Juices: Miracle Cure?

Jef L'Ecuyer August 21, 2015 Drinks/Beverages, Eat Well, Health, Recipes

Juice cures have become increasingly popular in recent years. Their “detoxifying” power, which contributes to weight loss is touted as a sales pitch, to promote them. Juice cures promise to make us feel better about our bodies, but what’s the truth behind this new fad?

Pro

Juices contain certain nutrients and minerals from their fruits of origin. So it may not be a bad idea to drink juices from time to time, as part of a regular diet. In fact, it’s a way to supplement your diet, by using fruits and vegetables which you wouldn’t normally consume or don’t know how to cook.  But bear in mind that a serving of juice does not necessarily replace a serving of fruit or vegetable. Why? Because it lacks fibre. When juice is squeezed from a fruit or vegetable, the fibres end up in the trash rather than in your digestive system. Which is not good, and I’ll tell you why a little later.

Making yourself a juice is also a great way to use up all the extra fresh fruits and vegetables lying around in the refrigerator and thereby diminish waste!

Con

As mentioned above, only the liquid from the fruit is used in a juice and not the fibre. However, fibres are an absolute must for the functioning of the digestive system; they facilitate bowel movement and contribute to a prolonged feeling of satiety. What’s more, a lack of fibre in the diet changes the balance of the intestinal flora. A juice cure over a long period could thus cause digestive problems like constipation or diarrhoea. Indeed, no study till date has established that the digestive system needed such “cures”, so they could actually do more harm than good!

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Author

Jef L'Ecuyer

Member of the Quebec College of Dietitians (ODNQ) and Dietitians of Canada,Jef graduated from McGill University in December 2014. Recently graduated and passionate about culinary arts, Jef poses a simple, effective and practical look at daily meal planning. With this in mind, she works in conjunction with the mission of SOSCuisine...