The latest and greatest craze in nutrition is juicing. Pinterest, Facebook and other social media
outlets are inundated with “juicing recipes”.
But what is the science behind it?
Juice it or chew it?
While many celebrities have endorsed this craze (who wouldn't want to lounge at the spa and head over to the Juice Bar), health
experts have another spin on the blend. The
elimination of digestion that occurs when food is blended creates a shortage of
fiber. Fiber is not digestible, however it tends to
work as “nature’s broom” sweeping and cleaning out the digestive tract.
Why do we need fiber?
Check out its benefits according to (Fetzer, 2012) :
•Fiber slows the absorption of sugar into your
bloodstream to help maintain stable blood sugar levels and help prevent Type 2
diabetes.
•Fiber lowers bad LDL cholesterol and promotes
heart health.
•Fiber helps keep you feeling full and
satisfied and more in control of your appetite and weight.
•Fiber keeps your digestive system healthy and
regular, helping you to avoid constipation and the risk of diverticulitis.
•Fiber reduces the risk of certain types of
cancer, including colon and breast cancer.
Therefore, the elimination of fiber from our foods (by
juicing) will allow the sugar to straight to our cells, giving a rapid spike in
blood sugar- something that would pose an extreme problem for diabetics, or
anyone who suffers from diabetic related issues (Clark) .
Juicing is showing
several positive benefits. First, people
are consuming more vegetables and fruit than they might have been previously
consuming. Second, juicing gets people
talking about health and exploring new ideas to incorporate vegetables into our
daily lives. The downfall is, a smoothie
results in a high carb, low fiber, low protein meal that will leave your body
hungry and craving more, later (The Juice on the Juicing Craze , 2012)
What’s the final skinny?
The age old addage will never die- Everything in moderation J
Juicing is great because it allows us to be creative in our consumption of leafy greens, but don't let it do more harm than good. Keep track of your nutritional intake, stay within your ranges, and plan accordingly.
References:
The Juice on the Juicing Craze . (2012). Environmental
Nurition , 1.
Clark, D. J. (n.d.). What About Juicing?
Retrieved May 8 , 2013, from www.NorthernLightsHealthEducation.com:
http://rev14.com/media_download/Juicing%20WIth%20Apendix.pdf
Fetzer, M. (2012, April 14). Dieary Fiber 101.
Retrieved May May, 2013, from She Knows Health & Wellness :
http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/822363/what-is-fiber-and-how-does-it-work
