Blog Nutrition Best Juices For Weight Loss: An Ultimate Guide

Best Juices For Weight Loss: An Ultimate Guide

A glass of juice is an amazing way to add more nutrients to your daily diet. If you feel like you lack vitamins, minerals, and energy, as well as the time for another meal, drinking some juice may just do the trick. An interesting fact, many people choose to go on a 3-day juice cleanse or regularly drink as much juice as possible, thinking it will help with weight loss. This isn’t the safest or most sustainable way to lose weight, but some people choose to do it anyway. In this guide, I’m going to give you the low-down on such cleanses and whether they are completely healthy. I’ll also give you a list of 20 great fruit and veggie juices that taste great, keep you in a good mood, and make sure you get enough nutrients every day.

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How To Drink Juices For Weight Loss

First of all, let’s make one thing clear. Buying a juice drink at a grocery store that says “100% Natural” without looking into its contents won’t automatically bring you any health benefits. Branding is everything nowadays, and it should go without saying that the small print tells the true story.

Here are some tips on consuming juices as part of a diet for weight loss:

  • Make juices at home with either a juicer or a blender, depending on the amount of fiber you want to consume daily.
  • Try to drink freshly made juice as it has the most nutrients and will bring the most value to you.
  • If you have to store the juice, put it in your refrigerator; you can keep it there for up to 3 days.
  • Always close the bottle, jug, or other container you keep the juice in. If juice contacts air for too long the oxidation process will decrease its nutritional value.
  • The best container for juice is a glass one with a lid that you can close tightly. Metal can react with the juice, making it lose nutrients.
  • Try to drink juice in the mornings.
  • When using a juicer, make sure you don’t heat the juice as that heat could make enzymes inactive and promote oxidation.
  • Consider a cold-press method for making juice.
  • If possible, don’t remove pulp and parts of fruit or veggie skin from the drink, especially if you need additional fiber.

Fruit and vegetables are rich in biologically active components that may help prevent cardiovascular disease (23) and have other health benefits. A moderate consumption of juices made from them can help you get more of those compounds and other nutrients.

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Read More: Cranberry Juice Benefits Female And How To Use It

best juices for weight loss

Potential Drawbacks Of Juices For Weight Loss

Even the best juices for weight loss have potential health disadvantages. Here are some of them:

  • Calorie Deficiency

While a slight deficit will help you lose weight, drinking only juices instead of eating properly will create a major nutrient and energy deficiency, which will in turn leave you fatigued and may make your health deteriorate. It will also slow your metabolism.

  • Fiber Deficiency

Substituting meals with juices will decrease your fiber intake, leaving you feeling hungry most of the time, and isn’t great for your digestive system.

  • Nutrient Deficiency

While juices are often nutrient-rich, drinking them instead of eating regular food will make you miss out on several critical nutrients, including protein and essential fatty acids.

  • Additives

Store-bought juices often contain lots of additional preservatives and added sugars.

Drinking juices all day instead of eating healthy meals may also lead to bloating, slower metabolism, and improper digestion. If you choose to use juicing to promote weight loss and maintain a nutrient-rich diet, consider drinking 1-2 cups of juice once a day as part of a healthy, balanced, nutritious diet.

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best juices for weight loss

FAQ On Juicing For Weight Loss

To finish the theory part of the article, let’s find out the answers to some frequently asked questions about juicing for weight loss.

Q: Are Bottled Juices OK?

A: Bottled juices don’t have the best reputation since many brands add sugar or artificial sweeteners there, as well as dyes and fragrances. You also have no control over how many fruits and veggies were used for the juice, which makes it difficult to decide how much you can drink.

The best you can do is get a cold-press juicer and buy high-quality fruits and veggies. If that’s not possible, learn to read labels carefully and look for store-bought juices that are cold-pressed and contain few or no additives.

Q: Is A 3-Day Juice Cleanse Beneficial?

