Juicing: Healthy detox or diet trap?

Why not just stop eating the processed foods and chemicals? Locally grown fresh foods and meats that are humanely raised with appropriate foods and without hormones and antibiotics are more available now than they have been since the world was mostly woods and farmland. It might cost just a little more (or, for some things, considerably less) but wouldn't it be smarter to simply refrain from putting all that stuff in your body rather than stopping once in a while to clean it out with juices or fasting or whatever?

Your body handles "processed foods and chemicals" just fine without the need to detox.

Agreed, but this is the reason previously quoted for the "need" to detox or cleanse or whatever. I'm just saying that if this is the reason a person feels the need to put themselves through this process, wouldn't it be more efficient to just not eat the processed food and chemicals rather than eating them and then cleaning them out? What if your detox misses something?

Why not just stop eating the processed foods and chemicals? Locally grown fresh foods and meats that are humanely raised with appropriate foods and without hormones and antibiotics are more available now than they have been since the world was mostly woods and farmland. It might cost just a little more (or, for some things, considerably less) but wouldn't it be smarter to simply refrain from putting all that stuff in your body rather than stopping once in a while to clean it out with juices or fasting or whatever?

Your body handles "processed foods and chemicals" just fine without the need to detox.

Nvm I'm sleeping

i dont know if i should laugh or cry at this thread. laugh at the stupidity of doing a cleanse, or cry at the explanations of doing a cleanse.

this thread needs more gifs. (i dont know how to do them)

I agree.

Perfect - I'm gonna go to sleep, but in the meantime maybe you can tell me why IF is solid scientifically and a juice fast isn't.

kthxbai!

Why not just stop eating the processed foods and chemicals? Locally grown fresh foods and meats that are humanely raised with appropriate foods and without hormones and antibiotics are more available now than they have been since the world was mostly woods and farmland. It might cost just a little more (or, for some things, considerably less) but wouldn't it be smarter to simply refrain from putting all that stuff in your body rather than stopping once in a while to clean it out with juices or fasting or whatever?

Your body handles "processed foods and chemicals" just fine without the need to detox.

Nvm I'm sleeping

You know you cannot resist. Give in to the Dark Side. Let it flow through you. Then juice cleanse it later and flush it down the toilet.

Juicing helped reduced the pain of my mother's arthritis. So juicing can some benefits for some people. Juicing isn't for everyone. It's like drinking raw eggs. It not for everyone.

Interesting article, and I think that it reflects the MFP philosophy. The links is at the end of this posting


-- Juicing -- if you believe its avid fans -- is a great way to detox the body, prevent disease and lose weight.

There's something appealing about being able to blend up broccoli, kale and cucumbers and mask them with the sweet taste of strawberries. You get your vitamins without having to chow down on salad every day at lunch.

Plus you can tell everyone you're juicing, which helps you look cool in today's fitness-focused world.

But (you knew there was a "but" coming), you can't juice all day, every day, and expect to stay healthy. We took to the experts to answer your most pressing juice questions:

What are some of the benefits of juicing?

New research shows eating up to seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day can have a significant impact on your lifespan. For those of us who don't have time to cut up or cook two servings with every meal, juicing is an easy way to consume them on the go.
.

"Many people don't really like to eat fruits and vegetables, and this gives them a way to feel like they are doing something good for themselves," says Gayl Canfield, director of nutrition for Pritkin Longevity Center.

Juicing provides all the same vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients as eating whole fruits and vegetables, Canfield says. And the water content can help you stay hydrated.

Juicing is also a good way to use up any about-to-spoil produce, which means you're doing your part to stop food waste.

Juicing is low-calorie, right?

Not exactly. While juicing is probably low-calorie compared to a cheeseburger and fries, it's a very concentrated source of calories.

A cup of pineapple, for instance, is about 83 calories, but a cup of pineapple juice is 120 calories. An 8-ounce glass of orange juice may contain as many as four medium oranges, Canfield says.

"Would a person actually sit down and eat four oranges in one sitting?" she asks. "But you can down that glass of orange juice in fewer than 5 minutes."

And because the fruit is more concentrated, so is the sugar content.

A cup of pomegranate juice contains 37 grams of sugar, compared to just 12 grams in a cup of whole pomegranate.

Consuming your food in liquid form may also leave you feeling less fulfilled, meaning you'll eat more calories than you would if you simply chewed the food, says Jennifer Nelson, director of clinical dietetics and nutrition at the Mayo Clinic.

Will it help me detox?

First, let's start with why you think your body needs to detox. Your organs -- particularly the liver and kidneys -- and your immune system already work hard to rid your body of toxins.

"There is nothing in the medical literature to affirm that the body needs an outside source to cleanse itself," says registered dietician Deborah Levy.

Still, some people say juicing helps them transition to healthier habits. It's worth a shot -- of juice that is.

For clients who insist on doing a cleanse, Levy recommends they limit it to three days.

Can I go on an all-juice diet?

You can, but it's not a good idea.

"You want your diet to be balanced and healthy and to include protein, dairy, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fats," Nelson says. "Some foods don't juice properly -- like fish or whole wheat bread."

We'll let you think about that yummy concoction for a minute.

