“Juicing” is a health fad that popped up overnight and just won’t seem to go away. Juice cleansing gained popularity back in the 90s and everyone from mommy bloggers to A-list celebrities jumped on the hype train. Every city block has at least one juice bar and everyone seems to tout the benefits of a juice cleanse- but are they really that good for you? Here are a few reasons why juice isn’t as great as it sounds:
5. Juice is basically pure sugar
Fruits and vegetables have a certain sugar content and certain fruits can actually pack a lot of sugar. Juice is essentially strained fruit pulp and water- there is no fibre but plenty of sugar. But natural sugars are good right? Apparently, the body can’t figure out the difference between sugar from fruit or a candy bar. A glass of juice is basically fruit-flavoured, sugary water.
Another important factor is that it’s very easy to overdo it with the juice. The average person might drink a 16-ounce cup of juice for breakfast; which equals several cups of fruit. Also, the juice is more concentrated than fruit and has a greater sugar content. The fibre in fruit also lets the body absorb the sugar slowly, over a period of time. However, when you drink juice, the sugar hit is immediate, causing insulin spikes and inevitable crashes. This can result in Type 2 diabetes, mood swings, energy loss and sudden weight gain. If you insist on juicing, opt for green juices made entirely from vegetables as they have fewer sugar and calories.