There is a lot of misinformation floating around about the basics of juicing – yes there are some advantages and disadvantages. Here are the basics…
Benefits
- Provides a low-calorie concentrated form of fruits and vegetables.
- Easier to digest than the raw whole foods used in juicing.
Disadvantages
- Juicing removes pulp and fiber.
Juicing
The method is simple: various combinations of raw fruits and vegetable are placed in a stainless steel juicer which extracts their juice and leaves behind most of the pulp and fiber.
First – the foods should be washed and the large ones cut into smaller pieces. Citrus and melon peels, pits, and most seeds, as well as carrot tops and rhubarb leaves (which are toxic), should be removed; otherwise, the entire fruit or vegetable can be put through the juicer. Bananas and avocados, which contain little juice, should be put in a blender instead of a juicer; the pureed fruit can then be mixed with other juices.
Juicing therapists and manuals suggest various combinations of fruits and vegetables to treat specific problems.
- A high zinc drink said to prevent infections, for example, is made from ginger root, parsley, potato, garlic, and carrot.
- A drink high in vitamin C and bioflavinoids that may speed recovery from a cold is combination of parsley, lemon, watercress, red pepper, and kale.
Recent medical studies show that cabbage juice may be an effective ulcer treatment; the juicing remedy uses half a head of green cabbage, a stalk of celery, and a seeded apple.
Some commercial juice bars add amino acids and other types of supplements to their drinks. It is better, however, to include juices as part of the overall diet and to get protein and starches from other foods rather than from supplements.
