If you're reading this blog you've probably heard alot about juicing. One doctor claims it cures all ailments, another says it causes a massive insulin spike and reaks havoc on your health. In my opinion, both of these claims are true. What are you saying, Laura!? Let's delve a little deeper into the juicing phenomenon.
Why juicing is GOOD?
Juicing extracts the juice from fruits and vegetables and enables you to better absorb the micronutrients (vitamins and antioxidants) from the vegetable. Take for example kale. Kale is a wonderfully nutrious vegetable loaded with vitamin K, calcium, and other phytochemicals. Yet because Kale is so loaded with fiber and is a crucifuerous vegetable, it can be difficult for some people to absorb all the chemicals (and if we're keeping it 100% honest, makes my stomach go a little nuts)! Juicing enables people to up there micronutrient intake without the GI distress that some people experience with all those healthy green cruciferous vegetables (think swiss chard, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli). Juicing, especially juicing raw vegetables, will not spike your blood sugar and actually FEEDS good bacteria in the gut! As we know vegetables are some of the best PREBIOTIC foods. Healthy gut = healthy life ;). Juicing is also an amazing way to detox or strip all those nasty chemicals we encounter everyday from the body (think mercury from fish, air pollution, chemicals from makeup products). More detoxification means lessened cholesterol, better skin, and decreased cancer risk.
Why juicing can be BAD?
Ok juicing is the panacea of health! I will juice all day everday! Not so fast..... While juicing has amazing benefits, because we are stripping the fiber and protein away from the juice we are losing some of the key macronutrients we need in vegetables to fuel our muscles and power our brains. Also, if we juice too much fruit, we risk increasing our insulin levels. Too much insulin is not good for a variety of health issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, metabolic diseases etc.. As always its important to eat your food and not just drink it. A vegetable only juice or juice with very limited fruit is ideal and can prevent any issues that you may experience from juicing.
Who is juicing good for?
Ever wonder why gatorade became so famous. Well it's not just the marketing people! Gatorade was so popular for athletes because during intense workouts our bodies excrete essential electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, as well as b vitamins. When we replenish these nutrients post workout we feel SOOO much better. This is why juicing is the ideal post workout elixir. If you're an athlete or simply a mom needed a boost post hot yoga, juicing can not only improve performance but also improve recovery time. Better recovery means better workouts and more energy.
Juicing is also perfect for those people with digestive issues. If you experience extreme bloating, nausea, constipation, etc. from green vegetables you might want to reevaluate loading your plates with huge mounds of cruciferous veggies. Granted, most people will feel a bit bloated from eating tons of veggies, but if you have stomach pain that interferes with your life or prevents you from working out, it might be time to gradually start adding juicing to the mix. (Side note: if you are experiencing pain from raw cruciferous veggies in your salad, you may want to switch to equally healthy but less "tummy troubling" green vegetables like cucumber, romaine lettuce, & spinach.)
What's all this I hear about CELERY JUICE?
Celery juice is incredibly beneficial for increasing stomach acid. Stomach acid is essential for helping your body break down food, especially protein. What does this mean to me? Research shows that drinking 16 ounces of celery juice in the morning upon waking can be very beneficial for reducing GI issues such as bloating and indigestion. Suffer from Thyroid Disease? Celery juice is effective at increasing the acid in your stomach. This is a good thing for people with thyroid disease!
Research indicates that people with low thyroid function often have low stomach acid and therefore have huge problems digesting protein. When I was in high school, I was I was gaining weigh rapidly (even though I had the diet of an anorexic), had massive anxiety, and lost my monthly periods completely. After going plant based and incorporating juice in my life, my thyroid antibodies went from 245 (SUPER HIGH) to 0 (normal).
Besides thyroid disease, celery juice is also helpful for a variety of other conditions including acne, eczema, and arthritis. Celery juice is a natural anti-inflammatory tonic that markedly decreases inflammtion in the gut. Inflammation in the gut increases your risk of developing an autoimmune disease. This is why I advise people with autoimmune type symptoms to increase their intake of juices.
The best juice (for most people...)
There are alot of affordable juice options for people who can't afford to juice on the daily. Typcially you can find organic Suja or Evolution Fresh juice at the local grocery store for $3-4 a pop. If you are able to make your own juice and high blood sugar or want to lose weight, I suggest drinking a vegetable based juice with lemon or lime. However, if you are an athlete or have trouble gaining weight, feel free to use fruit in your juices. Ultimately, the best juice for you is the one that works for your body. If you don't want to juice at all, that's fine! Just make sure you are eating all your leafy greens. Listen and make choices that work for YOU.