Pros and cons of juicing your food

AS much as we would like to, many of us struggle to incorporate the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables into our meals daily. This is why more people, from fitness experts to health-conscious celebrities, are turning to juicing — a process whereby you extract the juice from fruits and vegetables — to address this deficit.

Could juicing be right for you? Below nutritionist Donovan Grant explores some of the benefits as well as the drawbacks of juicing.

PROS

•Much easier to absorb than whole foods.

•Juices provide most of the vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals found in whole fruits and vegetables.

•You are more likely to achieve the daily recommended servings of fruits and veggies.

•You can drink more than you can eat. While you can have several cups of fluids at a time, you are likely to consume much fewer fruits and vegetables if you were to have them as a ‘whole’ meal.

•Babies and older people can get their nutrients with ease.

•Older people, especially those without teeth or who have fragile teeth, and smaller children, can obtain the nutrients packed in their fruits and veggies without the hassle of whole foods.

•They are easier to have on the go.

•Fruit and vegetable juices can be had at any time — whether as a meal or as a snack. They are healthy, delicious, and can be easily digested. Also, they provide your digestive system with a well-needed break since it doesn’t have to work as much as it does when you eat whole foods.

•Outside of the nutrients, there are other benefits for the body. Fruit and vegetable juices have been found to be very effective in helping people to lose weight healthily. Juices are also known to help with boosting energy, reducing your risk of cancer, and boosting your immune system.

•Since juices can be stored then you should consider juicing fruits and vegetables when they are in season and storing them for future use.

•We know how kids and some adults are with eating veggies and even fruits, and juicing might be the answer to this challenge since everybody loves some cool juice. Blending fruits and vegetables that complement each other and have a nice taste instead of vegetables alone, for example, should get the job done.

CONS

It lacks fibre

Unfortunately, while you are likely to get all of the essential vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables when you juice them, one very important component gets left behind and is discarded as waste — fibre. Not only is fibre good for digestive and bowel health, but it also helps to keep you filled for much longer and it slows down the time in which your body absorbs natural sugars. In the absence of fibre, Grant said this quick absorption of sugars could upset the blood sugar levels.

Frequently using the bathroom

Juicing fruits and vegetables have long been used to detox the body and in ridding the body of harmful toxins there is a need for frequent use of the bathroom. Even if the intention is not to detox the body you will notice that once you have your juice the number of times you will be required to visit the bathroom will increase. This can be quite annoying, especially when you don’t like to use public restrooms and you have work or need to run errands.

Fruit juices are high in calories

If you are on a weight loss journey then you might want to have a fruit or two instead of juicing them. Instead, juice vegetables because fruit-based juices tend to have a high caloric content.

It can be very expensive

Juicing requires a lot of fruits and vegetables in comparison to blending since you will not be mixing it with water. With juicing, you will only extract the contents of the fruits and the vegetables themselves, which will require a greater quantity of whole foods. This can be particularly expensive when vegetables and fruits are scarce, so it makes sense to take advantage of them while they are in season or there is a glut and they are cheaper.

Time consuming

Juicing can be very time consuming since you are extracting the juices of individual fruits and it can take a little while to get a good serving of juice. Also, it can be a messy job, so again more time is required for washing up.

You may end up packing more calories

You may end up eating more overall calories than you would have if you ate the foods which will lead to weight gain. To reduce the chances of this happening you might want to reduce your caloric intake from other sources.