To Juice, or Not to Juice

Juicing…is it good? Is it bad? There seems to be an ongoing debate about this health trend. I have a really strong opinion about the matter, so I’m letting you know where this dietitian-in-the-making stands.

First, I do not recommend doing a juice cleanse or a juice fast. These fads might seem like a good idea, but they can actually harm your body. Typically juice fasts are low in calories- much lower than the amount of calories you should be getting in a day, which can put your body into starvation mode and ultimately slow down your metabolism. Nobody wants a slowed down metabolism! Also, it is important that you get enough fat and protein in your diet. Juice cleanses are heavy on the carbs, and contain very little fat or protein if any at all.

Don’t be fooled by the dreaded juice fast as a route to losing weight. You may lose weight while on a juice fast, but as soon as you stop the fast and begin to eat normally again, you will gain it back. Surviving off of juice alone is not a sustainable diet! You will eventually have to go back to eating normal food, so the weight you lost while on a low calorie juice fast will come back.

It is common that people do cleanses to “detox”. Believe it or not, the body has a fully functioning detoxification system built right in! It’s your liver and kidneys, and they are designed to provide your body with all of the detoxification it needs.

Enough of the cons about juicing. But please, I am begging you, for your health and wellbeing, do not put yourself through a juice fast! There are much safer ways to lose weight, and much more enjoyable ways, as well.

Juicing is not all evil! Incorporating a fresh pressed juice into your life can be a great thing! It allows you to get a large amount of nutrients in a small volume. Something to remember when making or purchasing juices is to pick juices that are heavy on vegetables and light on fruits, since the fruits tend to be higher in calories and sugar. Having a juice a day could be a great addition to a diet of clean healthy eating, which is why I’m including one of my favorite juice recipes. Feel free to try different combinations of fruits, veggies, and herbs!

 

Serves 2-3

3 carrots

3 stalks of celery

1 bunch of parsley

2 apples

an inch or so of ginger root

Chop everything up and toss it in the juicer. The result is a fresh, zingy juice with all the benefits of lovely fruits and vegetables. It is keeps in the fridge for a day or two, but I can never seem to make it last that long!

Let me know what some of your favorite fruits and veggies are to juice! I would love to get some new recipe inspiration.

XO,

Alexandra