by If we’re being honest, we don’t really consume as much fruits and vegetables as we would like our peers (especially our mothers) to believe. In fact, we might not even come close to the recommended amount that nutritionists and health gurus advocate.
So with all our time divided between work and other responsibilities, how can we make sure that we get in the 5 to 9 servings of healthy greens in a day? This is where juicing comes in.
You’ve probably heard about the benefits of juicing from your health-nut friend or co-worker. Over the years, this method of consuming fruits and vegetables has generated enough buzz in the health community–but does it actually work?
While the idea of juicing may seem appealing to you, it’s important to get to know its pros and cons before committing to it first. With a lot of careful research and studying, I’ve rounded up the top benefits and advantages that juicing can offer.
The Pros of Juicing
1. It helps you intake the daily recommended amount for vegetables and fruits.
If there is a case to be made in favor of juicing, this will be the number one argument. So if you are the type of person who just can’t seem to take in your greens without wanting to vomit, then this might just work for you. Instead of forcing down, say, a kale salad, a much faster and efficient way of intaking it is through juicing.
This works well if you’re pressed for time or don’t have the energy to prepare healthy meals too. You can simply toss in all of the fruits and vegetables that you want and blend it together–voila! You now have a healthy meal that you can take on-the-go to work or to school.
2. You’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of dozens of minerals and vitamins.
Time and time again, our body bags down as a reminder that we’re not getting enough nutrients from the food that we eat. So if you are on a mission to strengthen your body and increase your energy, juicing is the right way to go about it. These juices are often supercharged with minerals and vitamins
This is great news for those of you who identify as one of the picky eaters too. Not only will you save yourself the trouble in preparation, but you can also easily chug down your juice without a problem. Not to mention, when you juice, you effectively break down fruits and vegetables into a form that your body should be able to digest more easily. Without your body working extra hard to metabolize your food, you’ll likely experience more energy and enjoy more regular bowel movements–and frankly, that’s a big enough reason to juice in itself.
3. Juicing is a great detox option.
Detoxing can be one of the healthiest things that you can do on a regular basis. With dozens of benefits that it can offer your body, no wonder experts recommend that you do this to reset your health. It can help you flush out the toxins in your body, among other benefits.
With juicing and detoxing hand-in-hand, you can successfully jumpstart your journey to a healthier diet and lifestyle.
The Cons of Juicing
1. You’ll be missing out on fiber during a juice cleanse.
Your body needs fiber for a smooth digestive process and can help you feel fuller for longer. The issue with juicing is that it mostly strips away the fiber from your fruit and vegetables, leaving you with just its juices.
Free sugars–this is what is often left after you purge the fiber from your meals and drink its juices instead. Not only will this spike up your insulin levels, but it will potentially leave you feeling hungry for the duration of your juice detox too.
2. You may suffer through side effects caused by juicing.
Much like any other detox option, juicing too has its side effects. This might range from a mild headache to full-blown migraine and fatigue. This is because juices can be concentrated in sugar and potentially low in fiber. With rapid dip and rise in your blood sugar, headaches and nausea are almost always guaranteed.
3. Juicing will set you back a few minutes in preparation too.
Sure, this may take less time to prepare than an actual meal, but it still can take up a lot of your time. After all, you would still need to go through the process of rinsing, cutting up, juicing, and cleaning up if you do decide to go on a juice cleanse.
You might even be tempted to buy those store-bought juices instead, but you risk not knowing what goes in on what you’re drinking.
So there you have it–the pros and cons of a juice cleanse. While this is a tough decision to make, there might just be a solution to the cons that we have outlined in this article. You see, with the right juicing equipment it’s possible to still be able to enjoy your fiber and reap the full benefits of the fruits and vegetables in your juice. Your blender plus the following tips can help you get the most out of your juice fast:
1. Load up on vegetables when you’re juicing.
True, fruit will help make your juice more bearable, but putting in less fructose will do your body good. This is why I recommend that you put in more vegetables than fruit in your juice.
2. Choose low-glycemic fruits when you’re juicing.
If it hasn’t been established enough yet–sugar is your enemy when it comes to juice cleansing. By choosing fruits that have a low glycemic load, you’ll be able to avoid as much sugar as you can.
3. Don’t limit yourself to a pure-juice diet.
Emphasis on cleansing and not on juicing should be given. As such, know that you are allowed to have your healthy servings of solid fruits and vegetables. This way, you can get in as much fiber that you need for healthy bowel movements.
