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Juices: Miracle Cure?
Smarter Option: Smoothies
The solution to all this is to opt for smoothies, because they use the whole fruit instead of just its liquid. So smoothies contain the fibres of fruits and/or vegetables they use, as well as their vitamins and minerals.
But this does not mean you can consume unlimited quantities of smoothies! Juices and smoothies also contain large amounts of sugar that causes a rapid increase in blood sugar levels (blood glucose) followed by a rapid decrease (a “crash” of energy). According to recent studies, the consumption of one or more servings of juice a day increases the risk of diabetes by 21%, whereas if you replace three of these juice servings with whole fruit, the risk is reduced by 7%!
What’s more, juices contain little or no protein, which is an essential nutrient for the human body. Proteins play a key role in muscle repair, hair growth and various enzymatic and hormonal processes. It is because of their low protein content that juices cannot replace a meal. If you like to have breakfast on the go, it is to better prepare a smoothie in which tofu or nut butter has been added.
If smoothies sound tempting, here are some recipes you can try out. P.S.: They all contain protein and use whole fruit 😉 :
A Weight Loss Tool?
Finally, most people use juice cures to lose weight after a period of excess. It’s true that the consumption of these juice cures does reduce calorie intake. But it’s also true that a drastic reduction in the amount of calories consumed causes a decrease in metabolism, which could lead to weight gain rather than the anticipated weight loss. In fact, the body switches over to “preservation” mode and stores the calories it receives as fat.
Fill Up on Fresh Fruit and Vegetables – A smarter Option
In short, juices and smoothies, when consumed in small amounts and from time to time, don’t seem to have any major impact on health. On the other hand, in large amounts or during a “cure”, juices are not as good for our health as we might think. So it’s better to opt for fresh fruit and vegetables that are in abundance these days!
Author
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...
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