Your Wellness Guide: Juicing 101

(ROBERTO GONZALEZ)

Whether you’re trying to kick your soda habit, lose weight or eat a fresh breakfast, you might be thinking about juicing.

One of the biggest benefits? Juicing helps you to get your recommended daily allowance of fruits and veggies. According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults should eat three cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit daily—and at least half of this should come from whole foods.

“With juicing, you’re still getting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients,” explains Eshani Ewing, a registered dietitian with Orlando Health. “However, whole fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which is lost during juicing.” Ewing points out that we need fiber to feel full and provide digestive benefits. She suggests either blending your fruits and vegetables or making a smoothie to retain the healthy fiber.

Juicing can work well if you dislike the taste or texture of certain fruits or vegetables, or if you’d prefer to “drink your produce.” But Ewing says this should be in addition to eating a wide variety of healthy foods.

Also, if you’re juicing to shed a few pounds, you might want to rethink your strategy. “Juicing is not a sustainable way to achieve weight loss,” she says, noting that any weight lost via juicing is temporary, as it’s mostly water weight. As for juice cleanses, Ewing explains, “There’s no research that juicing can detox your body. It can be helpful as an addition to eating a balanced diet, but not as a meal replacement.”