Though it's hard to argue with the star-power of Demi Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow, it's important to note that juicing may not be all it's cracked up to be, and we may in fact all be drinking nothing but Kool Aid.
Juicing and Weight Loss
While many start a juice cleanse hoping to drop some extra pounds, it is important to note that the simple act of liquefying your fruits and greens won't guarantee that you'll fit into that bikini or drop the beer gut by summer. At times, some weight loss is observed (particularly in more stringent juicing programs); however, this is often a short-term solution, as the scale creeps back up after solid food is reintroduced, and old (unhealthy) habits take over. This yo-yo effect is observed in many crash diets, and let's face it - isn't a juice cleanse just that ... a seemingly healthy crash diet.
Juicing and Satiety
As Bolton et al's (1981) study showed, participants who eat whole fruits and vegetables experience far greater satiety than those who juice. Indeed, juicing vegetables and fruit will remove a key component that provides a feeling of fullness - fiber. Remember, fiber is filling, not fattening. Claims such as 'drinking juice gives the digestive system a break from fiber' are anecdotal, and false - fiber is a key component to aiding digestion.
It should be noted that some vegetables (and most fruit) such as carrots, beets, oranges, bananas, etc are high in sugar. Juicing these will lead to quick spikes in blood sugar, making juicing diets not recommended for diabetics.
Keeping blood sugar and insulin stable will help keep you full and satiated and keep the ravenous hunger that often overtakes juicers, post-cleanse, away!
Juicing and the 'Detox Effect'
Our liver and kidneys are already highly tunes detoxification machines. As such, going on a juice fast is unnecessary for ridding your body of toxins. Many will choose to do a juice cleanse after some particularly bad eating (such as over the Christmas period, for example); however, this is not so much a way of helping your body rid itself of the additional chemicals, as a psychological crutch to help you 'feel' lighter and healthier.
If you really want to detox your body rid yourself of the following:
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Cigarettes / E-Cigarettes
- Processed Sugar
- Drink more water
- Get more sleep
- Exercise
- Meditate
- Hit the Sauna
- Say no to processed foods
Detoxing your body is certainly not rocket science; however, it required a level of commitment and discipline. Keep in mind that though juicing may be appealing because it does not require you to make real changes, it is also over-promises on it's detoxifying effect significantly.
To Juice or Not to Juice?
Ultimately, if you're looking for a silver bullet to help you lose weight or detox your body, then juicing is not it! If additional health and well-being are your goals, then the best recommendation would be to eat more vegetables and fruits, rather than to juice them.
Though juicing will increase the presence of some antioxidants through sheer volume, the process is also subject to rapid oxidation, meaning that the juice needs to be drunk immediately for you to realise the benefits of the additional vitamin boost. However, be mindful of the fact that juicing also removes some crucial elements of the produce, found in the pulp and skin.
Juicing is not cheap and, in my eyes, adds little value in the context of health and well-being. Thus, my verdict: not to juice.
References:
R.P.Bolton, K.W.Heaton, & L.F.Burroughs (1981). The role of dietary fiber in satiety, glucose and insulin: studies with fruit and fruit juice, Am J Clin Nut, 34, 211-217.
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