Juice Is The Biggest Health Scam Of All

Juice is the single most useless food/beverage item to exist.

Today I had a realisation. 

I was watching a video of someone talking about a “reset” or a period of cleansing and they were putting their very good vegetables and fruits into a juicer and juice was pouring out into a glass jug. 

They proceeded to show and throw away the pulp(and goodness of fibre) and instead show the liquid sugar bomb in the jug and poured them into these cute little glass jars.

They claimed that was the best thing to reset them each morning and the healthiest way to detox.

It got me angry – and I figured out why.

Not because of the idea of a detox or reset – but because of juice.

It’s the juice. 

The idea that it has long been held and marketed as healthy and good for you – especially if its “100% natural” (I see you, Big Juice).

Juice (of any kind, even 100%) is absolutely pointless!

Here’s why:

1. You miss out on the fibre from the pulp – which is natures way of providing fullness and helping develop and feed your gut bacteria naturally.

2. You won’t be satiated – and thus will easily get hungry sooner and over eat (no fibre to help you feel full).

3. Higher sugar spike due to pure liquid and mostly sugar and vitamins – without nature’s natural glucose protector(fibre) – and you can get a sugar high and crash after having that spike.

4. The calories from juice are equivalent to sugary fizzy drinks (actually nowadays even these soft drinks are reducing their sugar and calorie content – but never for juice!! Not for your beloved apple or orange juice.  Have you noticed that?).

5. Repeated blood sugar spikes from quick digesting sugar over time(months and years) reduces your insulin sensitivity – and so later on in life it is easier for your insulin to become more resistant (hello pre-diabetes and other metabolic syndromes).

What about 100% natural juice?

Nope, same strategy, less good for you than eating it whole.

Even if I squeezed the orange juice myself at home?

Yes – even if you used your own 2 hands to squeeze the orange like youre wringing a towel – you are – speaking from your health perpective – causing more harm than good.

What should I do then?

Simple.

Either eat the thing whole OR make a smoothie (fruits) or soup (for vegetables – especially if you roast them first). 

Don’t throw away any of the parts with the fibre because that’s literally nature’s way of organically protecting your body from overconsumption and high blood sugar spikes.

This is less wasteful, better for your satiety and blood sugar, will help prevent constipation and also will just be more responsible.

You also save some $$$

it’s also economic because you’ll eat one full orange maybe 2 max, but its super easy to have to use 4 or 5 oranges to get one glass of juice.

So you get the same and more value from fewer fruits/vegetables and thus its cheaper on costs – that’s money back in your pocket.

Why I’m still angry

Also, I’m so passionate about insulin sensitivity and maintaining a stable blood glucose and the idea so there are very very very few occasions where i see that juice is recommended, such as:

• In a training session, especially in an endurance type eg marathon or long training session(usually with electrolytes like Energade/Gatorade or so), 
• If you are physically dehydrated eg losing liquids and need quick digesting and absorbing sugar

But besides those cases, my opinion is that even giving juice to kids is completely unnecessary. 

I’d go as far as to say it’s the laziest, worst thing for your health – because it gives you a short term high while leaving out all the benefits and potentially causing problems later on.

In summary

Drink your water, eat your fruits and vegetables whole, have your coffees and teas and occasional milkshakes and mixers – but please get rid of juice altogether.

Or at least have it as a treat once in a while, but I would recommend reviewing that daily glass of OJ in the morning, and consider removing it altogether.