When you juice fruits and vegetables, you're "mechanically pulverizing," them, Nelson says. Doing so separates the fiber from the juice. This fiber helps regulate your blood sugar levels after you eat a piece of whole fruit. Without fiber, the sugar in juice goes unchecked.

"The wonderful health effects of fiber -- satiety value, gastrointestinal regulation, (bad) cholesterol lowering and blood glucose regulations are missing in the juice," Canfield says.

Although going on a liquid diet might help you lose weight in the short term, it can seriously mess with your metabolism. And lean muscle mass starts to break down after just a few days -- meaning your body will burn fewer calories overall.

"Very few people will ever voluntarily consume a liquid diet for life," Nelson says, and the pounds will quickly pile back on once you re-introduce solid foods.

So what's the bottom line?

Juicing in moderation can help you consume essentials nutrients, but it's not a good way to detox or diet. Orange you glad you asked?

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/11/health/juicing-pros-cons/index.html?hpt=hp_bn13

Stupid gimmick. Eat fruit and veggies. It's that simple. You don't need a 400$ machine to get healthy nutrients from food. Why take out all the fibre? Doesn't make sense to me. Whenever you see a new "trend" , first question should be "who's making money off this?'

Why not just stop eating the processed foods and chemicals? Locally grown fresh foods and meats that are humanely raised with appropriate foods and without hormones and antibiotics are more available now than they have been since the world was mostly woods and farmland. It might cost just a little more (or, for some things, considerably less) but wouldn't it be smarter to simply refrain from putting all that stuff in your body rather than stopping once in a while to clean it out with juices or fasting or whatever?

Your body handles "processed foods and chemicals" just fine without the need to detox.

Nvm I'm sleeping

You know you cannot resist. Give in to the Dark Side. Let it flow through you. Then juice cleanse it later and flush it down the toilet.

Juicing helped reduced the pain of my mother's arthritis. So juicing can some benefits for some people. Juicing isn't for everyone. It's like drinking raw eggs. It not for everyone.

What about it helped with her arthritis?

Why not just stop eating the processed foods and chemicals? Locally grown fresh foods and meats that are humanely raised with appropriate foods and without hormones and antibiotics are more available now than they have been since the world was mostly woods and farmland. It might cost just a little more (or, for some things, considerably less) but wouldn't it be smarter to simply refrain from putting all that stuff in your body rather than stopping once in a while to clean it out with juices or fasting or whatever?

Your body handles "processed foods and chemicals" just fine without the need to detox.

Nvm I'm sleeping

You know you cannot resist. Give in to the Dark Side. Let it flow through you. Then juice cleanse it later and flush it down the toilet.

Juicing helped reduced the pain of my mother's arthritis. So juicing can some benefits for some people. Juicing isn't for everyone. It's like drinking raw eggs. It not for everyone.

What about it helped with her arthritis?

Yes my mother has less pain now so she juice once a day now. Her pain is more manageable now. I meet Joe Cross and he is also pain free from the skin disease he has. I guess sometimes juicing can have benefits in the long run.

I think juicing is a good detox for a short period of time. Let's say up to 10 days. I can't detox yet but can't wait to. I would do a juice detox but eat small meals at the same time like salads, soups, lots of beans and veggies. I try to juice at least once a day. I love the documentary fat, sick and almost dead with Joe Cross. I actually meet him twice.

But why do you need to detox? And why would you detox, then reintroduce the 'toxins' into your system? I genuinely don't understand what juice detox's are supposed to achieve?

your body can build up pounds, literally pounds of fecal matter and other crap (hehe) within your large intestine and colon that aren't removed during typical... purging. cleanses get the rest of it out.

So I am confused and looking for clarification.

When people juice, does this mean they shove however many pounds of various vegetables and fruits through an actual juicer machine that dumps the pulp and they just drink the juice?

I thought people were blending the fruits and veggies into a drinkable liquid. Wouldn't this keep most of the fiber and more nutrients as well?

What the hell is the point of throwing half the fruit and vegetable (the pulp) away in juicing?!

I think juicing is a good detox for a short period of time. Let's say up to 10 days. I can't detox yet but can't wait to. I would do a juice detox but eat small meals at the same time like salads, soups, lots of beans and veggies. I try to juice at least once a day. I love the documentary fat, sick and almost dead with Joe Cross. I actually meet him twice.

But why do you need to detox? And why would you detox, then reintroduce the 'toxins' into your system? I genuinely don't understand what juice detox's are supposed to achieve?

Also it's important to note that I'm mostly playing devil's advocate in this thread. Not once did I mention toxins yet somehow it's been brought up quite a lot. I'm doing it to test a theory about mucosal production in my throat. Simple as that! But let's please keep flaming - it's awfully fun.

your body can build up pounds, literally pounds of fecal matter and other crap (hehe) within your large intestine and colon that aren't removed during typical... purging. cleanses get the rest of it out.

But what about all the homo erectus people? How did they purge their colons when they didn't even know what a colon was or why poop came out of their bottoms?




Sorry but what you said is ridiculous. If fecal matter really was building up in your intestines, then that would be a medical emergency. Natural selection has removed any animals from the gene pool whose intestines couldn't empty themselves without some form of intervention. (I say animals, because it's not just humans who have a digestive system)