Practical Nutrition: Juice cleanses
There is something about drinking a glass of juice that makes us feel so virtuous. Perhaps it’s because we feel as if we’re doing something healthful when we don’t take time to eat a balanced diet.
I’ve had clients switch from 20 ounces of soda to the same amount of juice, thinking it’s healthier. But a 20-ounce serving of 100 percent orange juice has 275 calories; the same amount of Coca-Cola has 240.
At least with juice you get some potassium, vitamin C and folic acid that you miss with soda. But that’s an expensive calorie price to pay when a medium orange has those nutrients for about 80 calories.
Juicing, or juice cleanses, has surged in popularity again, especially with Hollywood stars promoting it. The programs give the impression that we don’t get enough nutrients from the foods we eat, or that toxins build up in our bodies.
We tend to forget that we have a liver and kidneys and their jobs are to filter our blood and rid our body of waste and any potential toxins.
Currently, no medical evidence or clinical studies support the benefits of juice cleanses, or that fruit and vegetables as juice are superior to solid forms.
One popular plan offers five fruit and vegetable juice products for a variety of cleanses. Products vary from 110 to 300 calories per 16-ounce bottle, aiming for 900 to 1,100 calories per daily cleanse.
Some weight loss should occur at that calorie level, but it will be regained if a person returns to undesirable eating habits.
Juicing for a short time or for one daily meal shouldn’t cause problems for healthy people. But some people should avoid juicing. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have higher nutritional needs that cannot be met by juice alone.
Children are still growing, so they should not be on the limited calories of a juice cleanse. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly believes that large amounts of juice increase risk for developing obesity, cavities and diarrhea in children.
The AAP recommends limiting juice to 4 to 6 ounces for children ages 1 to 6, and 8 to 12 ounces for children 7 to 18. The rest of their fruit nutrition should come from solid fruits.
Anyone on blood thinners should not juice. Some of them contain greens that could increase vitamin K intake, which can interfere with the medication’s effectiveness. And the large amount of carbohydrate in cleanses could wreak havoc with blood-sugar control in people with diabetes.
The focus of National Nutrition Month this year has been on getting your plate in shape and consuming a variety of food groups at each meal. Fruit and juice are part of that healthy balance but shouldn’t be eaten at the exclusion of all the other groups.
Tropical Breeze Smoothie
Need to sneak more fruit into your day? Try this delicious, easy smoothie. It includes fiber that’s absent in many of the juicing products, and it’s also a good source of calcium.
Makes 2 servings (1¼ cup each)
1 cup nonfat milk
½ cup crushed pineapple (in juice)
1 medium banana
1 medium papaya, peeled and cubed
4 to 6 ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender on high until smooth. Serve at once.
Tip: Slice and freeze the banana to make the smoothie extra thick.
Nutrients per serving: 190 calories, 6 grams protein, 1 gram fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 70 milligrams sodium and 203 milligrams calcium.
“Cooking Healthy Across America,” American Dietetic Association and Food and Culinary Professionals
Recipes for juicing with Bill & Sheila
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