Is Juicing Good For You? Detox Health Benefits Reduced By Sugar, Calories In Fruits And Vegetables

Juicing has become one of the most popular modern health trends, boasting an ability to detox the body while boosting immunity and aiding digestion. But is juicing really better for you than eating whole fruits and vegetables? According to science, it’s probably worse.

The American College of Cardiology’s Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Council analyzed a number of dietary trends in a study published last week in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study related primarily to how nutrition impacts heart disease and was intended to “cut through the confusion” about dietary fads.

Juicing proponents claim the practice allows the body to absorb nutrients more easily, aids digestion while helping to lose weight, reduces the risk of cancer and removes toxins from the body, among numerous other benefits.

But, the study found, juicing loads up on sugars and calories from vegetables because a typical juice contains more servings than a traditional serving of whole food and also filters out nutritional fiber.

“The process of juicing concentrates calories, which makes it much easier to ingest too many,” Andrew Freeman, a member of the council, said in a press release. “Eating whole fruits and vegetables is preferred, with juicing primarily reserved for situations when daily intake of vegetables and fruits is inadequate.”

Freeman noted those who want to continue juicing despite the findings should avoid adding additional calories and sugar by eliminating add-ins like honey.

“There is a great amount of misinformation about nutrition fads, including antioxidant pills, juicing and gluten-free diets,” Freeman said. “However, there are a number of dietary patterns that have clearly been demonstrated to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease.”

In other words, for real health benefits, stick to a diet that emphasizes green leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruit.

The Mayo Clinic put it more starkly: “Juicing is not any healthier than eating whole fruits and vegetables.”