A: One small study found that 3 days of such a cleanse altered the gut microbiome of participants, but these changes started to reverse after the cleanse was over. They also lost weight, but the study only followed them for 2 weeks after the cleanse, so we don’t know if they maintained their weight loss long-term (15).

See also
Are Sweet Peppers Good For You? Nutrition And Health Benefits Of These Colorful Vegetables

Q: Is Juicing For Weight Loss Effective Long-Term?

A: No. Juicing, as well as detox diets, work short-team and likely only help you lose water weight. Once you get back to your regular diet, the weight usually comes back (25). Such diets work due to a dramatic reduction in caloric intake for short periods of time. Your body then uses up its glycogen stores, which causes water release. That water release is likely what is responsible for any initial weight loss experienced, and will come back once you start eating again and replenish your glycogen stores.

Q: What Are The Main Benefits Of Drinking Juice?

A: Many people don’t consume enough fruit and veggies (26). Drinking a glass of juice a day may help you compensate for that. Fruit juice is a source of polyphenols and valuable nutrients, promoting vascular health (14), given that you include the beverage in a balanced diet.

Read More: Kale Juice Benefits: The Health Benefits Of This Green Drink

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Q: Why Are Juices Beneficial For Health?

A: They contain polyphenols, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. All of these may help decrease the risk of cancer, improve skin condition, and nourish your body.

Q: Can Juice Be Bad For You?

A: Yes, if you substitute for regular healthy meals with juice. The deficiencies described above are inevitable, even though you’ll get some vitamins and minerals from the juice itself. Plus, juicing removes most or all of the fiber, so you don’t get much of a feeling of fullness from them. If you can, it’s actually better to just eat the whole fruit for the nutritional benefits you are looking for from the juice.

TOP-20 Best Juices For Weight Loss

What are the best juices for weight loss as part of a healthy balanced diet?

There are at least 20!

best juices for weight loss

1. Celery Juice

Celery juice is one of the most popular among health enthusiasts nowadays. It’s extremely low in calories, containing only 14 kcal per serving (16). Celery is rich in vitamins A, C, K, potassium, and folate. It’s also 95% water (7).

Celery is rich in antioxidants and helps fight inflammation (4). Besides, due to its low calorie density, it can be beneficial for weight loss (21).

2. Green Veggie Juice

Green juices for weight loss are some of the best. They vary by content, but most often, these juices contain cabbage, spinach, and kale. Sometimes they also contain avocados and look more like smoothies.

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Most green veggie juices are low in calories, high in fiber, filled with antioxidants and other nutrients which can help fight inflammation (5, 20, 27).

According to studies, increasing your intake of fruits and veggies can help you prevent weight gain over time and decrease current body weight (18).

Another advantage of green veggie juice is that you can change the ingredients to cater to your taste.

3. Beet Juice

Beet itself is high in fiber and helps you feel fuller for a longer period of time, which promotes weight maintenance (3). Beets and juice from it contain dietary nitrates that may help boost muscle efficiency and reduce blood pressure (12).

So, the juice may not only help you lose weight due to its low calorie content but normalize pressure and help you have a better workout.

If you struggle to even flirt with the idea of giving up your favorite foods or working out till your legs give way – BetterMe app is here to breathe a fresh perspective into the way you view the weight loss process! Check out the app and experience the fun side of fitness and dieting with BetterMe!

best juices for weight loss

4. Pomegranate Juice

One of the most obvious benefits of pomegranate juice is its delicious taste. It’s also low in calories and may support your pound-shedding efforts (24). Components in this juice might help regulate blood sugar, which may lead to hunger control (17, 30).

Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and might help you boost weight loss deliciously.

5. Lemon-Ginger Green Juice

A variation of green juice with lemon and ginger may boost weight loss and other health benefits even further. In fact, lemon adds more antioxidants to your juice (8), while ginger may boost metabolism and reduce appetite (29). These features in a combo might promote weight loss and support your efforts significantly.

