Juicing- to do or not to do... that is the question????

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Hi everyone,

I just wanted to get a take on Juicing. Anyone done it, added to your diet, or done the fasting thing? Also do you add fruit to your juice? and any thoughts on Juicing verses Smoothies????
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  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
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    Juicing provides you with all the sugar and none of the fiber from fruits and veggies - don't do it. Your body needs protein and fat.
    Smoothies - if you include protein powder and a fat like whole milk or coconut oil or something, fine. But why not just eat normal foods? Are you going to drink nothing but smoothies for the rest of your life?
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
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    If you got the idea from that propaganda piece "Fat Sick and nearly Dead" then no, and even if you didn't still no, and why? Just eat the fruits and veggies, juicing just removes the fiber.

    Rigger
  • selfepidemic1
    selfepidemic1 Posts: 159 Member
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    You need the fibre to poop!
  • _Calypso_
    _Calypso_ Posts: 1,074 Member
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    It really depends on your goals. Juicing is not 'bad'. It can give you lots of nutrients. And you can keep the fiber of many fruits! ALso you can add protein to your morning juice. My husband and I did it last year and it was great. I only did it for 3 days, he a week. I think long term juicing is not ideal as you need more well rounded diet (protien, carbs, fats, fiber, vitamins)
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
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    Juicing sounds terrible. My co-worker did it, said she was doing it for 2 weeks (lol) and quit after 1 day because she couldn't stop vomiting.

    Just eat less than you used to eat and log it.

    Edited for clarity. She wasn't just juicing, she was on a juice fast.
  • priyamvada_k
    priyamvada_k Posts: 27 Member
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    Whole fruit is much better, and adds more nutrients. Juicing versus smoothies - smoothies. You get the whole fruit with a smoothie; but you have to add some type of sweetener for it to taste good.
  • jsissom86
    jsissom86 Posts: 47 Member
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    Personally, I love juicing. But if you get the wrong type of juicer, then yes -- you can remove all the nutrients and the motor to the blade will heat up and cook your food!

    I spent too much money on one - haha - and I feel like I'm still getting all the benefits of eating the fruit. I have a problem with alot of fruit textures like apples and grapes, so I'll juice them instead. My juicer has a low motor that doesn't get hot, you can throw a whole apple in, whole zucchini you don't have to chop it up or remove the skins/cores beforehand, and there's plenty of skin floating in my juice for my to know I'm still getting the nutients. (You just gotta stir it up and drink it fast)

    The worst thing about a juicer is washing it. If you have a dishwasher -- I don't, which is why you don't see alot of juices in my diary -- you'll be set!

    Trust me, try it. Spend the money. Read customer reviews, tho -- be smart when you buy one! You'll be so surprised by that apple juice you made VS. the one from the store!
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
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    Juicing is great. Try it for yourself. Juice once a day for a week, (don't fast, just add a juice with veggies to your daily routine) and see how you feel. Ignore the ignorant people that diss it yet have never done it.

    Adding fruit, only apple. I mainly juice for the veggies, so the only fruit i use is apple. (Other than low sugar fruits. Cucumber and tomato make great ingredients.) A green apple in a juice helps sweeten it, and make it palatable.


    One of my favorites is:
    Handful of parsley
    1 rib celery
    3-4 carrots
    1 apple
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
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    No. No. No.

    Why drink your meals when you can eat them?
  • _Calypso_
    _Calypso_ Posts: 1,074 Member
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    Juicing is great. Try it for yourself. Juice once a day for a week, (don't fast, just add a juice with veggies to your daily routine) and see how you feel. Ignore the ignorant people that diss it yet have never done it.

    Adding fruit, only apple. I mainly juice for the veggies, so the only fruit i use is apple. (Other than low sugar fruits. Cucumber and tomato make great ingredients.) A green apple in a juice helps sweeten it, and make it palatable.


    One of my favorites is:
    Handful of parsley
    1 rib celery
    3-4 carrots
    1 apple

    Yes! Apples help cut down the bitterness of some veggies!! Endive, Kale, Spinach - great greens, but you'll need a big bag of apples!!
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
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    Try juicing a cheeseburger and ice cream, it's epic.

