skin health. The water levels present in juice can also prevent you from becoming dehydrated.

Options

If you'd like to eat something other than vegetables and fruits during your fast, consider having a pre-fast meal in the evenings, as described by the Jewish Outreach Institute. Drinking water can help curb appetite. Try to eat slowly to savor food consumed.

Caution

Not all research confirms the safety and efficacy of fasting. Some people, including individuals diagnosed with cancer, tuberculosis or diabetes, shouldn't fast at all, according to Vanderbilt University. Problems associated with extreme diets can include dehydration, fatigue, dizziness and nausea, according to Mayo Clinic. People who rapidly lose weight by engaging in fasting may find that the weight comes back after returning to a normal diet plan, according to Mayo Clinic preventative medicine specialist Donald Hensrud.