Plus, if you don’t remove the pulp from the juice, you’ll boost your fiber intake.

6. Watermelon Juice

Watermelon itself is very delicious, has lots of nutrients, and is perfect as a refreshment. It’s rich in potassium, is low in calories, and is a good source of vitamins A and C which are also antioxidants (31). 

It’s high in water, which means you’ll eat less and feel fuller. 

See also
3-Day Detox Diet: Does Your Body Really Need Cleansing?

A month-long study showed that eating fresh watermelon daily helped reduce body weight, as well as being more filling than cookies (13).

7. Kale-Apple Juice

Kale apple juice is a wonderful substitute for store-bought sweet fruit juices. Both kale and apples are high in fiber, so consider leaving the pulp in your juice. Kale may also aid blood sugar stabilization (19, 2).

Apples, according to studies, help with weight decrease and improve the quality of adult and children’s diets (32).

For more flavor, you can add celery, lemon, carrots, or ginger.

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8. Carrot Juice

Carrot juice is a package of vitamin A and carotenoids (6). Also, if you don’t remove the pulp, you’ll boost fiber intake, which will help you feel full longer.

The carotenoids in fruits and veggies, according to a study, may help you reduce belly fat (11).

Besides, it’s a delicious veggie and juice, and you can add other fruits and vegetables to the mix to make it even more delicious. Carrot-apple juice is a rather popular mix, by the way. 

9. Ginger Curry Leaves Juice

Such a juice is rich in folic acid, which promotes the production of new healthy cells. Besides, it’s rich with antioxidants, especially if you choose to add lemon to it. You can add a little bit of honey if the taste is too powerful for you.

10. Amla Juice

Amla juice contains antioxidants and may help improve endothelial function and reduce oxidative stress (9). Amla is also believed in traditional medicine to boost immunity and improve digestion, which is an important part of your weight loss journey.

best juices for weight loss

11. Orange Juice

Is orange juice great for weight loss?

Very much so, especially if you choose to substitute sodas and colas with a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. 

Orange is one of the best fruits to improve diet quality and nutrient adequacy and decrease the risks of obesity (1)

12. Pineapple Juice

Pineapple contains large amounts of vitamin C. Its phenolic compounds may also contribute to weight loss (22). This juice may help you with appetite control and can be mixed with other juices for flavor. 

13. Cucumber Juice

Maximum hydration and minimum calories are the most important things to say about cucumber juice. It’s also a great base for any other juice. You can add carrots, apples, berries, avocado, greens, etc. to this juice and boost hydration and weight loss.

Cucumber is very low in calories (only 8 kcal in one serving) (10).

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best juices for weight loss

14. Prune Juice

Prunes help improve and optimize gastrointestinal function (28). It’s a juice that is said to be great for treating and controlling bloating and constipation. It also promotes the feeling of fullness, which will make you eat less overall. 

If you’re looking to buy prune juice, make sure it doesn’t have added sugars or flavor.

Honorable Mentions

There are many more juices and mixes for you to try to boost weight loss, help prevent heart disease, cancer, and other health conditions:

  1. Blackberry green juice – blackberries have a high content of vitamin C and other antioxidants. They may help you lose weight in combination with greens, plant milk, banana, and pineapple.
  2. Grapefruit-fennel juice – a tasty mix with fiber-dense and low-glycemic grapefruit and fennel. You can also add an avocado for a dose of healthy fats.
  3. Radish-apple-grapefruit juice – If you don’t like sweet juices, this one is perfect for you. It’s hydrating and has a low glycemic index, which ensures you’ll feel full for longer and your blood sugar won’t spike.
  4. Pomegranate-orange juice – both kinds of fruit are full of fiber and antioxidants to fill your body and provide the feeling of fullness for a longer time. It’s also incredibly delicious.
  5. Tomato-veggie juice – the so-called healthy (virgin) Bloody Mary will supply you with vitamins. If you’re not a fan of eating veggies, why not try and drink this? If you buy it from the store, look for one that is lower in sodium.
  6. Strawberry-cucumber juice – cucumber is a universal vegetable that goes well both with fruits and other veggies. Mix it with strawberries, add some carrots and/or apples, and you’ll get hydrated and consume much more fiber, not to mention the antioxidants in strawberries.

Summary

There are loads of juices that can help you get more nutrients, improve the condition of your skin, and even promote weight loss. However, before enrolling in a super detox course where you can only drink juice, consider the potential dangers.

Also, you should understand that even a 3-day juice cleanse is only a temporary fix. If you want to lose weight and maintain the result, you need a balanced meal plan, proper physical activity, and healthy sleep. 

Juices, gum-chewing, and other life hacks are only additional helpers in your journey. The key to a healthy pound-shedding is consistency. Take small steps to your goal every day, and you’ll not only enjoy the process but maintain the result for years as well.

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DISCLAIMER:

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!

SOURCES:

  1. 100% Orange juice consumption is associated with better diet quality, improved nutrient adequacy, decreased risk for obesity, and improved biomarkers of health in adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2006 (2012, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  2. Antidiabetic Properties of an Apple/Kale Extract In Vitro, In Situ, and in Mice Fed a Western-Type Diet (2017, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  3. Beets, raw (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  4. Beneficial effects of celery (Apium graveolens) on metabolic syndrome: A review of the existing evidences (2019, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  5. Cabbage, raw (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  6. Carrot juice, 100% (2020, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  7. Celery juice (2020, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  8. Citrus limon (Lemon) Phenomenon—A Review of the Chemistry, Pharmacological Properties, Applications in the Modern Pharmaceutical, Food, and Cosmetics Industries, and Biotechnological Studies (2020, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  9. Clinical evaluation of Emblica Officinalis Gatertn (Amla) in healthy human subjects: Health benefits and safety results from a randomized, double-blind, crossover placebo-controlled study (2020, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  10. Cucumber (2020, webmd.com)
  11. Dietary Intake of Carotenoid-Rich Vegetables Reduces Visceral Adiposity in Obese Japanese men—A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial (2020, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  12. Dietary Nitrate and Physical Performance (2018, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  13. Effects of Fresh Watermelon Consumption on the Acute Satiety Response and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults (2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  14. Fruit Juices: Are They Helpful or Harmful? An Evidence Review (2021, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  15. Health benefit of vegetable/fruit juice-based diet: Role of microbiome (2017, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  16. Health Benefits of Celery (2020, webmd.com)
  17. Hypoglycemia (2022, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  18. Improving fruit and vegetable intake attenuates the genetic association with long-term weight gain (2019, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  19. Intake of kale suppresses postprandial increases in plasma glucose: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study (2016, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  20. Kale, raw (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  21. Meal replacements, reduced energy density eating and weight loss maintenance in primary care patients: A randomized controlled trial (2014, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  22. Physiological and molecular study on the anti-obesity effects of pineapple (Ananas comosus) juice in male Wistar rat (2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  23. Polyphenol-based nutraceuticals for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease: Review of human evidence (2016, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  24. Pomegranate juice, 100% (2020, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  25. Popular Weight Loss Strategies: a Review of Four Weight Loss Techniques (2017, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  26. Social Norms and the Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables across New York City Neighborhoods (2016, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  27. Spinach, raw (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  28. Systematic review: the effect of prunes on gastrointestinal function (2014, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  29. The effects of ginger intake on weight loss and metabolic profiles among overweight and obese subjects: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (2019, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  30. The Glycemic Effects of Pomegranate Juice (2020, academic.oup.com)
  31. Watermelon, raw (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  32. Weight Loss Associated With Consumption of Apples: A Review (2018, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
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