Running, yoga and strength-training: you’re probably well adverse in some of the most popular ways to maintain your physical health. Of course, a healthy wellbeing is not without being aware of what you put in your body. Lately, there has been a lot of talk about fitness fads with cult-like followings, one of which is juicing.
Juicing is simply making fresh-squeezed juices to either boost your overall health as a supplement or meal replacement. They can include a variety of fruits and vegetables and whilst it may seemingly appear healthy, you may be surprised that they pose several dangers and side effects that may be harmful to your health.
Next to all the benefits, have a look at these 5 dangers that juicing can bring.
1. Undernourishing Your Body Is A Possibility
Whilst juicing may be a good nutritional supplement, many make the mistake of replacing an entire meal with just a cup of greenery goodness. A well-balanced meal contains 3 main macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Unfortunately, vegetables and fruits don’t have substantial levels of any of these 3 macronutrients. Not only does it not deliver the adequate nutrients needed to stabilise your blood sugar, but a cup of juice also won’t give you enough energy for you to survive the day. If you’re considering to replace all your meals with cups of juice in hopes to cleanse and lose weight, your emotional well-being and mental psyche will probably take a hit.
2. Depriving Yourself Of Fibre
A common misconception many tend to make is that you’d receive tons of fibre since you’d be consuming vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. When you juice your fruits and vegetables, you’d be removing all the fibre that’s necessary to keep your colon in good working condition.
Or worse, they’d be contributing to your constipation! Fibre is what makes up the indigestible part of your stool, thus ensuring your waste moves through your intestines quickly and easily. Without it, you’d be spending a lot of time and effort trying to push your stool through your intestinal tract.
Moreover, the lack of fibre means that you’d lose the barrier that slows down the absorption of sugar. As such, the sugar content from fruits will absorb quickly into your system and it can easily cause a spike in your blood sugar. Apart from the potential energy dip and brain fog you’d experience, your risk for type 2 diabetes will also shoot up if you have pre-diabetes. Don’t underestimate the pulp.
3. Possibility Of Food Poisoning When Opting For Cold-Pressed Juice
When one incorporates vegetables in their juices, most of the time, the vegetables are raw. This may seem minuscule fact, but those who juice raw vegetables have a higher chance of getting a bacterial infection in the gut or stomach.
Pre-bottled cold-pressed juice is not safe from bacteria either. Despite being packaged to ensure its freshness, it still carries bacteria – especially if they’re not pasteurised.
Avoid the risk of food poisoning by opting for bottled juices that use flash pasteurisation as it can preserve nutrients without compromising on your safety. If you prefer making your own juices at home, remember to always practise basic hygiene practices such as washing both your hands and produce.
4. A Weight Loss Solution That Backfires
Juice cleansing has become a popular weight loss method, but this approach is heavily misguided. Not only are you losing out on the 3 macronutrients, you’re also removing all the natural goodness (vitamins, nutrients and fibre) that these fruits and vegetables have in their natural form. Apart from the fact that your body has an elaborate detoxification system all on its own, you won’t be able to further detox your body since these juices have nothing to help the process to begin with.
In fact, all the excess sugar can be converted into energy and stored in the fat cells – which defeats the entire purpose of juice cleansing and detoxing in the first place.
5. Risk Dangerous Drug Interactions
Juices may seem benign at first glance, but they pose serious harmful side effects if they don’t mix well with your medicines. Grapefruit juice acts as an amplifier to your body, increasing the efficiency of the foods you’ve ingested in the same seating. Unfortunately, this also goes the same for your medicine. Grapefruit juices don’t go well with drugs that lower cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation. In fact, it’d increase the amount of medication that enters your bloodstream, resulting in a complex series of side effects.
Conclusion
The general rule of thumb applies for everything, including juicing: moderation is key. If you wish to pursue a healthier lifestyle, always opt for whole vegetables and grains as opposed to juiced ones. If you still like to include juices into your diet, always regard it as a supplementary meal as opposed to a meal replacement.
That said, before you embark in your juicing adventures, always be sure to discuss with your doctor or dietician. You may unknowingly place yourself in a vulnerable position should juicing introduce harmful side effects to your body.
To help you out with the hassle, our MyCLNQ mobile app is your one-stop telemedicine solution for all your healthcare needs. Cut down on your waiting time by booking an online medical consultation with doctors and dieticians who can help you navigate through your pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.