If anyone turns on the TV, flips through a magazine or talks about a health trend, it seems like nearly everyone is on some sort of diet. One in particular is on the rise: juice cleanses. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? It consists of all raw fruits and vegetables. One will drink only the juices of these ingredients, making it a “detox.” Despite it containing only healthy ingredients, it turns out there are not-so-beneficial effects to this after all.
The main goal of the fad is to get rid of toxins, but our bodies do that themselves. That is why humans have livers, kidneys and intestines. If the body does not want to keep something, these filter and expel the unwanted matter or toxin. When juicing, many important components of the foods themselves are lost, yet the body craves these lost parts. UW-La Crosse’s on-campus nutritionist Katie Callahan explained what was being disregarded. “In not eating the whole fruit, you are missing out on the fiber to keep you full.”
“Also, while fruit contains excellent vitamins and minerals, people forget that a fruit is contains a significant amount of sugar. Consumption of large amounts of just the juice from the fruit will not keep you as full as the real fruit simply because the fiber is no longer in the picture. Instead, stick to two to three servings of whole fruit a day,” Callahan said.
There are some myths related to juicing. Some believe that it can boost energy and overall health. When not getting all the nutrients the body needs, someone might find themselves to start getting headaches, feeling sluggish, lightheadedness and more.
Other reasons to partake are to lose weight and follow celebrity trends. Someone beginning a juice cleanse may find they are losing weight, but the only thing they are really losing is water weight. This weight is also a deterioration of muscle, not necessarily weight coming from fatty tissue. After the diet ends, the juicer is likely to put the weight right back on.
A few powerful celebrities have endorsed juicing as a legitimate weight loss program. Fans find confirmation of their thoughts by assuming the celebrity’s dieticians approved the diet, therefore it must be okay.
A problem with the idea overall is there is no solid proof for or against juicing. Callahan has better ideas for a healthier body without the juice.“There is very little scientific evidence on how effective juicing truly is. Any sort of long-term detox done without the consultation of a healthcare professional could lead to potential electrolyte imbalances.  I truly believe that the healthiest and most realistic way to a healthy metabolism is to eat real, whole foods and to limit the amount of processed foods in the diet. Our bodies are a lot smarter than what we give them credit for.” Some “safer” ways to go about juicing would be to first consult a professional. They will likely give better options, but if lack thereof, they would be able to help with ways to go about it- what to include and how long to go for.
To live a healthy lifestyle, some recommend not going on a diet, but to make lifestyle changes. Diets are typically temporary while lifestyle changes are long term and usually healthier and more beneficial for someone mentally and physically.