We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
What do you think about the effectiveness of juicing for weight loss?
jtorr1984
Posts: 1 Member
There are some conflicting ideas about a juice detox for nutrition. Some believe that juicing strips the nutrients from foods but other feel that juicing maximizes nutrient intake.
0
Replies
-
I feel detoxing is a silly idea and that juicing ends up with something not as filling as the original items.0
-
Your body detoxes all by itself.0
-
This content has been removed.
-
I'm not a fan of juicing. An apple fills me a lot more than the juice of 3 apples. I think it is due to the mix of physically biting and chewing and keeping the fibre content.
If you do decide to juice make sure you count the calories properly, I've seen some crazy enteries in the data base. As an example a banana and kiwi one 300ml, only 100 calories!0 -
Your liver, kidneys and intestines do a great job of detoxing your body already. You don't need any kind of juice to do that. There are lots of reasons NOT to do a juice diet like the fact that you're losing fiber, which helps digestion, and some nutrients in the juicing process. You'll be hungrier since our bodies process juice really quickly. A couple of days of nothing but juice probably won't harm you but anything longer than that isn't necessary and could actually do more harm than good.0
-
You seemed to have asked two questions. One on detoxing and one on juicing.
Detoxes are hoaxes--don't do one. Cased closed.
The process of juicing using calls for the peeling of the fruit and sometime straining the juice. These remove the fiber and other nutrients. For weight loss, all you need is a calorie deficit so this really doesn't matter but most will tell you it better to eat your calories. Also, fiber will give you a better sense of fullness and control your hunger.0 -
Detoxing is not necessary. Your body already detoxes, that's what your liver and other internal organs are for.
Juicing is not needed for weight loss since losing weight loss is about consuming less calories than you burn. But I know a lot of people like juicing, they either like the taste, it's more convenient, or they can get better nutrition if it's blended together. I honestly can't see how juicing would strip nutrients from foods since it's just changing form. It may have some impact on fiber, but don't quote me on that. But overall, there's nothing wrong with juicing if you like doing it. Just count the calories that go into it the same as you would if you were eating it and you should be fine.0 -
Your body detoxifies itself just fine, if it isn't go to a hospital.
I love making my own green juices but I include them in my calorie goal for the day because I ENJOY them, and it helps me get veggies in my diet in a way I like. If you like eating veggies then eat them, spend your calories on foods and drinks you like.
My favorite green juice is kale, spinach, apple and lemon if your still interested in juicing for pleasure reasons, which is the only reason to juice imo.0 -
I think that detoxes as a means to jump start weight loss are a farce. Pretty much anytime you cut calories and start to lose weight, you have a big *whoosh* of water weight loss in the beginning. This translates to a bigger than average loss (e.g., 5 pounds the first week instead of 1 pound, etc.) for a few weeks and then weight loss slows. People who do a detox experience the same initial whoosh but credit the detox rather eating at a reduced calorie level. They could eat normal everyday food and get the same results but instead want to think that fruit juice or lemon water or cucumbers and cayenne pepper or some other food combination has magical weight loss properties when it just isn't true.
As far as long term juicing for weight loss, it's not for me. I'd rather eat a whole piece of fruit and feel more full than drink a glass of juice for as many or more calories.0 -
One of the yummiest juice drinks I've ever had was a combination of beet, carrot, ginger, lemon and apple. I had it at the beginning of this summer (at an adorable little restaurant in Cape May), about a week or two after I began changing the way I eat and joined MFP. I didn't order it for any kind of "detox" reason or even for weight loss purposes, or anything like that, I just happen to love all of those ingredients. However, I would not make a regular practice of juicing. I think it's too easy to end up with way more calories by drinking them, rather than eating them. (And really, eating that particular combination is delicious, too!)0
-
I think its expense (financial, personal, etc) far outweighs even the best benefits juicing could offer a person.
