First of all, to understand juicing, let me define it. Juicing is when you use an industrial strength blender/juicer in order to pulverize/blend/juice fruit and vegetables to a liquid consistency that can be consumed as a drink. The contents of this juice depend widely on what you put in it. If there is a lot of fruit, we are talking about more sugar in the juice; if there is a lot of vegetables, we are talking about less calories and a more bitter taste.
When I answer people's questions on the benefits of juicing, I reply with a couple points:
- It is expensive
- It is difficult to get used to
- It does not support creating healthy eating habits
- It has super amounts of vitamins and minerals
It is expensive
This technique takes all these intact vegetables and fruits and condenses it down into a little juice. If anyone has been to the grocery store lately, produce can be very expensive! Supporting this way of eating gets even costlier if you decide to eat organic. Oh by the way, I didn't even mention yet the cost of the juicer. These can run quite costly, anywhere from $150-$300 for a juicer that can handle my definition for at least 1 year.
It is difficult to get used to
Juicing is very convenient after it is made as it technically can replace your breakfast for example, but it can also take a long time to prepare and make juice. The produce needs to be washed, and so does the machine. Having a good recipe that you like also takes time. It's not a matter of just throwing anything into the machine, and trust me, it's very easy to make disgusting juice. If the juice is mostly vegetables, it's going to be bitter, but most beneficial (less calories for weight loss) for some. This taste change takes time. Those who take juicing very seriously feel hungry often.
It does not support creating healthy eating habits
Let me explain. As a nutrition expert, I love to emphasize the importance of food. There is reason to eating food the way we do and respecting the food we eat. Here is an example: breakfast is a great meal that has a magical way of incorporating protein, dairy, and fruit into our daily consumption. If we replace this meal completely with a homemade juice, then we are missing out on foods. Also, we are missing out on chewing (yes chewing!) and should always consider brushing the pearly whites after a juice due to the high sugar content (usually). And fiber, oh boy the fiber. When we eat the whole food, we can let it fill us up thanks to the fiber. When we pulverize and condense it down, we run the risk of drinking more because we can and getting too much.
It has super amounts of vitamins and minerals
Obviously a plus here! But we still must be careful. First, it's always best to get vitamins and minerals from foods instead of from a pill. Our body is able to use the natural versions so much better. When we juice and condense a ton of vitamins and minerals into a little glass of juice, we run the risk of easily going over recommended allowances for the day. Stack this on top of a daily multivitamin, it could be even riskier. Anyone who has any kind of chronic disease (diabetes, afibrillation, kidney disease, liver disease, etc) should be oh-so-careful when deciding to do this and should consult with a physician or at least their pharmacist to ensure no drug interactions.
The jury is out!
Final say on juicing? I say nay. I find it unnecessary, expensive, ultimately a great marketing ploy. Save money, get all the benefits and buy the same produce and eat it naturally. This being said, I find this idea to be a good way to incorporate vitamins and minerals in a concentrated form. Just please, please don't replace a meal with juice! Have just a small glass with breakfast or as a snack. Also, go for more veggies over fruit.
Always ask yourself, am I having fun with food? If you're not then something isn't right! Eating should always be fun, tasty, and beneficial.
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