The world of juicing has faced a lot of controversy over the years. While some people swear that juicing is the very best way to get a healthy dose of nutrients and vitamins into your systems, while removing unwanted fat, others claim that it robs you of the benefits that comes with eating whole fruits and vegetables. So, what’s the truth?

The simple answer is that juicing is truly a wonderful way to get more fruits and vegetables into your system. It increases your chances of enjoying all the benefits that fresh produce has to offer, by ensuring that you consume products you might not have a chance to enjoy in whole form. However, it’s worth remembering that juicing should not be an alternative to eating whole fruits and vegetables — but a supplemental way to simply get more into your system.

The Truth about Juicing

Juicing can be a powerful way to introduce more vitamins and minerals into your body. After all, because you’re removing the fiber from the produce that you’re eating, you ensure that your body can absorb the minerals more readily, without having to worry about using various digestive processes. This means that you can give your stomach a much-needed break.

However, it’s important to remember that when you start juicing, this doesn’t mean that you should avoid all other types of fruit and vegetable intake. In fact, you’ll need to ensure that you’re still getting regular amounts of fiber in your system, to help improve gut health, and support the internal microbiome. The answer to whether juicing is healthy or not is simple: it is, when used correctly.
So, what are some of the benefits of regular juicing?

1. It Maintains Energy and Reduces Fatigue

Juicing fruits and vegetables that are naturally rich in vitamins and minerals is an excellent way to give yourself a lasting energy boost. Rather than settling for the limited energy that you’ll get from caffeinated beverages and sugar, fruits and vegetables give you a dose of powerful enzymes and natural sugars that your body takes longer to process. This means that you enjoy a break from fatigue that lasts for much longer than your standard sugar high.

2. It Detoxes the Body

Juicing is frequently used for the purpose of detoxification, because it’s so effective at giving the body the flood of nutrients it needs to remove toxins and waste. Any good detoxing program needs to focus on removing unwanted substances from the body, while keeping the internal system nourished. This is one of the reasons why juice fasting has emerged as such a popular option over recent years. You can even mix up specific juices that are designed to detox different parts of the body, such as the liver or kidneys.

3. It Reduces Stress and Improves Mental Health

Accessing a greater number of vitamins and nutrients isn’t just good for your physical health — it’s essential for good mental health too. Juicing is an incredibly versatile process, and you can tailor the juices that you make to suit specific needs. For instance, if you’re feeling particularly stressed, you could blend up a spinach-based green smoothie to help you feel better. Because spinach is high in tryptophan, it can even help you sleep more soundly on an evening if you’ve been struggling with anxiety or depression.

4. It Improves Hydration

Great hydration relies on more than just drinking plenty of water. When you sweat, your body loses enzymes called electrolytes which make it harder for your whole system to function. Juicing is ideal for re-introducing some of these enzymes back into your body so you instantly feel refreshed and re-hydrated. Juicing a couple of times a day can also help to remind you to keep drinking as frequently as possible. After all, it can be all too easy to forget about the eight glasses of water we need to drink each day, but a tempting juice is far more difficult to overlook.

5. It Gets You More Vegetables and Fruits

If you make juicing a natural part of your everyday life, you’ll find that you end up consuming far more fruits and vegetables than you would if you were trying to eat them in whole form. Juicing is an easier way to introduce your system to new flavors that you might be cautious to try in your everyday meals. At the same time, even if you’re not too fond of certain flavors, you can use juicing to mix tastes up and create something that’s far more palatable.

Overall, juicing is a fantastic way to boost your physical, and mental health. Just make sure that you don’t use it as a replacement for eating fresh, whole produce.

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Bio: Rebekah is a passionate writer and healthy-eating advocate. She’s always keen to try out the latest foods and recipes, explore new information about health and fitness, and expand her understanding of the world around her with constant learning.