Most of us – on the quest to healthy living have at one point come into contact with the juicing trend and maybe even bought into it. Some have reported great results while others felt it was a waste of valuable time. In addition to the magnanimous dietary adjustments that yielded almost no notable positive changes.
There is an increased wave of individuals seeking to incorporate health to their everyday lifestyle. However there has been a demand for lifestyle health services; this is why in recent years we have witnessed a surge in the number of fruit and juice vendors setting up shop. And the establishment of juicing companies, and raw food dishes even in fast food restaurant menus. Just as it is the Kenyan way, the market is saturated with legit information meshed with some from quacks riding the wave. And capitalizing on people’s lack of knowledge – it’s like the quail saga all over again.
The Facts about this are;
1: Consuming plenty of fresh and vegetables is a key component in maintaining optimum health. This is because these juicy and succulent nutrient sources are packed with loads of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. This play an important role in reducing risk for certain non-communicable diseases. The diseases are such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. (refer to the Eat a Rainbow article, https://chirophysic.co.ke/2018/02/01/eat-a-rainbow/ published earlier in the year for more information).
2: Understanding the nutritional facts about juicing and juices can help us to make healthier choices.
Juicing is the process of extracting juice from plant tissues such as fruits and vegetables; this has however been coined to refer to a new nutrition method where you consume mostly vegetable juice – for purposes of this article, juicing is in reference to the former definition.
Drinking or eating the rainbow?
There is a lot of conflicting literature and studies from both the proponents and the opponents of juicing. Some argue by saying that juicing is just like consuming a dietary supplement. This is because the absorption rate of nutrients is more efficient and unrestricted by the removal of the bulky, slow digesting fiber. Even with all these claims being tossed around, there is little to no scientific evidence that drinking extracted juices is healthier than eating the fruit or vegetable itself which could be because there has not been a lot of research done that is specific to juicing.
Some of the reasons leading most people to believing that juicing holds the answer to a maximum nutrient bounty could not be further from the truth because even with the pros to juicing, no single nutrition method is right for everyone and applicable in all circumstances. Just like with everything, its usefulness varies with time and circumstances and juicing has its place in daily meals.
Advantage Of Juicing
The un-refuted advantage to juicing is that you are able to for example; comfortably drink a whole pineapple juice as compared to eating a whole pineapple; this helps especially when trying to get kids and those with low appetites to their recommended fruit and vegetable servings. It also helps in hydrating. Those that struggle with meeting the recommended daily water intake. {which is 8 cups (1.5 liters)}. Using juicing as a weight loss dieting method can however easily backfire. This is because on a juice-only diet, you likely to not get enough fiber or proteins which are known for their ability to keep you full for longer.
For this reason, there is a high chance that you will develop cravings and succumb to the temptations in form of that nice calorie packed chocolaty cake or some KFC treats derailing your progress. If you choose to go the juicing diet way, you should aim to keep as much of the fiber/ roughage as possible. You could also ask the meal plan creator to add a source of protein such as almond milk, peanut butter, flax-seed, or even yoghurt.
Truth is your body systems benefit immensely from eating fruits and vegetables. Whether it is in form of juice or a whole fruit. Juicing is just a food preparation method which could be used especially by those who do not enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Or as a way to introduce to your diet the fruits and veggies you normally would not eat. It also offers an opportunity to play around with different recipes. However for you with an adventurous palate to mix up your own combinations according to your preferences.
The Effects Of Consuming Juices
The effects of consuming juices vary with different people. So it is best to understand how your body functions, and to know how it impacts certain health conditions. The down side of consuming fruit juice only is that calories start adding up; it also causes spikes to blood sugar levels affecting people with conditions such as diabetes. (this is because fruits contain natural sugars). Another factor to take into consideration before consuming the juices is medication. Some nutrients and phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables interfere with the action of certain medication and vise versa. It is therefore paramount to consult with your prescribing doctor on the nutrient- drug interactions.
Recommendation Of Juicing
When juicing, it is highly recommended that you make only as much juice as you can drink at that time. This because studies show that freshly squeezed juice can quickly develop harmful bacteria. When it comes to commercially produced fresh juice – which by all standards takes second place to homemade juice – check on the packaging material to ensure it is a pasteurized product. In addition, make it a habit to acquaint yourself with the nutrient composition. This is because some commercially produced fruit juices have added sugars reducing its nutrient quality and which could lead to gradual weight gain.
The final consensus on juicing is therefore not a very straight forward one and instead calls for a case to case analysis on whether it is or is not good for you. For a thorough, a more specific and a tailored juicing experience, consulting with your nutrition specialist or dietician is recommended.
That is all for now but feel free to keep the conversation going by sharing with us your questions on nutrition and health. Do have a fabulous Easter holiday.
Written By; Ababach Tamiru,
Registered Dietician and Nutritionist,
C & P Health Center.
