Juicing is the process of extracting liquid/juice from fruits and vegetables. The search for delicious juicing recipes has increased exponentially due to the rumored benefits from consuming fruit and veggie juices. In this article, we shall be discussing 10 benefits of juicing to help you better understand how juicing could potentially improve your health.
The purported benefits of juicing range from supporting the immune system, aiding weight loss and management, and more. However, it should be noted that these benefits are mostly speculative, as scientific research on extracted juices is still lacking. Many of the purported benefits are based on the benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables, which isn’t quite the same as drinking their juice.
Despite little research in this matter, juicing is still quite the popular practice among many health conscious people. If you love juicing or are interested in it, here are some potential 10 benefits of juicing that you may enjoy.
A diet high in fruits and vegetables is recommended to people of all ages as they are a good source of numerous minerals and vitamins (28). Good nutrition may lower the risk of chronic illnesses and keep you healthy (29). Unfortunately, despite knowing this, many people still do not consume enough fruits and vegetables.
According to statistics provided by the CDC, less than 15 percent of adults meet the recommended daily intake of these two foods (1). If you suspect that you are among these people who do not meet the recommended intake due to various reasons, then juicing could be good for you.
Some studies have shown that improving nutrient levels is one of the benefits of juicing once a day
Nutrients that increased the most in the participants’ blood levels included beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and folate (21).
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Sleep deficiency is a public health epidemic that goes mostly unnoticed. In the US, it is estimated that 1 in 3 adults fail to get enough sleep everyday. Chronic sleep disorders are a thing that affects up to 70 million Americans (27). Lack of enough sleep leads to multiple negative side effects such as (20):
Luckily, scientific research has shown that increased fruit and vegetable intake can improve insomnia-related sleep difficulties (8).
If you always feel tired, no matter how much rest or sleep you have, it could be because your body lacks proper nutrients. Carbohydrates are what our bodies need and use to give us energy.
Juice contains natural sugars, which can give you a quick burst of energy. Unfortunately juicing gets rid of most fiber in fruits and vegetables. Fiber helps slow down nutrient absorption, helping that energy last longer.. To bypass this, try blending your fruit and vegetables whole once in a while to consume fiber to help boost your energy levels.
Some of the best such foods to use include bananas, apples, dark leafy greens, beets, oranges, strawberries and avocados.
When it comes to boosting brain power, nothing beats a diet rich in natural foods. A review published in 2019 found that an adequate intake of fruits and vegetables is important for the maintenance of normal cognitive functions.
The researchers found that these foods contain polyphenols that work to inhibit free radicals from negatively impacting the brain (9).
As previously mentioned juicing helps increase the amount of nutrients you consume a day. If you are constantly sick because your immune system isn’t getting what it needs, juicing can provide the necessary nutrients to improve your immunity making you healthier. The healthier you are, the better your quality of life.
When you hear people mention juicing benefits and skin positives in the same sentence, they are not making things up. The skin is the first part of the body that displays signs of premature aging. Such signs often include wrinkles, age spots, dryness or loss of skin tone, etc.
A review published in 2022 revealed that plant-based foods including fruits and vegetables contain bioactive compounds that provide a foundation for healthy skin. You can consume such compounds like vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, polyphenols, and phenolic acids, through juicing (18).
An older study published in 2012 also showed the very close link between nutrition and skin aging. Study researchers concluded that eating more fruits and vegetables was the healthiest and safest way to achieve youthful skin through nutrition (6).
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Weak bones is an issue that affects many older adults all over the world. In the United States alone, over 1.5 million cases of osteoporotic fractures are reported each year. The statistics for emergency room visits, hip fractures, and physician visits due to poor bone health number in the hundreds of thousand each year (22).
Calcium is an essential nutrient for good bone health. It can be found in easy to juice foods like broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, collards, kale, and mustard greens (10). An increased intake of fruits and vegetables has been shown to have bone protective effects and may decrease the risk of fractures (12).
Juicing more fruits and vegetables might reduce your risk of high blood pressure, protecting you and your heart from heart diseases and stroke. A 40 year study conducted from 1975 to 2015 showed that countries with a higher fruit and vegetable supply showed a lower prevalence for high blood pressure (30).
In another study published in 2017, researchers advocated for the increased consumption of these foods – especially whole fruits – as it may reduce the risk of developing hypertension (11).
As previously stated, juicing helps increase the intake of fruits and vegetables, however it is not the same as eating the whole fruits and vegetables, which is what may help lower blood pressure.
Such juices can help curb cravings and also can be low in calories. Remember that a calorie deficit is one of the most important factors in weight loss.
If you have a problem with drinking plain water, such juices are a healthier alternative to drinking other sugary beverrages. Please remember that these juices should not fully replace water – try to drink some throughout the day.
Seeing these 10 benefits of juicing, some people may be tempted to try a 7 day juice fast or the 10 day juicing diet. Please note that such fasts and diets – especially those that promise incredible weight loss, are nothing but an unsafe fad.
A juicing diet/fast is classified as a very low calorie diet and such diets should only be done under strict supervision by a medical professional. It should also be noted that the weight loss sustained by such diets is not sustainable long term (25, 26).
Read More: 10 Vegetable Juice Benefits That’ll Get You Juicing Right Away
There is no specific time to drink juice. Your body will still reap these potential 10 benefits of juicing no matter the time of day you choose to consume the drink. However, some sources claim that your body will best get the benefits of fruit juice in the morning.
They claim that drinking these juices on an empty stomach ensures that your body will absorb all the nutrients. Please note that there is no scientific evidence backing these claims.
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While spinach is one of the best leafy greens out there, there isn’t much research on the benefits of juicing it. However, spinach is an antioxidant powerhouse and thus adding it to your juicing recipes may help support your overall health (17, 2).
Yes, it can be.
However, it is important to remember that juicing – unlike blending – gets rid of a lot of important fiber from the fruits and veggies. Make sure to get your recommended daily intake of fiber from whole foods, specifically from complex carbohydrates.
Do not try any juicing diet or fast as these aren’t healthy either and always try to incorporate whole fruits and vegetables to your healthy balanced diet – alongside juicing.
As previously mentioned, a 10 day juicing diet is something that is highly discouraged. Do not attempt just a meal plan and instead stick to healthy weight loss methods. You can consume juices as part of a healthy balanced diet. Also try to incorporate some movement. These may take longer to achieve the results you want, but they are sustainable in the long term. Healthy weight loss is where you lose 1 to 2 pounds a week (16).
As seen from the 10 benefits of juicing, consuming more fruits and vegetables can really improve your life and health. However, remember that juices are not a substitute for healthy balanced meals. They are better used as snacks or meal accompaniments.
The 10 benefits of juicing mostly come from the nutrients, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties found in fruits and vegetables. These properties might help with weight loss, increased immunity, improved bone and gut health, better heart and brain health, smoother younger skin and much more.
Despite the many benefits, it is important to note that juice fasts and diets for weight loss are unsafe for your health and highly discouraged. Juicing shouldn’t replace a balanced diet. This means whole fruits and vegetables should still be included in your meal plan.
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