Juicing & Smoothies Articles

Article / Updated 09-11-2024

The trend we know as "juicing" didn't really become popular until around 2010. Today, you can find all types of juicers on the market to help you get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. While juicing daily can bring a lot of health benefits, there are also some risks with juicing, especially for people with certain health conditions or who take prescription medication. Understand the risks involved with juicing so you can make the best decisions for you and your family. Health Benefits of Juicing In general, anything that gets you to include more fruits and vegetables into your diet is good for you. Proponents of juicing say that it’s a relatively easy and delicious way for people who wouldn’t otherwise eat the recommended amount of fresh fruits and vegetables to get them into their diet. Make sure you know which fruits and vegetables to avoid juicing before you get started. In addition to getting these added nutrients, there are several other benefits of juicing as part of your daily routine. There’s some controversy in the medical world over whether the risks of juice cleanses outweigh the benefits, with some experts expressing concern that extreme juice cleanses can cause more harm than good. However, adding a glass of freshly squeezed juice to your diet every day, generally, can positively impact your health. Juicing can add good bacteria to your gut A lot of research suggests the connection between gut health and overall health. Specifically, having the right kind of bacteria in your gut can help you feel better physically and mentally. The best way to improve your gut health through juicing is by using cruciferous vegetables, which are rich in prebiotics. Prebiotics are fermentable carbohydrates that nourish your intestines. They can help you feel fuller for longer, plus they aid in digestion, boost immunity, and reduce inflammation. You can take prebiotic supplements, or you can get the benefits by eating foods that are rich in prebiotics. Examples of vegetables that contain beneficial prebiotics include cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, radish, kale, rutabaga, and brussel sprouts. Studies that look specifically at the connection between juicing and gut health are limited. One small research study found that participants who did a three-day juice cleanse had a heightened sense of wellbeing 14 days after the cleanse was over. Researchers contributed this to the altered intestinal bacteria that resulted from the juice cleanse Juicing can help cancer patients Juicing can’t cure cancer, but it can make it easier for patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments to get essential vitamins and nutrients into their diets. Your doctor can advise you on what type of diet you should follow and will likely tell you not to follow a strictly liquid diet. For patients undergoing chemotherapy and other cancer-fighting treatments, juicing can be an easy way to get essential nutrients when eating whole fruits and vegetables is too much. Add protein-filled flaxseed, yogurt, milk, or peanut butter to your juice to add calories and help you retain muscle mass. Juicing aids fast and easy digestion Because juicing removes the fibrous pulp, the juice that gets left is really easy for your body to digest, and digestion happens quickly. Just keep in mind that because you aren’t getting the benefits of the fiber from the fruits and vegetables you juice, you do still need to incorporate whole fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. Juicing shouldn’t replace whole fruits and vegetables; it should supplement them. If you want to get the added benefits of fibrous pulp, you can add extracted pulp to other dishes, like muffins or soups. You can also rotate between blending and juicing, since. Juicing can combat adrenal fatigue It’s common to get rundown from time to time. After all, stress is part of our busy lives. But when your body gets overstressed and rundown, it can lead to something referred to as adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue is a term used to describe a condition in which your adrenal glands are overworked, usually from stress and burnout. While many experts in the medical field don’t consider adrenal fatigue to be a diagnosable condition, many people still experience symptoms of it and find relief by changing their diet. to nourish your adrenal glands and recover from burnout and chronic stress. Juicing can help you lose weight—if you do it right It’s true that juicing can help you lose weight, but only if you take a thoughtful approach to it. Juice fasts are trendy, but they can actually lead to weight gain if you drink juices that are made from mostly fruits and are therefore loaded with sugar. Plus, because you aren’t getting