Achieving a healthy body is important, which is why there are plenty of different diet plans out there. However, with the abundance of different diets, a lot of information can be inaccurate and misconceptions form. One of the ones that have quite a bit of misconception surrounding it is juicing.
I’m sure you’ve heard of this one before and probably have misconceptions of it yourself. It’s okay though, it’s not your fault that there’s misinformation out there. That’s why I’m here to do the research and really get to the bottom of juicing and its benefits and potential concerns.
What Does Juicing Mean?
Let’s start with the basics before we go into the good and bad with juicing. Juicing is when you take different fruits and vegetables and strip them of their solid form leaving behind the juices and pulp of the fruits and vegetables.
This can be done by hand or using either a cold-press machine or a centrifugal. What’s left behind are the beneficial vitamins and antioxidants.
Juice the Healthy Way
People will start to juice in order to detox their bodies and clean out their system. It’s also good to add to your diet as juicing can provide the nutrients your body normally wouldn’t get. Especially if you’re busy, who has the time to cut up all of the fruits and vegetables and eat them throughout the day? Juicing makes obtaining the nutrients quick and easy.
That being said though, keep in mind that you still need to take in whole foods too. A misconception people have with juicing is that you can substitute it with actual meals. However, your body needs to have whole foods like protein and fat incorporated into your diet for a healthy balance.
For instance, with juicing, you’re losing that fiber your body needs for a healthy system. So a good way to make up for that loss is by eating whole vegetables and other fiber food such as beans, whole grains, and popcorn. In a study, juicing has been shown to increase antioxidant and folate levels to promote healthy cell growth.
Misconceptions to Correct
In an article about juicing, it’s very crucial to talk about some of the misconceptions around it, so you can know the facts.
Another misconception is that it’s a surefire way to lose weight. While you can technically lose a lot of weight, it’s mainly water weight that you lose, not fat. The reason it’s water weight is that the whole foods we eat hold onto water for us. When those whole foods options are cut out, that water is no longer being held onto.
As it was mentioned earlier, in order for a healthy and sustainable weight loss, make sure you pair juicing with whole foods too. A lot of people think they can just be sustained off of juice alone, but health professionals say that’s not the case. So make sure you’re eating protein like lean meats, fish, and eggs. Balance is key!
So What to Do Now?
The favorable solution seems to be to eat healthy whole foods and have a healthy juice weaved in your diet. Especially for the people who just can’t get themselves to have enough fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Juicing is definitely an easy way to do that. To find out which fruits can provide you with certain nutrients, check out our, “Top 10 Fruits You Need to Eat This Summer.”
Just make sure you keep in mind that your health is important, so when it comes to different diets, it’s important to understand what your body needs and what it can handle. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to a nutritionist or your doctor for more information.
