Kale, Spinach & Celery- Mean Green
Initially considered a passing fad, juicing has become a hit amongst health gurus and fitness aficionados across the globe. Most commonly this is seen in a lot of celebrity diets, health detox programs and organic lifestyles. Truth is, I hesitate to support any extreme "diet" or spontaneous "cleanse" with no clear purpose as to the benefits and/or dangers. In general, appropriately planned and purposed detox events or fasts in conjunction with a well balanced nutrition plan can work wonders. Some can regulate pH levels, aide in blood flow and provide the immune a system boosts for increased energy levels. Juicing and juicing "diets" have been around for a while and many people have used them as a springboard towards a healthier lifestyle. Juicing is somewhat like fasting, which can be healthy if done in moderation and only for a short period of time.
Primarily, juicing is great for the body. There are more positive effects than negative when determining the usefulness of incorporating this into a healthy lifestyle. Juicing provides all the same vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients as eating whole fruits and vegetables, and the water content can help you stay hydrated. Juicing is an easy way to shower your body with concentrated amounts of nutrient-packed vegetables and fruit. Plus, these drinks are automatically low in ingredients to avoid, like toxic fats, added sugars and salt. Juicing in moderation can help you consume essentials nutrients, however there's no sound scientific evidence that extracted juices are healthier than the juice you get by eating the fruit or vegetable itself. It is encouraged when juicing to focus on the vegetable intake as opposed to the fruits. There are three main reasons to consider vegetable juicing: first, as stated, it allows absorbtion all the nutrients from vegetables, second it allows consumption of an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner, and a variety of vegetables can be incorporated into a diet.While you can certainly juice fruits, being overweight, having high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol provides risk. It is best to limit using fruits until these conditions are normalized. A juice cleanse can help to provide a certain degree of mental clarity and increase focus. This may even serve as the opportunity for some to prioritize their life or reflect on things that they'd like to change. Seems purposeful indeed.
One of the reasons behind recommendations for only short-lived juicing events is due to the nutritional content. Juicing sacrifices fiber. When juicing fruits and vegetables, nutrients and water are extracted from the fibrous pulp, which is usually discarded. Unless used as pulp for soups, salads or some other food, this is essentially throwing away fiber which is a very important part of a nutritious diet. Without fiber, digestive health problems become a risk. Fiber also helps provide a full and satisfied feeling. You’ll need a lot of juice to satisfy your hunger if you aren’t getting enough fiber. Ok so, juicing can get expensive when compared to eating whole fruits and vegetables. Mainly because it requires special equipment, including a juice extractor, quality knives and storage containers. Inevitably, because of the quantity of veggies and fruits needed to properly juice, plan to spend spend more money on produce. In addition to quantity, there's also the quality of food to consider. Advocats of juicing tend to encourage buying organic fruits and vegetables , a much pricier option than standard produce. Another factor to consider is the risk of contamination. Raw fruits and vegetables contain microbes, some of which may cause food poisoning, gastroenteritis or even death. E. coli, salmonella and other deadly microorganisms can be lurking in produce and contaminate fresh juices. Without heat sterilization, there is nothing to protect against sickness. For this reason, people with weakened immune systems or those on low microbial diets should not drink raw juices.
One universal warning regarded during research is that it is not recommended to engage in a juicing diet if it lasts over three days. After this period of time the body will begin to suffer because there is a lack of nutrition. Juicing extracts the fiber and other essential elements of the fruit that are found in the skin and pulp, therefore it is not the same nutrition as when you simply eating fruits and vegetables. There are certain limitations made by conditions and other autoimmune deficiencies that may not allow some to enjoy the benefits. For example, anyone suffering from Diabetes, Iron deficiencies, those receiving chemotherapy for cancer or even some forms of kidney disease would not benefit from this method. Mostly because of the malabsorption complexities involved with these illnesses. Juicing or juice fasting for those with diabetes could send blood sugar levels through the roof. For those with kidney disease, high levels of potassium and minerals can build up in the blood to hazardous levels. And for people undergoing chemo, juicing is not recommended because of the high levels of antioxidants and low levels of protein when juicing.
Juicing can be highly beneficial, when utilized in an appropriate and purposeful manner. Frankly, the benefits are appealing despite being short lived.
Happy Juicing!
CC
