To Juice Or Not to Juice

We often hear this question on websites, morning shows and in magazines. A lot of us are very hesitant when it comes to juices and detox diets or juices as we are not really sure whether they are healthy for us or not. Today we will debunk some myths about juices and help you form a clearer view about them. 

When you go to a doctor and they say juices do more harm than good, they are correct to an extent. The juices they are referring to are the ones we get in tetrapacks or bottles from shops. These are said to be harmful because often they are synthetic juices or loaded with sugar, both of which are harmful for us because there is nothing nutritious to them. They are just a large number of rod calories that we drink thinking they might do us some good. 

The juices that are considered healthy are those that are made out of fresh fruits and vegetables. Not only are they easier to take in large numbers throughout the day but are also thought to be absorbed by our body, the nutrients taken in, faster than with regular fruits. Another advantage is that you can also get juice of vegetables or make a good smoothie and thus enjoy the advantages of vegetables, something we rarely do. Vegetables are loaded with vitamins, iron and calcium and we are often left devoid of them because we tend to cook our vegetables at a high temperature. This denatures the nutritious parts of the vegetables, getting rid of all the useful minerals and vitamins. This is why by using juice of the vegetables, we are able to get these vitamins in their natural fresh form. 
Another plus is that by drinking some juice before a meal, you will experience early satiety which helps lose weight. 

As we rave about vitamins and minerals, it makes sense to ask about the benefits these yield. One of the most common and most sought after benefit is healthy skin, hair and nails. Being loaded on these fresh, natural products gives your skin a natural glow and fights acne, wrinkles and pigmentation. These are also great for preventing diseases like atherosclerosis, iron-deficiency anemia among many others. This is because they contain antioxidants which help in regeneration capacity of our skin, preventing wrinkles, and also fight deposition of fatty plaques in blood vessels that lead to blockage of the vessel. These antioxidants are also anti-inflammatory and so help in keeping the immune system active and efficient. They also contain iron and vitamin B12 which helps increase production of blood preventing anemia. 

So now if you ask whether juices are healthy or not, the answer is yes they are. It depends mostly on the form of juices you take. If you take a packed juices, then of course they are not healthy but with natural ingredients not only are the juices healthy but also very refreshing. So start incorporating juices in your daily diet to yield these multiple benefits!