the filling fiber from the fruits and vegetables you juice, you might end up feeling hungry and bailing on your cleanse altogether. In general, adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet by starting your day off with juice from your juicing machine can contribute to a healthier lifestyle and lead to gradual weight loss. Juice cleanses can temporarily help you lose weight since they’re extremely calorie restrictive, but they don’t provide a permanent weight loss solution. You’re best off using a juicer to improve your diet, not to replace whole foods. Risks of Juicing While juicing has plenty of health benefits, there are also some risks you should be aware of before you dive in. In general, it’s best to add juicing to your diet in addition to eating whole foods instead of going on a juice cleanse to replace whole foods. Going on a juice fast or juice cleanse can be detrimental to your health by depleting your body of vital nutrients. Talk to your doctor if you have any specific concerns before you start juicing, especially if you’re taking any type of prescription medication or have a chronic condition. Juice goes bad fast Fresh juice is great, but only for a limited time. Only make enough juice for one serving and drink it immediately. It’s easy for bacteria to can get into unpasteurized juice, which can lead to food poisoning. People who are especially at risk are children, the elderly, and anyone who has an immune disorder. Juicing can negatively interact with medication Talk to your doctor if you’re taking prescription drugs before you start juicing, as some drugs can negatively interact with key ingredients in fresh juice. For example, the blood thinner Warfarin can work improperly in patients who get a huge dose of vitamin K in their diet from foods like kale and spinach. Grapefruit juice can be harmful for people taking certain statins to manage their cholesterol by blocking an important enzyme that controls how your body absorbs drugs. In addition, drinking grapefruit juice while you’re taking statins can cause pain in your joints and muscles, muscle breakdown, liver damage, and even kidney failure. The FDA also warns that grapefruit can interact with certain medications that treat everything from allergies to high blood pressure. Your doctor can help you determine which fruits and vegetables are safe to juice with and which ones you should avoid based on your medical history and your current list of prescribed medications. Juicing can hurt your kidneys Some research suggests that juice cleanses can hurt your kidneys and lead to kidney stones or other kidney problems. This tends to be a concern for people who have an existing kidney condition or for people who do extended juice cleanses. Juices are high in oxalate, which can contribute to kidney malfunction. Talk to your doctor before you start juicing if you have, or have ever had, kidney problems. Juicing can lead to dehydration It sounds counter intuitive but drinking too much juice can actually dehydrate you. That’s because some juices have a diuretic effect, which can lead to diarrhea and dehydration. Having a daily glass of juice shouldn’t cause you to become dehydrated but going on a juice fast or juice cleanse can have this effect. Stop juicing if you start getting headaches, feeling lightheaded, or experience diarrhea as these are all signs that you’re dehydrated. Juicing can be harmful for people with diabetes Because juicing takes out all the fibrous pulp, it essentially all goes straight into your bloodstream. If you’re drinking juice that’s full of fruits and loaded with sugar, that can make your blood sugar spike, causing problems for anyone, especially people who have diabetes. In fact, a Harvard study determined that people who were considered pre-diabetic were 21 percent more likely to get diabetes when they drank juice instead of whole fruits. If you’re pre-diabetic or diabetic, talk to your doctor before you start juicing. Juicing can be beneficial as long as you’re juicing the right combination of fruits and vegetables. Bottom line Juicing in moderation as part of a healthy lifestyle can give your body valuable nutrients and encourage you to eat more fruits and vegetables. If you have specific health concerns, consult with your doctor before you start juicing to make sure you’re using the right combination of ingredients. Juicing at home is easier and less expensive than buying juice from the store or from a juice bar. Plus, you get to choose exactly what ingredients you add to your juice to make your own delicious concoctions anytime you want. Are you ready to try juicing? Check out our top picks for juicers and see what different types of juicers are on the market so you can get the best one for your lifestyle.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 07-21-2023

