11 Life-Changing Benefits of Juicing (Plus 3 Things to Avoid)
Most people can’t eat their daily dose of veggies in one sitting, first thing in the morning. But with juicing, that’s possible. You can enjoy the benefits of fresh produce as a delicious drink any time of the day.
Juicing is a great way to prioritize nutrition, try different fruits and veggies, and have variety in your diet. However, there are some downsides of juicing that we’ll cover below. But first, let’s talk about the most significant benefits of juicing for your health.
1. Consuming Tons of Veggies at Once
The dietary guidelines for fruits and veggies are:
- Between two and 2 ½ cups of vegetables per day
- Between 1 ½ and two cups of fruit per day
Unfortunately, many Americans are falling short of the minimums. And some people need to build up to several fruits and vegetables each day.
This is where juicing can help.
Drinking fruit and vegetable juice is often much easier than trying to eat the whole-food versions. Plus, juice contains many of the phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals from the whole plant. You can also develop a taste for new or less-palatable vegetables (like kale) with juicing.
2. Optimal Nutrient Absorption
Juicing removes the fiber of the plant, which has pros and cons. We’ll talk about the downsides below, but here’s the benefit:
You’re left with the pure juice in all of its nutrient-rich tastiness. Without the fiber, your body absorbs everything much faster. Your body and cells get an instant dose of the life-enhancing nutrients.
Juicing is also a great way to help you stay hydrated. Water is #1 for avoiding dehydration, but juices are another easy way to hydrate while drinking your nutrition.
Related: How to Stay Hydrated (Besides Just Drinking Water)
3. Lots of Colorful Variety
Maybe you like some fruits and vegetables, but you tend to stick with a limited number of options. Juicing helps you branch out and traverse the nutritional rainbow.
You can consume fruits and veggies that you wouldn’t usually choose to eat. Start with some easy juicing recipes, then explore more variety with foods you’ve avoided before. You might be surprised how much you like the juiced version.
4. A New Healthful Routine
Many people enjoy fresh juice first thing in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up. No matter when you juice, the process can become a part of your daily routine. You’ll look forward to your juice of the day and miss it when you don’t make one.
5. Supporting the Immune System
Stress, disease, and poor diet choices are all around us. Many take this as the norm, but concentrated nutrition can do a lot for your body.
Juicing supports your immune health through daily vitamins and minerals your system needs. According to Harvard Health, certain juices may have links to significant health changes:
- Carrot juice might help decrease oxidative cell stress in breast cancer patients.
- Kale juice may help cholesterol levels (and other lipid levels).
- Carrot juice and citrus juices might help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Besides the research, there are countless anecdotal stories on the vast benefits of juicing. It’s one massive step towards a more nutritious diet and healthier lifestyle.
6. Caffeine-Free Energy Boosts
The jury is still out on the health effects of caffeine drinks. Some people love a morning cup of coffee or green tea to start the day. But too much caffeine (or any, for the caffeine-sensitive) can lead to jitteriness, anxiety, and more.
Fresh juices give you potent nutrients to help boost your energy levels without stimulants. Prepare your cup, sip up the goodness, and go!
7. Less Food Waste (and Lower Grocery Bills)
You can find a juicing recipe for just about any produce type, which makes it an excellent practice for cleaning out the fridge. You can pull out unused or leftover fruits and vegetables to turn into juice. You’ll avoid so much food waste and even save money on extra groceries.
8. “Eat” Foods You Wouldn’t Normally
Ginger, lemon, and beets are just a few examples of foods that you might not eat in large quantities (or at all). But juicing helps you consume more of these healthful options quickly and easily. You can also try out superfoods like goji berries in different juices.
9. Another Tool in Your Healthy Toolbox
You can find testimonials online of people who turned their health around with juicing. Although it’s not a one-trick pony for health, juicing is one of many ways to be well and help your body fight disease. Combine it with other beneficial habits, such as salads, healthy cooked meals, exercise, and stress relief, to live your best life.
10. Better Access to Heat-Sensitive Nutrients
Micronutrients are often destroyed during the cooking process. But raw juices preserve the delicate vitamins that you might otherwise lose in a heated dish. While cooking has benefits, too, juicing is an excellent complement to a well-rounded diet.
11. Fun for the Whole Family
One juicing recipe can make several servings, so you can enjoy a healthy drink with everyone in your house, getting the most bang for your buck.
3 Dangers of Juicing to Avoid
Now that we’ve covered the substantial pros of juicing, let’s talk about a few drawbacks to keep in mind.
Here are some actions you should not take when making and drinking juice.
1. Drinking Days-Old Fresh Juice
Batch cooking is huge right now, but the same principle doesn’t work for juicing. Drinking pre-made juice might sound economical, but it can be dangerous. You can only do this with store-bought juice that’s been pasteurized. (And make sure any juice you buy is 100% juice, such as this apple juice or cranberry juice.)
When you make fresh juice, only prepare enough to drink at that time. Otherwise, fresh juice can grow harmful bacteria that are hazardous to your health.
2. Relying on Juice Alone
Daily juicing is fantastic for many people, but don’t lean on it exclusively long-term. We say this because fresh juices are missing a crucial component for health: fiber.
Your body needs fiber to maintain healthy digestion — and most adults are not getting enough fiber in their days. Juicing also doesn’t provide protein or many healthy fats, both of which are important for a healthy diet.
Related: How Much Fiber Do You Need Per Day & the Best Sources
Now, you can get some fiber from juices by using the pulp. Your juicer will separate the fresh juice from the pulp, which is the bulkiness of the fruits and veggies. You can add some of the pulp back into your juice, add it to cooked dishes or soups, or even use it for baking!
3. Ignoring the Sugar
Fruit sugar (fructose) is all-natural, but it’s still sugar. And juicing all day long adds up to a lot of fructose consumption. It’s best to limit juices to once per day and make sure you use a high proportion of veggies for many of your juicing recipes.
Juicing is a fantastic way to boost your health. At the same time, it can be tedious for some. If you need some shortcuts, high-quality, no-added-sugar packaged juices can help. You can view our large juices and concentrates section here at Nature’s Ideal.
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