    Rigger
  • Lisacare
    Lisacare Posts: 40 Member
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    Thanks for all the input :smile

    Here is why I even looked into juicing, I have a very senative gut. Seems when I eat too much fiber, fresh fruits and veggies it actually makes my stomach "bowels" painful. I have been drinking smoothies for several months, along with eating regular food, but I noticed that upset my stomach as well. I tried adding beno type enzymes and didn't notice much change. I love my green smoothing as a morning snack. I was doing some research and was curious as to the benefits of the actually taking the fiber out, maybe it would be easier on my digestive trach while getting all the nutrients still. What I am considering would be to add the fresh juices rather than smoothies to my current plan.

    Plus was curious as to what MFP though of all this :)
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    2 slices of dolmio + beef gravy in a blender = tasty 'juiced' food.

    Must be healthy, yes?

    I did actually consume the above, but generally would prefer to eat my food as food rather than drink it!
  • mjsweets
    mjsweets Posts: 1
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    I say try it out, you can do it sometimes just to switch everything up. And for those that say all the fiber is lost, I find that hard to believe because I never have any issues using the bathroom after juicing. Matter of fact juicing allows me to get that task done alot quicker! Now it is very messing and its hell to clean up, but its really worth it in the long run.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    If your goal is to drink juice, juicing is fine. Kinda fun, except for cleaning. Probably a waste of money, but obviously a few hundred bucks is not a big deal to some.

    If your goal is to "kick start" or "cleanse", and you're thinking about doing an all-juice diet, that's a bad idea.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    it fast)

    The worst thing about a juicer is washing it. If you have a dishwasher -- I don't, which is why you don't see alot of juices in my diary -- you'll be set!

    QFT.
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
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    I say try it out, you can do it sometimes just to switch everything up. And for those that say all the fiber is lost, I find that hard to believe because I never have any issues using the bathroom after juicing. Matter of fact juicing allows me to get that task done alot quicker! Now it is very messing and its hell to clean up, but its really worth it in the long run.

    I'm sorry, but I just have to giggle at this.
    You absolutely made it sound like using the bathroom is now messy and hard to clean up.
    c:
  • petefromguelph
    petefromguelph Posts: 84 Member
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    My wife has been incorporating a juice with her regular food. Seems to work. Hard to eat as many veg and fruit as what you can get in a juice. I dunno... jury is still out for me. I don't necessarily think you should do the full on juice diet but whats the harm in replacing one meal or snack with a juice? I dunno.. to each their own.
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 528 Member
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    I read that you have digestive issues... have you seen a dr about it? I have a friend that struggles with issues. Her dr has helped her a lot. I have no idea if you need more fiber or less...

    With that being said, I LOVE my juicer. I did do a three day fast years ago. It was not to sarve myself or do a "cleanse" or any non-sense like that. I was struggling REALLY bad with emotional eating. I took three days to do more of an emotional/spiritual cleanse. I needed to take a breath, take a step back, and I needed to stop what I was doing to myself.

    I have since gotten a better juicer. (I have the Jack LaLane - or however you spell that.) Hubs and I buy a CSA every year (CSA = Community Supported Agriculture - we buy a share at a farm and get veggies every week from June through October) and I end up with lots of beets and carrots... I HATE beets and I HATE carrots. ~gag~ But I juice them... and mmmM!! I do beets with an apple, a bit of lemon, a bit of ginger. (That will clear you RIGHT out...be careful) Carrots go good with tomatoes.

    Cleaning does suck. I clean mine immediately - do NOT let pulp dry on it, then it is hard to get off.

    OH! I almost forgot!! I sometimes juice fruits for my margaritas!!! YUMM-MMO!!!
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 528 Member
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    Oh! And fiber... It is my understanding that juicing removes the INSOLUBLE fiber. You juice will still have SOLUBLE fiber in it. (You do need both, but I am just saying the juice will not be totally without fiber.)