Juicing: Viable Tool or New Age Fad?

ChronicOptimist

Hello friends!

Every so often I go down the rabbit hole of watching documentaries about health that basically just tell me I should be juicing ALL THE VEGETABLES. So tell me, community. Is juicing really all it's cracked up to be, or is this just the powerful kale lobby telling me what to think?

And follow up question for anyone who may have tried juicing - am I going to be able to afford to juice without a six figure salary?

Thank you in advance!

CrescentCityGirl

I enjoy my juicer so much. I think of it like this, it fills me up and when you combine the foods together they taste great. Produce that I juice the most include celery, carrots, zucchini, lemons, apples both red and green. I don't think that would kill your budget as they aren't really that expensive esp if you shop at Costco.

bajoyba

I have never tried juicing. Personally, I really enjoy eating my vegetables in their entirety.
I think juicing can be a great way to get plenty of micronutrients into your diet, and if you enjoy juicing, then I say go for it. But if your goal is weight loss or diet improvement, juicing certainly isn't at all necessary. I'm more in favor of eating foods you like and meeting your body's energy and nutritional needs with a balanced and varied diet. If juicing helps you do that, cool beans. If not... meh.

ninerbuff

If one didn't eat fruit and vegetables and now juices them to get them in: fine
If one juices just on fruit and vegetables to lose weight: fad

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

RabbitLost

I have never tried juicing. Personally, I really enjoy eating my vegetables in their entirety.
I think juicing can be a great way to get plenty of micronutrients into your diet, and if you enjoy juicing, then I say go for it. But if your goal is weight loss or diet improvement, juicing certainly isn't at all necessary. I'm more in favor of eating foods you like and meeting your body's energy and nutritional needs with a balanced and varied diet. If juicing helps you do that, cool beans. If not... meh.

I prefer to eat my foods, too. And I like most veggies. But if it helps you get your veggies and you like it, no judgment here. Probably the incremental cost is the juicer, since you would be buying the vegetables anyway, right?

Noogynoogs

Juices are good - energy booster and mood lifter

mblair1968

I think juicing has been around a long time, so not really "new age". It is a viable tool if you don't like eating vegetables, but as a "secret" weight loss too, probably just a fad.

Sabine_Stroehm

If one didn't eat fruit and vegetables and now juices them to get them in: fine
If one juices just on fruit and vegetables to lose weight: fad

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I mostly agree. I'd also say: if you DO eat fruits and vegetables, but would like to increase them, or add some variety: fine.
But yes, if you're doing it simply to lose weight, or, God forbid ONLY planning to juice (i.e. not eating a balanced diet) then: NO.

ps: It's not new. Been around for ages.

nutmegoreo

I have a juicer and a nutribullet (single serving blender really). I enjoy both, but I prefer the nutribullet for two reasons: 1) easier clean up and 2) the fiber (pulp) stays with the drink. I also eat all the foods, so these are just tools to increase my fruit and veg intake or for a quick breakfast before work when I have hit the snooze button too many times :laugh:

Would I strictly juice? No. I am not convinced bacon would be the same through the juicer. I enjoy eating food too much, plus it would be much harder to hit my protein macro.

ChronicOptimist

Thanks all for the excellent advice! I'm certainly not talking about doing ONLY juice, I'm thinking more about adding it as a supplement to my daily nutrition.

It's not so much that I don't like to eat my vegetables, it's that I'm a TERRIBLE cook, and while I have friends and family who can prepare veggies that are both healthful and flavorful... I lack that gift. So I'm thinking that juicing might be a way for an awful chef like me to get in those nutrients!

Also - forgive me for referring to juicing as "New Age" if it's not. I'm mostly familiar with it from documentaries such as "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" and "Hungry for Change" which are very recent. My apologies!

RabbitLost

Thanks all for the excellent advice! I'm certainly not talking about doing ONLY juice, I'm thinking more about adding it as a supplement to my daily nutrition.

It's not so much that I don't like to eat my vegetables, it's that I'm a TERRIBLE cook, and while I have friends and family who can prepare veggies that are both healthful and flavorful... I lack that gift. So I'm thinking that juicing might be a way for an awful chef like me to get in those nutrients!

Also - forgive me for referring to juicing as "New Age" if it's not. I'm mostly familiar with it from documentaries such as "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" and "Hungry for Change" which are very recent. My apologies!

Sounds to me like you have a solid plan.

DanaDark

Turning your foods into a juice/stew/soup can help stave off hunger due to extra water amounts added.

Basically, a meal with a glass of water all juiced up, will keep you satiated longer than the same meal normal with a glass of water on the side.

So, juicing CAN be beneficial to weight loss if satiety is what causes you to eat more.

SLLRunner

Hello friends!

Every so often I go down the rabbit hole of watching documentaries about health that basically just tell me I should be juicing ALL THE VEGETABLES. So tell me, community. Is juicing really all it's cracked up to be, or is this just the powerful kale lobby telling me what to think?

And follow up question for anyone who may have tried juicing - am I going to be able to afford to juice without a six figure salary?

Thank you in advance!

I think juicing is for a specific purpose. Two of my friends who had cancer juiced liked crazy from when they were diagnosed through the end of their chemo and they swear that it helped them. However, they ate their regular meals as well. They both had massive chemo and they both have been in remission for quite some time.

I love making my own juice, but only as an addition to my breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but fresh juice is in no way a replacement for my veggies and fruits. I EAT my veggies and fruit because I need the fiber. Fiber is very important and should not be drank.

You have to find what works best for you, but I don't think it's wise to replace whole fruits and veggies with juicing. Moderation is the key and I'd suggest having some fresh juice with meals or even as a snack, but not replacing anything.

