The Case Against Juice Is Stronger Than Ever

Juice is the health trend that just won’t go away. There’s a juicing shop on practically every city block, and everyone from your Spin instructor to your mother downs glasses of it daily. There’s no doubt that juicing is ubiquitous—but is it as healthy as everyone says? Juice can help you consume more vitamins and minerals, and that’s a positive for people who struggle to eat enough fruits and vegetables. But experts say it may not deserve its health halo. In a paper published last winter in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, experts scrutinized several nutrition-hyped foods—including juice—and wrote that “whole food consumption is preferred” over a liquid diet. Here’s what to know before you sip. Juice is missing an important component While juice does contain the vitamins and minerals you’d find in fresh produce, it’s devoid of the vast majority of dietary fiber—the parts of the plant your body can’t digest. Just because your body doesn’t absorb fiber, however, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t use it. Fiber moves through your gastrointestinal tract to help regulate healthy digestion and keep you full longer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Eating a high-fiber diet has also been shown to reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity. And without the missing fiber, juice won’t keep you full. Research has found that drinking nutrients is less satisfy...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Diet/Nutrition green juice healthytime juice cleanse Juicing onetime smoothies Weight loss Source Type: news