The Truth Behind Juice Cleanses

Juices and smoothies are a delicious, fruity, filling, and super healthy way to get your five a day. They are also quick and easy to make, and you can experiment with adding a whole range of different ingredients. But there is a fad known as a “juice cleanse” or “juice diet”, which consists in drinking juices and consuming very little, or no solid food for a period of several days. Supposedly, this kind of cleanse flushes toxins from your body, helps with weight loss, and gives your digestive system a rest. Many medical professionals, however, dispute the health benefits of taking up this extreme diet, or any diet that contains a lot of juice. So, Active Nation are here to let you know the truth behind juice diets!

Doing a juice cleanse as a substitute for solid food can actually be very unhealthy, since juice alone will not cover all your nutritional needs. Juices don’t contain the fibre that you get from eating whole solid fruit and veg, since the seeds, skin, and pith (such as the white outer pith on oranges) are lost in the juicing process. Smoothies, however, will contain more nutrients since the fruit and veg will be blended whole, so are actually healthier than juices. Of course, this might not be the case if you add yogurts or sweeteners to your smoothie!

Both fruit juices and smoothies can also be high in sugar, so drinking a lot can raise blood sugar levels and lead to energy crashes. Not only does this lead to fatigue and low moods, but the high sugar and acid content is bad for your teeth. Getting some veg into your drink will make it healthier and less sugar filled. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are drinking smoothies and juices to lose weight, then eating the ingredients when they are solid is actually more effective for weight loss. This is because solid food will fill you up more.

On the whole, consuming smoothies and juices alone will never be as good for you as maintaining a varied, balanced diet. Your body needs carbs, calcium, protein, and a whole range of nutrients which juices and smoothies cannot offer alone. Despite this, juices and smoothies are still a great thing to drink occasionally. They are packed with vitamins, natural ingredients, and are super tasty! Just make sure you don’t replace eating solid foods.

So, although we think that juice cleanses are not be the answer, we certainly recommend that you incorporate juices and smoothies into your balanced diet, since they provide a delicious way to increase your five a day.

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