Should You Juice?
I was talking to some girlfriends on Sunday about juicing and it got me thinking about why people juice, and what to consider if you’re thinking about trying it. While I absolutely love juicing, I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone. So let’s talk about it.
Investment
You’ll have to buy a juicer. I got mine for $50 on Amazon, which was a good investment for me, since I knew I would use it a lot. I use mine about 3 times a week, and even though it was a fairly inexpensive model, I really like it. It does the trick just fine. That said, if you’re not sure if you’re going to use it, it could be an investment for nothing. I know tons of people who have bought juicers and never used them. If you want to try it, ask a friend if you can borrow theirs. Chances are, they aren’t using it.
Weight Loss
I would not recommend juicing if you’re trying to lose weight. While juice is very good for you, it’s essentially fruits and vegetables without the fiber. So you’re getting the sugar from the food, but not the beneficial fiber. Granted, you’re getting lots of great nutrients, but it will not fill you up the way a salad or a piece of fruit would. So if you’re looking to replace a meal or cut down on calories, opt for a smoothie with some greens in it. You’ll stay fuller longer.
Cost
It is not cheap. It takes a lot of produce to make a glass of juice. That said, it’s cheaper than buying juice at a juice bar! Also, certain foods will give you lots more juice for your money. I always add celery or cucumbers to my juice, because they provide a lot of juice. Kale, spinach, and other greens don’t give you lots of juice, but they do give you tons of nutrients! Try a balance of each. (I love kale + cucumber + lemon + ginger!)
Taste
If you love sweet drinks, this might not be a good option for you. Sure, juice with 3 apples in it will taste amazing, but you’re also taking in a lot of sugar, without any fiber. To really get a lot of nutrients out of your juice, you’ll have to opt for lots of greens, so it can sometimes be a little bitter. I like the taste, and I don’t usually juice any fruits. Carrots or beets are great ways to get in some sweetness without quite as much sugar as apples or oranges. Just keep that in mind!
So it might sound like I’m convincing you not to juice… oops. Let me tell you why I think juicing is a good option for me:
Leftover Produce
I buy tons of fresh fruits and vegetables each week, and sometimes I can’t use them all. Instead of throwing away the last two handfuls of kale, that bruised apple, and that lone stalk of celery, I juice it. It is a great way to use up remnants of produce!
Nutrients Galore
A glass of juice is perfect on those days when I know I’m not getting a salad, and my day ahead looks like pizza and protein bars. You can get tons of vitamins and minerals all in one glass. It’s so easy. If I don’t have time to munch down a salad, a juice gets the job done for me.
Happy Tummy
I love vegetables. Obviously. But sometimes, too many vegetables can bother my stomach. Have you ever eaten a big salad and then felt sort of bloated and cramped? Vegetables have tons of good-for-you fiber, but too many raw can give you a stomachache. Juice is a good way to get the nutrients without the stomachache.
What do you think? Is juicing worth the time and effort? Is it too expensive or too much work? Do you prefer eating your veggies? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! I really do think juicing makes sense for some people, but it’s definitely not for everyone!
Juicing is fun but expensive, messy & inconvenient. You also subject yourself to molds & bacterias! I eat tons of fresh veggies but I still supplement my nutrition with Farm to capsule Juice Plus+. This is Whole Food encapsulated or also comes in chews!! I get 25 extra fruits & veggies everyday! Non-GMO & no pesticides/herbicides!!! http://www.trish1.juiceplus.com
I juice 4-5xs a week and have noticed a huge change is how happy my tummy is. I have it mid afternoon when i need a boost of energy and want to avoid caffine and sweets. My favorite combo right now is a cucumber, half grapefruit, a lemon, cilantro, parsley and about 1/2c fresh pineapple- its super refreshing and the citrus takes the edge off of the greens.
I am in no way affiliated with the website but i found myphytos.com not only has hundreds of awesome juice recipes but also a nutrient calculator- the above juice i make has a ton of potassium and iron!
I completely agree with everything you said! The place I got my 3-days’ worth of juices (which has now lasted a week, and I’m only halfway through them!) was actually really cheap – only $100 for 18 bottles (16 ounces each), but that isn’t normal. And I got the recipes from them, and in one juice, there was anywhere from 2 1/2 – 4 apples!! No wonder they were pure sugar and no wonder I had to dillute them with water.
It was a great option for me at the time, as I said in my post, but in the future I’ll definitely be making them myself so I can control what goes into them.
Carrots and beets and ginger. I can get into a juice with just those!
Good, honest writing about juicing! I’ve seen so much about how “juicing is all the way or not at all” and I just don’t think that’s right. I’m with you. I think juicing has a lot of great aspects but I think it should be done in moderation like everything else. I haven’t been able to take the leap of getting a juicer yet because the thought of wasting all the pulp is awful to me! My mother in law has a juice so I’ll probably just borrow hers 😉 I do love fresh juice, though!!
I’ve heard you can make crackers from the pulp so I totally need to try it!