Green smoothies, which are packed with nutrient-dense fruits and veggies, are gaining popularity for one main reason: They actually work. Even better, they're made from whole foods and they're totally affordable, even for a large family. In just five minutes, you can start making your own green smoothies. Get ready to see and feel a real difference in your health.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-01-2022

Juices and juice smoothies can be nutritious and delicious additions to your diet, and you don't need to go to a smoothie shop to get them. With very little equipment and time, you can make your own juices and smoothies at home. First, you need to know the difference between juices and smoothies. Then you need to know the benefits of juices and smoothies. Finally, if you’re thinking about cleansing, detoxing, or fasting with juices, you need to know how and why they work.

Article / Updated 08-27-2021

Juicing has many, almost too many, benefits to list. And you may find that some benefits you just can’t know until you experience them. If you get into the habit of making and consuming fresh juices twice a day, you’ll sense the juice instantly release nourishment into your bloodstream. Contributing to your daily intake of fruits and vegetables Many health professionals and institutions tell you how many fruits and vegetables to eat in a day, and as long as their minimum numbers are no less than five, they aren’t exactly wrong. If you eat at least seven and closer to ten servings of fruits and vegetables daily, the antioxidants and other phytonutrients will help reduce the risk of modern diseases, such as cancer, obesity, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, asthma, macular degeneration, and diverticulosis. You can dramatically increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables by drinking smoothies and juices. That’s where juicing comes in. A single glass of juice may consist of one apple, two carrots, one beet, a piece of ginger, and half a lemon. It delivers a full serving of fruit, along with three servings of vegetables — all in one drink. Preventing modern diseases People don’t get scurvy nowadays, but from as far back as Hippocrates in 400 BCE, it was a dreaded and fatal disease. Long-voyage sailors ate fresh lemons or limes to prevent scurvy (hence the nickname “limeys” for Englishmen). The action of preventing scurvy was called antiscorbic long before anyone knew about vitamin C. The discovery of vitamin C around the turn of the 20th century was a major turning point for food research. People have come a long way in understanding just what is in the foods they eat. Today, they know the science behind what the ancients knew from experience — that fruits and vegetables actually prevent diseases. They also know that they need to eat a wide variety to ensure that they get the full spectrum of offered nutrients. Here’s a quick highlight of what juices and smoothies have to offer: Fiber Antioxidants Phytonutrients Vitamins and minerals Phytonutrients and trace elements are like keys opening the door for vitamins and minerals to be taken up by the body. They’re missing from manufactured supplements, so the body misses out on all the benefits from the vitamin or mineral you thought it was getting. Building a stronger immune system Immunology (the study of the immune system) is a growing and dynamic field. The immune system includes the lymphatic organs (thymus, spleen, tonsils, and lymph nodes) and white blood cells, along with other specialized cells. Its prime function is to protect the body against infection and diseases. Factors that cripple the immune system are stress, free radicals, nutritional deficiencies, sugar, obesity, fats in the blood, and alcohol. So it makes sense to eliminate those factors from your life. You’ve taken the first step in building a stronger immune system by becoming interested in your health. Optimal immune function requires a healthy diet (including juices), exercise, and a positive mental attitude. Improving memory Memory and cognition problems can be a result of many things, including poor nutrition and amino acid balance, allergies, candidiasis (yeast infection), thyroid disorders, low blood sugar, and poor circulation to the brain. However, a general decline in mental performance is caused most often by free radical damage. Juicing with fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants protects all the body’s cells, including the brain, from the ravishing effects of the unstable oxidizing free radicals. Increasing energy The process of digestion, something most people never think about, can be so complex and take so much energy. Digestion involves chewing and grinding food, as well as chemical processes that require enzymes to release small nutrients into your system to break food into smaller molecules. Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats all require a different set of enzymes to unlock their key components. And the whole process takes energy. When you present your digestive system with pure raw fruit or vegetable juice, there is no digestive process that has to take place because the nutrients in the water have already been extracted from the carbohydrate and fiber. So you give your digestive system a break and allow the energy that would have gone into breaking down the food go to repairing and ­protecting cells. Improving sex drive Hormones hold the key to sexual desire or the ability to function sexually. A healthy, high-fiber, low-fat diet; exercise; and freedom from stress, especially psychological issues, all can contribute to sexual vitality. Raw foods, especially vegetables, contribute to hormone health and healthy libido. Both vitamin C and zinc have been shown to assist in the production of testosterone and sperm. The best Vitamin C juice sources are cabbage, strawberries, spinach, citrus fruit, broccoli, kale, and peppers. The best zinc juice sources are ginger, turnips, parsley, carrots, garlic, spinach, cabbage, and grapes. Improving digestion and elimination As people age, their stomachs produce less acid, and breaking down food becomes a problem — it seems to occur between the ages of 35 and 45. If the body isn’t digesting food properly, the nutrients don’t enter the bloodstream, and all sorts of deficiencies can occur, even if you’re eating normally. Drinking raw fruit and vegetable juices gives your body a break by delivering ready-to-use nutrients. There are also some excellent digestive enzymes found in some fruits, vegetables, and herbs including pineapple, papayas, fennel, ginger, and licorice. Fiber is the one key factor in the body’s ability to eliminate waste on a regular basis. Include sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet by opting for plant foods, smoothies, and vegetable juices. Losing weight Because it impacts heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, obesity (defined as being 20 percent over the recommended weight) is considered to be a leading cause of heart disease, cancer, and ultimately, death in the United States. Juice from fresh fruits and vegetables is virtually fat-free, and juice from vegetables is low in sugar. Drink them on a regular basis, and two things happen: You start to lose your appetite for high-fat, high-calorie junk foods, and you start to feel better, with more energy to get up and get active. Getting clearer skin and healthier nails and hair Nutritional deficiencies show up first in your hair, nails, and skin, and juicing is the best way to address low levels of nutrients at the cellular level. Here are some vital nutrients for clear skin and healthy nails and hair: Vitamin C Vitamin A Vitamin E B-complex vitamins Biotin Iron

Article / Updated 08-08-2019

Smoothies use the whole fruit, not just the juice, so you get all the benefits of the fiber and the vitamins. These berry smoothies use frozen fruit, which keep the smoothie thick and creamy. Preparation time: About 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings 1 cup fresh or frozen berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries 1 frozen banana 1 cup vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup orange juice, lemonade, or milk (plus more for thinning, if necessary) Peel the banana. Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Add more liquid if the smoothie is too thick. Serve immediately. Per serving: Calories 118 (From fat 3); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 44mg; Carbohydrate 26g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 4g.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

Antioxidants found in plant foods stop free radicals from doing their damage, but you have to eat enough of them in order for them to work their magic. The best antioxidants are found in the pigments that give plants their color. Here is a list of the very best antioxidant fruit and vegetables. Choose one or two from this list to use as an ingredient in a smoothie or juice or eat them fresh in salads or as a snack — just be sure to get lots of them every single day!

