Juicing.....is it the right thing for you?

How did the week go? Did you answer the questions that I asked? Were you surprised by your answers? I am a big believer that if you can predict your obstacles and plan ahead for how you will deal with them, you will achieve your goals. Preparation is the key to success, especially when it comes to weight loss.

                Did you know that weight loss/ improving health is always in the top 5 New Year's Resolution every year for most people? While this is a wonderful thing that people want to improve their health, there is also a downside. Companies and people see this as an opportunity to financially profit. As a result, more gimmicks and FAD diets hit the market with the promise of miracle weight loss with very little effort. My goal is to help you separate fact from FAD so that you hopefully won't fall into their trap. I am not saying that all nutrition FADs are 100% bad. They all have to be used in the right way and are not for everyone. I want you to be informed about the advantages and disadvantages of the FADs so that you can make the right decision as to whether or not it is a trend for you to follow.

                One nutrition trend that has taken off in the past year is "juicing". In general, "juicing" is when you leach the juice out of vegetables and fruit and throw away the rest. The theory behind this trend and the main advantage to it is that "juicing" will increase the average Americans intake of vegetables and fruit. This is especially true if you are someone who avoids vegetables and fruit like the plague. Increasing the intake of vegetables and fruit  is definitely an advantage. There are multiple research studies/clinical evidence that show that increasing the intake of vegetables and fruit can help prevent/treat many health problems because of the added vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti-oxidants.

                However, there is very little research/clinical evidence of the same health benefits coming from only consuming the juice or concentrated powders of vegetables and fruit. In fact, there is research that shows that consuming fruit juice will increase blood sugar substantially and can lead to weight gain, high cholesterol and type II diabetes. As a result, it is better to only juice vegetables and not fruit. If you are going to juice fruit to help improve the overall taste of the juice, try to keep it at a ratio of 5 vegetables to 1 fruit. The best vegetables to use are the following:

Artichokes	Carrots	Okra
Artichoke Hearts	Celery	Onions
Asparagus	Cauliflower	Pea Pods
Green beans	Cucumber	Peppers (all)
Bean Sprouts	Eggplant	Salad greens
Beets	Green Onions/Scallions	Sauerkraut
Broccoli	Kohlrabi	Spinach
Brussels Sprouts	Leeks	Summer Squash
Cabbage	Mushrooms	Tomatoes (all)
Bamboo Sprouts	Chayote	Jicama
Rutabaga	Watercress	Greens (all)
Tomato/Veggie Juice	Zucchini	Radishes
Turnips	Kale	Bok Choy
Water Chestnuts		Daikon

                Another fact to consider before you start "juicing", is the potential interactions that it can have with your medications. Heart and blood clotting medications like Coumadin interact with nutrients like Vitamin K, which comes from green leafy vegetables. As a result, it is best to talk to your physician and research your drug and food interactions before you start "juicing".

                "Juicing" can also leave you deficient in fat soluble vitamins, such as Vitamin D, Vitamin E, as well as other vitamins like Vitamin B. All of these vitamins are very important to overall health and well-being. Being deficient in any of the above vitamins can actually lead to other health issues.  "Juicing" also removes a majority of one of the biggest health benefits you get from vegetables and fruit, the fiber. This is especially true if you remove all of the pulp from the juice. This is why it is always better to eat the fruit than to drink its juice.  As a result, "juicing" could actually lead to weight gain if no other modifications are made to the calorie intake of the diet or calorie burn from the exercise regimen.

                The "juicing" only diets or "juicing" fasts are the most dangerous of all because they lack protein, fiber and essential vitamins. While they might cause short term weight loss because of the low calories, they could lead to depletion of muscle mass and severe fatigue. If you are going to follow a juice only diet or fast, limit the amount of time you follow it to less than 24 hrs and add low fat or preferably fat free milk or yogurt to increase the protein intake. I also highly recommend talking to your health care provider before you start,

                

Last but not least, fresh fruit juice can grow harmful bacteria at a faster rate than commercialized juice. As a result, ONLY make enough for you to drink right after you make it. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends "only pasteurized juice for infants and children to protect against pathogens such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium organisms". It would probably be best that you are over the age of 18 before you add "juicing" into your diet.

                To sum it up, there are things to consider before you buy a juicer and add "juicing' vegetables and fruit into your diet.  There are more disadvantages to "juicing" if not done properly or in excess. Always talk to your healthcare providers before starting a juice only diet or fast.  Remember to talk to them about your medications and the food interactions that could occur.  If you have any questions please feel free to email me at dietnista@gmail.com or post them on Facebook or Twitter.

Until next week,

XOXO The Dietnista