Juicing is more than just trendy and cool. It's very healthy, too, if you use the right ingredients. Start juicing today is, therefore, the best thing you can do to start a healthy lifestyle.
You will get more energy, healthy nutrients, and vitamins into your body. You can support disease prevention, manage weight loss goals and detoxify and cleanse your body. It's convenient as you don't have to cook but consume large portions of leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits. And finally, your taste buds will thank you, and it's just plain fun.
In the following post, you will get some answers on why you should start juicing today.
Start Juicing Can Give You More Energy
People often feel immediate boosts of energy after trying certain juice combinations.
The body receives the best minerals, vitamins, and enzymes from juicing raw fruits and vegetables. Since there are no fibers to break down, the body can quickly digest the juice without expending much energy. The micronutrients bypass the digestive system, so the energy impact is fast.
As more commercial energy drinks arrive on the market, less seems to know about their ingredients and the effects they can have on the human body. Herbal supplements such as Taurine, Inositol, Carnitine, and Guarana contain already caffeine. They're often combined with caffeine to boost quick energy and enhance physical performance.
The safety of combining caffeine with these supplements, especially before or during exercise, has yet to be established. Interestingly, neither the USDA nor the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes the term "energy drink."
The International Olympic Committee recognizes that caffeine can increase physical endurance, so they have banned caffeine before competitions.
With all that uncertainty, is it any wonder that athletes and busy people are turning to healthy, natural sources for boosting their energy? Sources like juicing?
Health Benefits Of Juicing
Disease Prevention
No official proof exists that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables prevents disease. Nor is there proof that a diet full of juices will prevent or cure diseases. That said, it is widely agreed that consuming lots of fruits and vegetables is good for you.
There are very many possibilities for the causes of disease in any individual. For example, age, exercise, heredity, exposure to toxins from smoking or air pollution, or lifestyle choices. Therefore, also experts often need help to pinpoint the exact causes.
Even the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) avoids making specific claims or promises. This is despite promoting the consumption of fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet.
On their website, https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/fruits, they use the words "may" (may protect, may reduce risk, may be helpful, may lower blood pressure. Further, the term "some" (some chronic diseases, some vegetables, and fruits) when discussing the importance of fruits and vegetables in our diet.
Some of the conditions that “may” be prevented include:
The USDA, cautious as it may be, points to a lower risk of some chronic diseases. A wise consumer should include fruits and vegetables as a large part of their diet. So it makes sense to start juicing.
Start Juicing May Reduce Inflammation
Fever, swelling, redness, pain. The body uses these types of acute inflammation to respond to physical stress (like infection or injury). It is how the body protects and heals itself to return to a normal healthy state.
On the other hand, chronic inflammation - also known as systemic or low-grade inflammation - is not normal and can be very destructive. In simple terms, it is the immune system’s way of attacking problems that may not exist.
Chronic inflammation is only partially understood by the medical and scientific community. But early indications are that inflammation may play a role in cancer development.
While little evidence suggests that diet can influence or reverse inflammation, many people believe that a healthy diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables can prevent inflammation.
Brightly colored foods, in particular, are thought to help reduce and fight inflammation, as are certain types of fish, nuts, and olives. Such foods are rich in antioxidants.
Popular anti-inflammatory foods that are great for starting juicing include:
Improved Digestion
If you have been eating a typical North American diet, you may have times when you feel bloated or full. You may not even feel like eating in the morning.
There are juice combinations that can help relieve your discomfort. Fennel, mint, and ginger can be juiced with green apple and cucumber for a satisfying drink that won’t tax your system.
Other Health Benefits Of Juicing
Various studies claim that starting juicing helps detoxify the body by giving the stomach a rest. It allows the release of toxins built up through bad eating habits and environmental factors. Juice lovers often claim better sleep and healthier skin from juicing. Claims have been made that juicing cures everything from thyroid problems to intimacy issues.
The bottom line is that even if starting juicing is not the miracle cure-all for what ails you, it is worth trying. Indeed, by taking in more - and different - fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens than you would generally eat, your body will benefit from the goodness.
Weight Loss Management With Juicing
Juicing is popular among people who want to lose or maintain weight.
The raw vegetables and leafy greens, in particular, are appealing because they contain so few calories compared to the nutrition they provide. By replacing even one meal a day at a fast food place, adults can maintain a weight they are happy with.
Juicing as a means to detoxify your body is also called “cleansing.” It usually involves 3, 5, or 10 days of only consuming raw juice (primarily green juice) and herbal teas and water. The idea is that toxins will be released by your body, along with the fat that has been protecting the toxins. Weight loss, and noticeable belly fat loss, often occur as a result of a juice fast.
Juice Cleansing
Most people call this a juice fast. Participants call it a juice feast because of the glorious assortment of colorful fruits, veggies, and greens. (Be aware that purists insist that the only actual fast is one of just water for mental or spiritual clarity or political reasons. They may refer to Jesus, Socrates, and Gandhi in this context.)
