Juicing has been an attractive wellness practice since the ,70s, marketed to provide health benefits that range from helping you achieve glowing skin, weight loss, higher energy levels and cleanse your body from toxins. When juicing, fruits and vegetables are squeezed, pressed or run through a machine to separate the juice of the plant from the fibrous pulp. Over the years, juicing has been commercialized into fasts or cleanses that are advertised as ways to “reset” your metabolism and “detox”. Such cleanses are typically followed for anywhere from one to 10days and are often sold as packages where you drink several pre-squeezed juices per day to “flush out” any harmful substances. When trying to adopt healthier nutrition habits, it’s not uncommon for someone to spend hundreds of dollars on a juice cleanse as a first step to “kick start” that change.
Notice all the air quotes? Despite the popularity and allure of a juice cleanse, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support the reset, kick start or detox health benefits touted by juice cleanse proponents. In reality, the benefits tend to be temporary and anecdotal. If you see pre-packaged juice cleanse diets or programs that promise significant results or make dramatic health claims, approach with caution. Let’s bust some myths that we commonly read or hear about when it comes to juice cleansing:
Myth: Juice cleanses detox your body and metabolism.
Science: This is arguably the most common claim associated with juice cleanses. It’s important to point out that marketers almost never identify which toxins are removed and how, so the cleansing mechanism is rather mysterious. This is because our bodies are naturally intelligent and skilled at getting rid of toxins using healthy organs and a series of chemical reactions. We don’t need juice or a cleanse to facilitate this process. The liver, kidneys and intestine are the body’s detox lines of defense. These organs all play a role in neutralizing toxic substances by helping them develop the ability to dissolve in water. Once toxins are water-soluble, they can be excreted and literally flushed out when we go to the bathroom. Nutrition can support our organs’ natural detox systems through consumption of minimal saturated fat and refined sugar, and more lean proteins, unsaturated fats, complex carbohydrates and a variety of antioxidants found in whole fruits and vegetables. These various nutrients serve as cofactors, or assistants, in our organs’ detox processes. A healthy diet with whole, plant-based foods and lean proteins will give the body the machinery it needs to eliminate harmful substances. Drinking a series of juices will not.
Myth: Nutrients are better absorbed through juicing.
Science: In actuality, nutrients are better absorbed in a more whole form rather than through juice. Most juices discard the pulp, the part of the juice that is filled with fiber. Fiber keeps the pipes moving! The irony in this is that juicing programs claim to have cleansing powers, when in reality, juice cleanses eliminate nature’s most efficient way to “cleanse” the digestive track — fiber. If you still want a soft/liquid texture, I recommend blending your fruits and vegetables into a smoothie to retain the fiber. The fiber in the smoothie will contribute to a slower increase in blood sugar and energy, rather than the sharp energy spike and quick crash experienced during a day of drinking juices. Research also shows that blending fruits or vegetables in a smoothie texture makes the antioxidant activity of those foods stronger and more available for absorption. If you want the benefits of some of the vitamins and minerals that juice offers, you’re better off making a smoothie and adding low-fat Greek yogurt, soy milk or protein powder for a more well-rounded and nutritious option.
Myth: A juice cleanse can help with weight loss.
Science: Given the fact that any sort of cleansing diet lowers your overall calorie intake for the day, a juice cleanse can help with temporary weight loss. Many juice cleanse programs involve the consumption of juice — or juice with a random supplement regimen — to promote weight loss. But that weight loss will not be sustainable and will likely be gained back when returning to a healthy, normal calorie intake after the cleanse. Drinking only liquid juice throughout the day could also make you go to the bathroom more frequently, which may also contribute to a lower number on the scale. However, this could be dangerous and lead to an imbalance in electrolytes, especially over a multiple-day cleanse.
Myth: Juicing can improve health and bloodwork
Science: There is currently more scientific evidence to suggest that juice cleansing can have a negative effect on the body than there is that it will have a positive one. Fruit and vegetable juices are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which is a good thing. As we know, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Juicing or participating in a juice cleanse is ill-advised for those with specific yet common medical conditions such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease or dysfunction. Fruit juices are high in concentrated sugar, which makes blood sugar management challenging, especially since these juices typically lack fiber and other nutrients to balance out the sugar in fruit. Additionally, fruit and vegetable juice can be high in oxalates, a plant-based compound linked with the formation of kidney stones. Vitamin C, found abundantly in many fruits and vegetables used to make juices, can enhance oxalate formation and exacerbate the potential negative effects on the kidneys. Other research suggests that juicing is likely taxing on your liver and gallbladder as well. If you have compromised kidney, liver, gallbladder or glucose metabolism, it’s best to steer clear of juice cleanses — you can get those nutrients in many other ways!
Some people enjoy juicing as part of their daily routine, particularly in the mornings as a way to start the day. If you are in good health, one glass of freshly squeezed juice may be one way to get in some extra antioxidants. In my opinion, you’re better off saving your money on the fancy juice machine or the five-day cleanse. You will receive more benefit from eating whole fruits and vegetables or drinking a smoothie to get a variety of additional nutrients and food groups.
There is minimal scientific evidence to support claims advertised by juice cleanse companies, and some of these claims can even be dangerous or demonstrate the opposite effect of what is marketed. Juice cleanses appear glamorous and energizing, yet they lack nutritional balance as well as nutrients that we need to support our organ’s natural detox systems.
Emma Willingham is a registered dietitian who practices in an outpatient hospital clinic and through her private practice, Fuel with Emma. Willingham specializes in sports-performance nutrition, weight management and nutrition counseling, and aims to promote a resilient relationship between food, mind and body. You can find her on social media at @fuelwithemma.
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