I also dislike it because it seems to presuppose that fruits and veggies have magical properties and some juice machine can harness their power; strikes me as a little dopey.0 -
I use a nutri-bullet to make smoothies from usually mixed berries and kale or spinach for breakfast sometimes. I do it because I enjoy it. It feels me up due to the fact it keeps the fiber. But personally I wouldn't just juice since you lose all fiber. But that is just my personal opinion.0
-
I did a juice-only diet for 30 days a couple years ago. This was much longer than the typically recommended 7 or 10 day cleanse. Here's what I can tell you from my experience:
-It gets very expensive
-You can't pre-make juice...it quickly loses nutrients and begins to taste bad
-You will quickly tire of cleaning your juicer
-You will lose water / food weight quickly
-Your body will hate you
-You will feel like *kitten* for the first 3 or 4 days
-You will feel great for a few days after that
-When you stop, you will gain back all of the weight you lost in a matter of days / a week
Overall, I don't recommend it. It's not worth it for anything other than a test of your willpower. Again, I did this for 30 days, so I really got a good idea of what goes into it. You'll see big numbers coming off on the scale - in 30 days I lost a little over 20lbs. But much of that was retained water and food weight, and the rest was lost unhealthily. Within 2 months I had gained back every pound, most of it in the first 2 weeks after I stopped.0 -
The effectiveness of juicing for weight loss? It's quite effective because it restricts calories. Nutrients? It strips some, not enough to make a difference except in the fiber department.
Now that you have your answers do you feel like you may have been asking the wrong questions? If weight loss is your goal, and it is well known that eating fewer calories than you burn is how you lose weight regardless of the method, wouldn't it be more productive to ask "what strategies can I apply to reduce my intake and increase my burn in a way easy enough to last me a lifetime?"0 -
I pretty well have dropped all juices from my diet. The equivalent portion of fruit is more satisfying. You can accidentally add a whole lot of calories drinking juices.0
-
Detoxing is stupid. The human body detoxes itself. It's why we have kidneys and livers. If there's a problem with that then a medical doctor needs to be consulted.
Juicing makes no sense to me. Eating the whole fruit or veggie would be a lot more filling and nutritious.0 -
I'm not going to read the other comments, just give you my opinion of the juicer and the results I've found "for me"...My daughter gave me a juicer for my birthday two weeks ago...I've used it faithfully almost every day for lunch....In that two weeks, I have lost 3 lbs, and the only change made was the juicer...I've looked over my food journals, and the amount of really good nutrients going in has more than doubled, but my calorie consumption is pretty much the same. Meaning I'm full all day, and not suddenly snacking due to hunger. So. 3 lbs down, more nutrients. I like it so far. The only problem I've found is it's a *kitten* to clean...scuse my French!0
-
JustMissTracy wrote: »I'm not going to read the other comments, just give you my opinion of the juicer and the results I've found "for me"...My daughter gave me a juicer for my birthday two weeks ago...I've used it faithfully almost every day for lunch....In that two weeks, I have lost 3 lbs, and the only change made was the juicer...I've looked over my food journals, and the amount of really good nutrients going in has more than doubled, but my calorie consumption is pretty much the same. Meaning I'm full all day, and not suddenly snacking due to hunger. So. 3 lbs down, more nutrients. I like it so far. The only problem I've found is it's a *kitten* to clean...scuse my French!
If you're not snacking due to hunger any more, how is your calorie count the same as it was previously?0 -
juicing is irrelevant to weight loss...0
-
To answer the question ("What do you think about the effectiveness of juicing for weight loss?"): juicing for weight loss is HIGHLY effective, as 1-2 litres per day of home-pressed vegetable juice is very low in calories.
