To Juice or not to Juice: That is the question!!!!!

Whilst out for dinner with my best friend, we got on to the topic of juicing, detox and smoothies, she asked “Karen you’re a nutritionist, do you think juicing is better than smoothies? Then I thought this conversation would make a great topic for an article. The concept of juicing in my view is a brilliant idea, especially in a society were fruit and vegetable consumption is nowhere as good as our fellow Europeans and Eastern counterparts. Therefore in that respect juicing cannot be faulted.

However when talking about juicing and smoothies there are many distinctions to be made based on the content and the method of extraction and blending. Many have jumped on the juicing band wagon because of the proposed high sugar intake consumed when ingesting fruit smoothies. Yet it is not that simple as it depends on whether the smoothie was purchased or homemade and the contents of the smoothie if homemade. It is common knowledge that manufactured smoothies have a higher sugar content for shelf life longevity and so therefore are maybe not the best health options in comparison to making your own or just eating raw fruit and vegetables.

Yet fruit juices which have been placed under great scrutiny, whether manufactured or homemade receive much media coverage regarding their excessive sugar content and their contribution to the obesity pandemic. Based on this the market has moved towards vegetable juice and smoothies as a healthier option due to their lower natural sugar content.

I feel it is important to highlight that there is absolutely nothing wrong with natural fruit sugars, but if consumed in the form of a juice or smoothie as a preferred hydration choice, as opposed to good old water then by all means there will be problems of sugar over-consumption. Yet the smoothie and juicing market have diversified in to the vegetable/green based juices and smoothies, as fruit sugars in the world of marketing are bad for you. Vegetable and green juices and smoothies are lower in sugar and supposedly more nutrient rich. However this is questionable as it really depends on what you add to your smoothie or juice that determines the nutrient content as other wholefoods can be added to enhance the nutrient profile. For example seeds, spirulina (green seaweed), Greek yogurt, agave (Low glycaemic natural sweetener used instead of honey which is high glycaemic), can all reduce the overall sugar content of the smoothie or juice.

When using smoothies and juices as a way to lose weight or as a detox then there are many questions that need answered. Juicing in particular claims to have added health benefits, good for weight loss, flush out toxins and increase energy in comparison to eating raw vegetables, yet there is no scientific evidence supporting this fact. There is even suggestion by the American Journal of Medicine that long term juicing diets can lead to low calcium intake, which does not bode well for long term bone health, excessive vitamin c intake and kidney intoxication. However the Gerson Therapy Regime which is promoted as an alternative treatment for cancer since 1930’s has had great notoriety for its success in helping diagnosed individuals with cancer overcome the disease, however this is an exception in comparison to regular detox, as there are many other elements to the Gerson Therapy that makes it a strongly followed regimen by many. Such as the consumption of a raw food diet, elimination of salt as well as the supplementation of certain minerals.

In the past I was somewhat put off by juicing due to the amount of waste produced during the extraction method whilst using conventional juicers. The wastage of the best part of the fruit and veg, the pulp and skin which contain a valuable amount of soluble fiber, plays an important role in aiding digestion in the small intestine, controlling blood sugars and increasing satiety (state of fullness). Therefore I was always a great advocate of fruit and vegetable smoothies as the edible skin and pulp could be blended and ingested hence improving overall health and digestion. However with new household products like the NutriBullet that retain the skin of fruit and vegetable means that valuable soluble fiber is not wasted. If deciding to go on juicing diet detox it is important to investigate the extraction method as juice that contains no soluble fiber will have a negative effect on blood sugars and possibly put a strain on the pancreas and insulin production.

This article is by no means stating that juice detox diets are bad on the contrary there is nothing wrong with a short term detox were no solid foods are ingested, as a detox is really a reduction in daily calorie consumption. A short smoothie or juice detox can help normalise elevated blood fats and sugars caused by unhealthy eating habits, which can lead to weight gain. That is why it is good for rapid weight loss, the problem arises when detox diets becomes a long term activity as a way to control body weight. In my view a short term juice or smoothie detox followed by a healthy eating plan and the use of healthy homemade wholefood smoothies or juices as a meal alternative is the way forward. To put it in to context an example would be a good healthy breakfast, juice or a smoothie for lunch followed by a healthy substantial dinner, and don’t forget your healthy snacks in between meals to stop unhealthy cravings.

If making your own juice or smoothies try and make sure that the percentage between fruit and vegetables is 20:80. This means that natural sugar ingestion is low, keeping you fuller for longer. Think about the method of extraction when juicing to try and minimise soluble fiber wastage as it plays a large part in controlling blood sugars and insulin, and make sure that if on a long term juicing or smoothie detox that it is incorporated into a healthy eating plan. Most of all be adventurous and experiment with a variety of fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices.