IS JUICING GOOD OR BAD?
Every morning on Instagram, you see all these plant-based bloggers with their photos of green juices and smoothies, some healthy others a little too processed claiming that you can lose 10lb in a day if you drink this one juice. Tut Tut, don’t be taken in by it all as it simply isn’t true.
The plant-based lifestyle does not have to include plant-based juices, they are nice for a treat or a detox but not for everyday consumption. In fact, it is better if you don’t have them because plant-based juices from shops contain almost no fibre and are very high in the sugar department.
Shop Bought Juice – Yes Or No?
Now I’m not saying that drinking juice from plants is bad for your health but there are some things that can be improved about plant-based juices from shops. These juices contain high levels of sugar and no fibre which means the sugar gets absorbed into your system very quickly leaving you hungry soon after. This amount of sugar being rushed into your system this fast will result in a sugar spike then a sugar low. This will leave you feeling tired and sluggish.
Why Should You Eat The Whole Food And Not The Juice?
Another way to look at this is by comparing plant-based juice to vegan meals made with the same ingredients, for example a blend of kale, cucumber, celery, and lemon. The plant-based juice contains the same ingredients, but it has been juiced meaning that all the fibre has been taken out of the veggies leaving you hungry sooner. Did you know that fibre is one of the main ingredients that constitutes to a good gut biome?
Why You Shouldn’t Have A Juice Everyday And Expect To Lose Weight
The best way to get plant nutrients into your diet is by eating whole plant foods instead of drinking plant-based juices/smoothies. This is because plant-based drinks are often not as healthy as they first appear due to the high levels of sugar. I keep mentioning the sugar content as type two diabetes, heart disease and obesity are prevalent in the West. For this reason, juices and smoothies should be treated more like a treat.
If you are on a juicing diet to reboot your metabolism that’s a different story. I’ll cover that in an additional blog.
So, if you want to get plant-based nutrients into your diet you’re better off making your own meals such as vegan burgers, healthy salads and plant-based soups which contain fibre and other plant nutrients.
Juice Your Own And Drink The Live Vitamins And Minerals
Alternatively, if you really cannot resist plant-based juices take up juicing yourself and make sure the plant ingredients aren’t too high in sugar. Offset the fruit with vegetables and leafy greens. This way you will consume the juice whilst the nutrients are still alive. When you consume most shop bought juices the vitamins and minerals are all but dead unless the drink has been fortified. There’s no substitute for the real thing.
If this doesn’t work maybe try transitioning away from juicing altogether by slowly decreasing the amount of juice that you drink or swapping it for smoothie bowls instead which are much healthier because they still contain plant fibre.
The question is, what are you trying to achieve? If it’s weight loss you can do a juice cleanse but not long-term. If it’s to get a vitamin and mineral boost, great. But if it’s simply for something to drink try water.
You know water is the best option don’t you and if it’s too boring for you why not add Arbonne’s fizz sticks to the mix. They always remind me of summer, and they’ve just released a grapefruit version, amazing with tonic water, I don’t mind if I do. My favourite is the cherry one. I’ve convinced myself that cherries are a superfood that can’t be challenged when it comes to the fight against free radicals.
Whenever in doubt your best bet is to go for the water and spice it up and to swap plant-based drinks for vegan meals instead which you can make in your own kitchen with ease.
If you’re not sure where to start you can pick up some plant-based recipes and a 7-day juice cleanse for free on my vegan resources page.
See also: Where Do Plant-Based Vegans Get Their Protein From?
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