Noogynoogs

Fa t,sick and nearly dead

Unknown

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SLLRunner

Fa t,sick and nearly dead

What? Not following.

Ang108

What does juicing have to do with " New Age " ?

Lleldiranne

If one didn't eat fruit and vegetables and now juices them to get them in: fine
If one juices just on fruit and vegetables to lose weight: fad

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I mostly agree. I'd also say: if you DO eat fruits and vegetables, but would like to increase them, or add some variety: fine.
But yes, if you're doing it simply to lose weight, or, God forbid ONLY planning to juice (i.e. not eating a balanced diet) then: NO.

ps: It's not new. Been around for ages.

I agree with both posters above. Just wanted to add: it's best to get at least some of your fruits and vegetables in whole form (rather than juice). Juicers generally remove the pulp, which is the fiber, and it can reduce the nutritional profile of the foods. Some juice, to help get more in, isn't bad. I prefer smoothies (using a blender so I'm still getting the pulp), but I haven't tried it with a lot of the veggies, just fruits.

Sabine_Stroehm

If one didn't eat fruit and vegetables and now juices them to get them in: fine
If one juices just on fruit and vegetables to lose weight: fad

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I mostly agree. I'd also say: if you DO eat fruits and vegetables, but would like to increase them, or add some variety: fine.
But yes, if you're doing it simply to lose weight, or, God forbid ONLY planning to juice (i.e. not eating a balanced diet) then: NO.

ps: It's not new. Been around for ages.

I agree with both posters above. Just wanted to add: it's best to get at least some of your fruits and vegetables in whole form (rather than juice). Juicers generally remove the pulp, which is the fiber, and it can reduce the nutritional profile of the foods. Some juice, to help get more in, isn't bad. I prefer smoothies (using a blender so I'm still getting the pulp), but I haven't tried it with a lot of the veggies, just fruits.

Yes, good point: OP, consider juicing versus smoothies.

Swiftlet66

I tried juicing before when I used to not eat a lot of vegetables. It made me dizzy and I didn't feel very good (too much sugar/nutrients at one time??) so I stopped. That and I hate that there was so much waste from the pulp and also cleaning the juicer was a pain in the *kitten*. I'm eating all my fruits and veggies now so I don't need it any longer. Now, I juice only to use the pulp in some cake recipes.

Forgot to mention, it's both a fad and a good tool. Some people think it's a magical way to lose weight and get healthier but that isn't always the case...

lisaanne1369

I love my nutra bullet,this way I get everything!

krawhitham

I use my juicer maybe twice a month, but I'll make enough juice to last me weeks. I don't drink juice every day, and I find the juice I can make from my juicer is a lot more delicious than anything I've found in stores.

I think the whole "juice fast" diets and making juicing a "way of life" is a fad. I don't understand why anyone would want to just live on juice... but, for me, it's a fun and delicious supplement to my already healthy eating.

I also have a Soda Stream and I mix my juice with the carbonated water and make mixed drinks with it... it has lots of different uses. But, it has absolutely nothing to do with the basis of my diet. It's just fun.

TheGymGypsy

Juicing is a good addition to any healthy diet. However living off juices or just overdoing it in general is a bad idea.

madworld1

Getting a juicer has been a game changer for me. I used to binge eat every night. Then, I started making a low cal veggie smoothie every night & I drink that regardless of whether I am hungry. It has prevented 1000+ cal binges countless times.

I don't drink smoothies in place of meals. I only use it to fill my stomach at night right before bed.

Also, note I said "low cal" smoothie. Some juice recipes can be pretty high in cals. So, you have to be careful. As with everything else, moderation is key.

tlblood

Juicing is great

but my opinion is that you lose viable nutrients doing it that come from the fiberous parts of fruits and veggies

but who knows?

do you like doing it?

then do it

not my thing I would rather chew my calories than juice them!

^^This^^

While you get a lot of great stuff out of juice, and for some, that may be an improvement in getting in more vitamins and nutrients, you leave the fiber behind, which is also good for you, and helps to make them more filling. Eating it in it's original form is going to be more nutrient "bang" for your caloric "buck."

madworld1

The "juicer" that I use is basically a heavy duty blender. It just finely grinds the entire fruit or veggie. I'm no expert, but I think that would leave the fiber. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me. I'm open to learning new things

Now, I do have real juicer that removes the fiberous parts & I wasn't impressed. It took forever to do & way too many fruits and veggies to fill a glass.

ETA: Okay, I got my answer... someone else already mentioned the difference between the two devices. Sorry y'all. Carry on :blushing:

JasonKnight85

I plan on getting a juicer in the next month or two, I had a neighbor growing up whose parents were big into juicing, and some of the juices/smoothies they made for us were amazing. I love eating fresh fruits and vegetables, but I also love juice.

I drink a lot of v8, but I know with a juicer I'll be able to make a lot better/healthier and higher quality beverages. I tend to avoid store bought fruit juices right now (I'm diabetic, and overly processed juices spike my blood sugar levels, yet eating a banana or apple doesn't) unless its like unsweetened grapefruit juice.

I recently bought a green smoothie with fruits and veggies that was in the organic section of our local grocer, and it reminded my of my childhood. It also didn't spike my blood sugar, yet was sweet and full of carbs and sugar.

My co workers have also started to complain my constant gnawing and munching on crunchy fruits and vegetables bothers them. So... getting a juicer might save me from flack at work too.

Athijade

Fa t,sick and nearly dead

Is a commercial for the guys diet. Nothing else.

GreatDepression

Juicing vegetables is better than juicing fruit. Fruit juice is high in calories and should be considered a treat. It's better to eat your vegetables in its entirety to get the most out of the fibre however I think it's a rather healthful option if you don't like bits of veg in your smoothies but still want most of the nutrients. Plus, vegetable juice of greens is low calorie.