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

Here is a list of the top ten juice and smoothie ingredients for boosting immunity that may be main ingredients or easily added to smoothies and juices.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If you want to experience high-level wellness, your body must be able to clear away internal debris and be toxin-free. But toxins are everywhere: in the water, in the soil, in the air, and in the foods we eat. Even the normal metabolic functions that go on inside your body create waste. Eating organic food and avoiding processed and refined foods helps, but for people living in this fast-paced, stress-filled, modern society, regular juice cleansing and detoxing has become a necessary part of a healthy way of life. The accumulation of toxins starts at birth and burdens the body by being stored in fat and organs. It’s linked with hormonal imbalance, impaired immune function, nutritional deficiency, and an inefficient metabolism. Toxins are stored in fat cells because this is the safest place to keep them stable. When the body detects a buildup of toxins, it begins to retain water as a precaution for diluting the toxins within its tissues. It follows that the more toxic you are, the more weight you gain and retain. So, what’s the difference between cleansing, fasting, and detoxing? Cleansing: Cleansing is usually done with herbal teas and fresh fruit juices, and it doesn’t necessarily involve complete abstinence from food. Gentle cleansing may be undertaken right away, but if a whole-food diet is not part of the process, results will be marginal. Detoxing: Detoxing is a deep cleansing program that targets specific toxins and areas of the body and is usually longer and more intense than a two- to three-day cleanse. Fasting: Fasting in the strictest sense of the term is abstaining from all food while drinking only water. Fasting with only water is a severe step and should only be undertaken with the help and consent of your health practitioner. Juice fasting, on the other hand, is an ideal preventive measure that requires you to abstain from cooked and raw food, so that you’re having only raw fruit and/or vegetable juices (as well as water) for a short period of time (two to three days). Technically, you aren’t fasting if you’re drinking juice, but because you’re absorbing nutrients directly into the bloodstream, feeding and reconstituting the cells, and bypassing the digestive system, juice fasting is considered to be fasting.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Juices are bursting with pure nutrients that bypass your digestive organs and go right to your bloodstream and your cells to start repairing and healing. They’re high in antioxidants that scour your insides to find and destroy free radicals, those destructive molecules that weaken your immune system and set you up for disease. In fact, juices can do the following for you: Reduce the risk of modern diseases such as cancer, obesity, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, asthma, macular degeneration, and diverticulosis: Antioxidants found mostly in vibrantly colored red, purple, and orange fruits and vegetables reduce cell damage and, thus, prevent aging and disease. Build a stronger immune system by protecting the cells and helping to build white blood cells. Improve memory: A general decline in mental performance is caused most often by free radical damage. Juicing with fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants (such as pomegranates, black plums, blueberries, cabbage, and cauliflower) protects all the body’s cells, including the brain, from the ravishing effects of the unstable oxidizing free radicals. Increase energy: When you drink pure raw fruit or vegetable juice, no digestive process has to take place because the nutrients and water have already been extracted from the fiber. So, the energy that would have gone into breaking down the food goes to repairing and protecting cells. Improve sex drive: Raw foods, especially vegetables, contribute to hormone health and a healthy libido. Cleanse and detox: Fruit juice for cleansing and vegetable juice for fueling and restoring are the best possible drinks for flushing and repairing cells, organs, and systems. Lose weight: Fruit and vegetable juices are virtually fat free, and juice from vegetables is low in sugar. Drink them on a regular basis and two things happen: You start to lose your appetite for high-fat, high-calorie junk foods, and you start to feel better, with more energy to get up and get active. If you suffer from candidiasis or dysbiosis, follow your doctor’s advice and refrain from drinking pure fruit juice.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Unlike juices, smoothies retain all the fiber of whole raw fruits and vegetables. Eating fiber is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to prevent disease because it helps the body to eliminate waste materials and deadly toxins. Benefits of smoothies include the following: Improved digestion and elimination: Fiber is the one key factor in the body’s ability to eliminate waste on a regular basis. Weight loss: When used as part of a low-fat, low-sugar diet, vegetable smoothies provide pure nutrients to your cells and bulk from the fiber, which makes you feel full. Healthy substitute for empty-calorie drinks and snacks: Smoothies’ fiber and other slow-digesting ingredients (like nuts, seeds, or yogurt) allow them to stay with you longer and satisfy you more than coffee, soda, or other drinks. Meal replacement: Smoothies are high-nutrient options. If you add small amounts of protein and even some grain to a vegetable smoothie, you can build that drink into a satisfying meal replacement.