A juice fast for weight loss and detox usually calls for 4 to 6 servings of fresh raw juice daily. A serving is 16 to 20 ounces of liquid. Best results are achieved when there is a large assortment of products. Since the fruits, veggies, and greens are so concentrated when juicing, too much of any one item (say, spinach) could be harmful at worst and wasted at best. Your body can only use a certain amount of any one phytonutrient.
Surprisingly, you may not feel hungry while on the juice cleanse. You may find that you are full and have to remind yourself when it is time to have another juice. This may be due to the large amounts of water and/or tea you are supposed to drink.
Some people find this easier to tolerate “socially” than a typical low-calorie weight loss diet. Instead of opening a yogurt container and only being allowed part of it or measuring out precisely four ounces of grilled chicken, you are not eating any solid food. None, so there is no need for decisions, cheating, or negotiating!
For people who had not been in a healthy eating mode before this fast, getting used to the new tastes is fascinating. It may encourage them to stick with the plan.
Fruit Vegetable Balance Of Your Juice
You must understand that fruits naturally contain more sugar and calories than vegetables. It would be best to look at a balance of about 70-80% vegetables and greens to 20-30% fruits by volume. Then you should be able to have a good detox that includes weight loss.
Consult A Health Professional Before A Juice Fast
“Before undertaking any new diet plan, consult your doctor.”
Okay. No one ever does that. But you really should if you are taking any prescription medicine. The high concentration of vitamins and minerals in some juices can affect the ability of the medication to work with your body. Also, the doctor may tell you to steer clear of certain seeds or skins.
Important Note!
Do not stop taking prescription medicines - ever - without your doctor’s knowledge and approval.
Before And After A Juice Fast
It’s an excellent idea to transition slowly into a juice fast and slowly out of one. This will help your digestive system slow down and start up again and prevent “problems.” Up to five days ahead of time, start making a couple of juices each day. Slowly eliminate heavy foods: meat, dairy, bread, and pasta from your diet.
When your fast is over, continue having a couple of juices daily. But begin eating regular vegetables, fruit, and salads, and add healthy food choices for your new way of eating.
Environmental Concerns
There’s something about juicing that makes you feel more connected and responsible to good old Mother Earth. The feeling is there whether you are enjoying the fact that you sought out and supported a local farmer or are skipping red meat consumption for a meal or two.
As organic food becomes more mainstream, we have more choices. You probably noticed larger organic sections in your local grocery store for fresh produce and packaged foods. Since organic fruits and vegetables generally don’t need to be peeled before juicing, you can access beneficial phytonutrients in the peels, seeds, and rinds of organic produce.
Non Health-Related Benefits Of Juicing
Convenience
A massive benefit to juicing is that there is so little kitchen time involved and no cooking smells to tempt you. Prepare your produce, run it through the juicer, and you’re done
Start juicing lets you take in micronutrients without having to cook and eat large portions of leafy greens, fruits, or vegetables. It’s also a way to meet your daily recommended food servings.
You can use frozen fruits and vegetables if fresh ones are out of season. You can easily make your juice the night before, refrigerate it in a glass jar, and bring it to work or the gym.
Taste
Your taste buds will thank you!
Start juicing can introduce (or reintroduce) you to the natural product flavors. There are flavors you may have never known and flavors that have been processed or disguised with salt, butter, sauces, salad dressings, or frying.
You’ll never buy canned tomato juice once you’ve tasted your fresh creation. Kale and celery juice are delicious. You have to try it to believe it. On the other hand, a kale and celery smoothie has health benefits but would be very hard to stomach.
People who don’t like the taste or texture of certain vegetables find that the juiced versions are palatable, if not tasty. And by experimenting with fruits such as apples or cherries, they can mask or enhance the wrong flavors of certain foods.
Many people go on juice fasts for a few days before beginning a new diet or wellness routine. Exposure to natural raw vegetable and fruit tastes prepares their taste buds and psyche prepared and excited to eat more healthy foods.
And people (including children) who are first introduced to new flavors through juicing may be more willing to try the vegetables or fruits in raw or cooked form, too.
It’s Just Fun
Start juicing is just plain fun.
If you are totally new, you get to buy a new toy! It’s exciting setting up your new juicer since it has more parts than your other kitchen appliances.
Grocery store cashiers will comment on the vast amount of leafy greens you buy. You can brag a little, “I’m starting to juice. Hope I have enough for the first few days.”
You can create combinations of fruits and vegetables that you would only sometimes try together.
And the colors! You have never seen such lovely colors as a carrot or a beet going through extraction. You will want to try each veggie one at a time. It’s like trying out new colors from the pack of 128 crayons you got for your birthday when you were seven.
Give it a try.