Still not recommended.0 -
I juice frequently because I have an autoimmune digestive disorder and it really really helps keep symptoms under control, but I have gained weight from it. I had to learn how to calculate the juices calories as well as lower portions from other meals to keep it all under control and am slowly losing it, but I had to take out all fruits and only use veggies (and a lemon to mask the veggie taste) to keep the calories reasonable. So effective for stomach problems, not so effective for weight loss, but that's just my experience !0
-
janejellyroll wrote: »JustMissTracy wrote: »I'm not going to read the other comments, just give you my opinion of the juicer and the results I've found "for me"...My daughter gave me a juicer for my birthday two weeks ago...I've used it faithfully almost every day for lunch....In that two weeks, I have lost 3 lbs, and the only change made was the juicer...I've looked over my food journals, and the amount of really good nutrients going in has more than doubled, but my calorie consumption is pretty much the same. Meaning I'm full all day, and not suddenly snacking due to hunger. So. 3 lbs down, more nutrients. I like it so far. The only problem I've found is it's a *kitten* to clean...scuse my French!
If you're not snacking due to hunger any more, how is your calorie count the same as it was previously?
I'm not snacking due to hunger...I'm eating more vegetables and getting fuller. But again. That's me. For me. I have to say that as there are usually one or two people floating around here ready to jump on any opinion regarding food...lol. So my point is the same. Im not hungry...I've lost 3 lbs without changing anything else about my every day. All in all, just my opinion.0 -
I use a nutri-bullet to make smoothies from usually mixed berries and kale or spinach for breakfast sometimes. I do it because I enjoy it. It feels me up due to the fact it keeps the fiber. But personally I wouldn't just juice since you lose all fiber. But that is just my personal opinion.
You won't lose the fiber if you add the pulp to your juice at the end...I do this, and find it's more smoothie like, and I have no regrets about lost food/nutrients.0 -
Your body detoxes itself, so if you're planning to juice strictly for the detox, don't bother. One benefit to juicing though is that you can pack a lot of micronutrients into one little drink - buuuut you can also pack a lot of calories in so just try to log them as appropriately as possible. Me personally, I prefer to get all the nutrients as well as the fiber from my fruit and veg so I usually just eat them whole or make a smoothie.0
-
Your body detoxes itself, so if you're planning to juice strictly for the detox, don't bother. One benefit to juicing though is that you can pack a lot of micronutrients into one little drink - buuuut you can also pack a lot of calories in so just try to log them as appropriately as possible. Me personally, I prefer to get all the nutrients as well as the fiber from my fruit and veg so I usually just eat them whole or make a smoothie.
This. Great answer!
0 -
I personally prefer to eat my calories, but for a quick breakfast or lunch, there are a lot of people that feel it helps. You can add protein powder or other supplements if you're low on something to hide the flavor too.0
-
Tried juicing and it left me extremely tired and hungry all the time. Anything I lost I gained right back as soon as I started eating again. It was worthless.0
-
When you juice, you remove the fiber. Fiber helps you not feel hungry.
Eat the fruit in the state you buy it.0 -
I got a vitamix. I make smoothies. I keep the fiber, but I have to watch the calories, and if I depend too much on that I miss out on protein.
Yummy, but easy to overdo. Also low in protein unless you add something for that. (Nut or seed butter, protein powder, yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu....)0 -
There are some conflicting ideas about a juice detox for nutrition. Some believe that juicing strips the nutrients from foods but other feel that juicing maximizes nutrient intake.
I feel that juicing to lose weight is wasting a good piece of fruit or vegetable. In fact, if you consume a calorie deficit, you won't even lose weight while juicing because weight loss is about calories in/calories out. You don't have to detox either, because your body does that all by itself.
In other words, you don't need to juice to lose weight, you just need to eat less calories than you burn.
That said, I love a good glass of homemade juice but would never use it for weight loss purposes. I like to drink it once in awhile with a snack or a meal. The only reason I make it is because I love making homemade stuff. I even make my own bread, and will try to make my some hummus sometime soon. I also grind my own peanut butter.
Uh, oh, looks like I went on a slight tangent. Back on track.
No as to juice for weight loss and/or detoxing. Yes as to real food.
0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.3K Introduce Yourself
- 44K Getting Started
- 260.5K Health and Weight Loss
- 176.1K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.7K Fitness and Exercise
- 442 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.1K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 4K MyFitnessPal Information
- 16 News and Announcements
- 1.2K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.7K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions