What do you think about juicing?

I want to start trying juicing, as I know a few of my friends have lost weight because of it. Does anyone have advice about it? Is it helpful? Thanks xxx
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Replies

  • Werk2Eat
    Werk2Eat Posts: 114 Member
    I would talk to your doctor about taking steroids before getting advice on MFP.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    Are you including it as part of a diet? Or are you doing a "cleanse?" The first is okay, but watch calories, the second is useless and dangerous.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    I'd rather... y'know... actually eat my food than squeeze the juice out.

    You probably would, too.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Werk2Eat wrote: »
    I would talk to your doctor about taking steroids before getting advice on MFP.

    Guessing juicing as in food in a blender rather than steroids.
  • shadow4478
    shadow4478 Posts: 37 Member
    edited November 2015
    if you can moderate it to 1 cup per day, its better then store bought. Especially if you can make it mostly from vegetables.
    What they say, eat your calories don't drink them.
    High in fructose/sugar your body will store most of it as fat.
    If you juice vegetables its better, and eat your fruit instead. But juicing greens is hard unless you have press.
    Most juicers are good at juicing hard substances, ie. carrots, beats, apples.
    If you look at the sugar in one apple its not so bad but if you juice 2-4 apples in one gulp it adds up fast.
    most people don't sit down and eat that many apples in one go. (and you loose all the fiber)

    Overall I would say do it as a treat, not as means to loose weight.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Honestly, I think it's silly. You lose weight because you're taking in fewer calories, but that can be accomplished in a healthier way. Eat those fruits and veggies. Keep an eye on your micros.

    But I know it is popular and that many people like to use it to kick-start their diet, so if you choose to go that route, I wish you well.
  • MrsSylvie
    MrsSylvie Posts: 301 Member
    'blending' in a nutra ninja like blender is better than juicing IMO.. you get all the nutrients and the fiber helps you not get a sugar spike.. its also a lot easier to clean up when blending than it was with juicing and you don't need tons of fruits/veggies just to get one good full glass out of it..i hated how much i had to use just for half a glass when i juiced and hmm the pulp mess was pretty yuck..you can use the pulp in recipes like some do though but, i never ended up doing so, so it really was a waste of food to me and it got pricey.. i much prefer and enjoy my blending smoothies more, a good nutra ninja/nutribullet type of blender makes them taste just like juice, just a tad bit thicker depending on what you types of fruits/veggies you use..

    As for weight loss, a liquid diet still contains calories so its no different than eating foods IMO.
    personally, i did not juice to lose weight and theres no way I would even consider mostly juicing to do so, coming down from the sugar rush made me extra hungry!
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
    Werk2Eat wrote: »
    I would talk to your doctor about taking steroids before getting advice on MFP.

    lol
  • Bryzie555
    Bryzie555 Posts: 19 Member
    Spinach, kale, raddish, dates, lemon, apple, pear, oats, honey, celery, broccoli, cucumber, mint and advacado

    1 Litre Nutri Juice blend I use every morning:

    1cnrttstm32j.png
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    shadow4478 wrote: »
    if you can moderate it to 1 cup per day, its better then store bought. Especially if you can make it mostly from vegetables.
    What they say, eat your calories don't drink them.
    High in fructose/sugar your body will store most of it as fat.
    If you juice vegetables its better, and eat your fruit instead. But juicing greens is hard unless you have press.
    Most juicers are good at juicing hard substances, ie. carrots, beats, apples.
    If you look at the sugar in one apple its not so bad but if you juice 2-4 apples in one gulp it adds up fast.
    most people don't sit down and eat that many apples in one go. (and you loose all the fiber)

    Overall I would say do it as a treat, not as means to loose weight.

    The only way your body would store it as fat is if you exceeded your maintenance calories for the day.

    OP, I don't think it's a good idea for weight loss, it doesn't teach you how to eat/portion sizes.
  • Strawblackcat
    Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
    I think that it's a good way to concentrate nutrients, but you end up sacrificing valuable fiber and it makes a damn mess. Plus, it's really expensive. You would be surprised at how little juice you get out of a bag of oranges.

    Also, I find it much more personally satisfying to eat an orange over the course of 10 minutes than it is to drink a cup of orange juice over the course of 2 minutes.
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    I think that it's a good way to concentrate nutrients, but you end up sacrificing valuable fiber and it makes a damn mess. Plus, it's really expensive. You would be surprised at how little juice you get out of a bag of oranges.

    Also, I find it much more personally satisfying to eat an orange over the course of 10 minutes than it is to drink a cup of orange juice over the course of 2 minutes.

    There's that^^^

    and the fact that that juice has the texture of blended snails.

    I know
    I know

    Personal preference and all that.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I wish my SIL would stop trying to sell me on the benefits

    In the last 18 months I've dropped 54lbs, and been in maintenance for 9 months, she is still overweight and still hawking this miracle cure

    My tongue has holes in it from the biting and if I smile and nod once more my head will fall off
  • allenpriest
    allenpriest Posts: 1,102 Member
    It's a stupid gimmick.
  • Working2BLean
    Working2BLean Posts: 386 Member
    I would rather eat the food and feel full

    I don't get the whole juicing craze aside of a way to sell easy weight loss and the expensive blender

    A way to sell...

    That started more useless diet crazes than anything else!

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I want to start trying juicing, as I know a few of my friends have lost weight because of it. Does anyone have advice about it? Is it helpful? Thanks xxx

    Be aware that if they lost weight (real fat weight, not just lower readings on scale because of less poo in intestines), it was not because of juicing, but because of a calorie deficit. You can achieve that in a number of ways, and lots of ways that are more pleasant and effective than "juicing".
  • MarcyKirkton
    MarcyKirkton Posts: 507 Member
    If it would help me shed this last 7 lbs, I'd go for it. haha
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Why not try something sustainable, like eating at a deficit?
  • livingfresh
    livingfresh Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you everyone for the good advice! I think after reading all the comments juicing doesnt seem like the greatest thing for me, although blending the fruits/veggies in a blender and drinking THAT seems like the better option. Thank you all!!!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    juicing in and of itself doesn't cause weight loss...people who juice and do these cleanses or whatever are simply taking in very little in the way of energy (calories)...and thus lose weight...they also lose a lot of water weight.

    losing weight has nothing to do with juicing or not juicing or eating this or that but not that or this...weight management comes down to energy. your body is a machine and like any machine, requires energy to function optimally...a calorie is simply the unit of energy...when we consume more energy than our machines require, that excess energy is reserved for later use in a back up generator...your fat stores. when you consume less energy than our machines require, that back up generator kicks on to make up the difference and we burn fat. when we consume a balance of energy, we maintain weight.

    juicing is a reasonably good way to supplement your diet, but really you should be primarily eating your food. i do not have the time or inclination to juice, but I do drink a low sodium V8 with my breakfast pretty much every day because it's an easy way to get in a couple servings of veg right off the bat. i generally eat another 4 servings or so throughout the day and a couple servings of fruit along with plenty of lean sourced protein, healthy fats, legumes, lentils, whole grains, etc...I'm an advocate of a well balanced diet that is rich in nutrition.
  • shadow4478
    shadow4478 Posts: 37 Member
    maidentl wrote: »
    shadow4478 wrote: »
    if you can moderate it to 1 cup per day, its better then store bought. Especially if you can make it mostly from vegetables.
    What they say, eat your calories don't drink them.
    High in fructose/sugar your body will store most of it as fat.
    If you juice vegetables its better, and eat your fruit instead. But juicing greens is hard unless you have press.
    Most juicers are good at juicing hard substances, ie. carrots, beats, apples.
    If you look at the sugar in one apple its not so bad but if you juice 2-4 apples in one gulp it adds up fast.
    most people don't sit down and eat that many apples in one go. (and you loose all the fiber)

    Overall I would say do it as a treat, not as means to loose weight.

    The only way your body would store it as fat is if you exceeded your maintenance calories for the day.

    OP, I don't think it's a good idea for weight loss, it doesn't teach you how to eat/portion sizes.


