Juicing…is it for you?

Most Americans are not getting enough fruits and vegetables and therefore do not meet their dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, and many other vitamins and mineral needs.  Can juicing help you meet your fruit and vegetable goals?  Is juicing better for you?

Juicing is when fruit and vegetables are squeezed from their whole form to produce a juice. Juicing at home refers to combining fruits and/or vegetables in a juicer or juicing machine.  This breaks the fruits/vegetables down into liquid form.  Most of the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that make fruits and vegetables healthy are still contained in the juice, however whole fruits and vegetables also have fiber, which is lost during most juicing.

Consider the tips below to get the most from your fruit and vegetable drinks:

1. Consider blending instead of juicing. Juicing loses around 90% of the healthy fiber that is found in whole fruits, but using whole fruits or vegetables in a blender can give the same taste and convenience of juice with the added benefit of fiber.
2. Look out for extra sugar.  Juice is usually sweet because of the natural sugar that comes from the fruit ingredients, but be careful of added sugar when you buy or make juice. Especially in products from the store, extra sugar may be added that gives your drink extra calories.
3. Keep portions in mind.  Juice can be a quick and easy way to get important nutrients from fruits and vegetables, but it can be easy to have too much of a good thing. It is recommended that adults limit their juice consumption to less than 8oz per day, and children should not consume more than 4-6oz of juice per day.
4. Is it safe for everyone to try juicing?  Juicing is not for everyone. If you have diabetes or kidney disease juicing may not be an option for you.  Speak with a dietitian or your doctor before beginning a juicing program.
5. Still eat whole fruit and vegetables.  Even though juicing may help you meet your fruit and vegetable goals, it is still important to eat whole fruits and vegetables.  Try to eat a variety of colors from whole fruits and vegetables daily to get a good mix of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.