    Yes I agree with the added statement as well.
  • Proter12
    Proter12 Posts: 9 Member
    edited January 2016
    You can try this jucie recipe.
    Sunset Blend
    Apples - 2 medium (3" dia) 364g
    Beet Root - 1 beet (3" dia) 175g
    Carrot - 1 large (7-1/4" to 8-/1/2" long) 72g
    Orange - 1 fruit (2-5/8" dia) 131g
    Sweet Potato - 1 sweetpotato, 5" long 130g
  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
    I don't really understand juicing. Is it for people who don't have time to eat?
  • Dreysander
    Dreysander Posts: 294 Member
    I just eat my veggies.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    oolou wrote: »
    I don't really understand juicing. Is it for people who don't have time to eat?

    one of its proponents can drink vegetable juice combined with fruit but can't stand the vegetables themselves, so he has a better diet by using juicing to get him away from beige foods.
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
    We have a masticating Omega juicer and absolutely love it. We use it nearly everyday as a way for myself, my husband and especially the kids to get a large portion of veggie servings in one shot. That being said we use it as a part of our daily intake, not as a replacement to eating real healthy nutritious food. We also juice wheatgrass a few times a week for all the added health benefits. When Juicing watch your fruit (sugar) intake, and concentrate on using lots of dark leafy greens etc to get the most "bang" (nutrient dense food) for you buck. One of our personal favorites includes; Kale, spinach, lemon and apple. The kids gobble it up, and otherwise would not touch kale or spinach, so for us, it's a sneaky way of getting them to consume foods they would otherwise not eat.

    There are many many health benefits to juicing, but as "meal replacement" or a way to lose weight, I'm not so sure.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Proter12 wrote: »
    You can try this jucie recipe.
    Sunset Blend
    Apples - 2 medium (3" dia) 364g
    Beet Root - 1 beet (3" dia) 175g
    Carrot - 1 large (7-1/4" to 8-/1/2" long) 72g
    Orange - 1 fruit (2-5/8" dia) 131g
    Sweet Potato - 1 sweetpotato, 5" long 130g
    #happyjuiceing #juicerlab

    That's 468 calories

    For a drink
  • scyian
    scyian Posts: 243 Member
    I never understood the love for juicing/smoothie/shakes. I'd rather eat the ingredients as it was. I would think it's ok if you're incorporating it into your diet a few times a week but not these 7 day juice cleanses. My sisters go through juice detoxes every now and then to lose weigh then go back to their normal eating pattern and gain it back.
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
    edited January 2016

    Just putting this out there for all the people who don't understand juicing.

    Why would someone juice?

    I don't know about you, but I would never want to eat in one sitting, 3 cups of kale, 3 cups of spinach, 3 carrots, and an apple, or 1/4 lemon, 1 whole beet, 2-3 carrots, 1/4 cabbage head, and 2 celery stalks. These are all raw too. When you cook down fruit and vegetables you lose valuable nutrients and break down enzymes. Juicing is in fact an easy way to bring raw nutrients into your body quickly and in a high dose. This is especially good for people who don't eat enough vegetables. Juicing is not a weight loss gimmick but rather a tool to help those who do not have enough vegetables/fruit in their diet. One of the best things you can do for your body is juice wheatgrass. And before you say "you'd rather just eat it", you have never attempted to eat wheatgrass lol. Feel free to google the benefits of this superfood.

    This all said-no, no, no for weight loss and replacing actual food with juicing. As an addition to your complete diet, yes definitely.
  • pollypocket1021
    pollypocket1021 Posts: 533 Member
    Jonna13 wrote: »
    Just putting this out there for all the people who don't understand juicing.

    Why would someone juice?

    I don't know about you, but I would never want to eat in one sitting, 3 cups of kale, 3 cups of spinach, 3 carrots, and an apple, or 1/4 lemon, 1 whole beet, 2-3 carrots, 1/4 cabbage head, and 2 celery stalks. These are all raw too. When you cook down fruit and vegetables you lose valuable nutrients and break down enzymes. Juicing is in fact an easy way to bring raw nutrients into your body quickly and in a high dose. This is especially good for people who don't eat enough vegetables. Juicing is not a weight loss gimmick but rather a tool to help those who do not have enough vegetables/fruit in their diet. One of the best things you can do for your body is juice wheatgrass. And before you say "you'd rather just eat it", you have never attempted to eat wheatgrass lol. Feel free to google the benefits of this superfood.

    This all said-no, no, no for weight loss and replacing actual food with juicing. As an addition to your complete diet, yes definitely.

    But you don't need to eat all of those things in one sitting. And a huge benefit of eating veggies is the fiber, which you are removing.

    Is there any evidence that your body can absorb the vitamins and minerals in juice? Most multivitamins are nearly completely excreted.

    Your thoughts are not inherently bad, but sometimes things that seem like common sense don't bear out in real life once we factor in biology.