Certain things tend to consistently drive me crazy – ruffly running skirts, sparkles or running a race “easy” – but despite my own opinions on this (mostly) superficial stuff, to each her own. If you’re running in the first place, then I say do what makes you happy, I’ll do what makes me happy, we’ll laugh, maybe run together sometime and have nice lives filled with miles.
Most of the time I am a big fan of “you do you, I’ll do me” and think it’s a waste of time worrying about what other people are doing or thinking. But it has recently come to my attention that people both in the blogosphere and not are advocating for “juicing” or “juice cleanses.” I don’t really ready most of said blogs (related: what the hell is a “healthy living blog”???), but I do know that none of them are written by nutrition experts. Nor are any of the people I know of who have done the whole “juice” thing. This isn’t a coincidence – I know a lot of RDs, and not one of them would ever a). do a juice cleanse or b). tell a client to do a juice cleanse (myself included, obviously). And I am going to tell you my top five reasons why.
1. They do not “detox” the body – we (as in all humans) have one liver and two kidneys (obviously there are exceptions here), and one of their most important jobs is to filter toxins out of the blood and get rid of waste. Will you pee more if you go on a juice cleanse? YES! YOU ARE DRINKING JUICE ALL DAY. Will that pee contain more “toxins” than usual? Nope.
2. They are missing key macronutrients – there are three big macronutrients that should be consumed on a daily basis – protein, fat and carbohydrates. Juice contains little to none of the first two, and by doing a prolonged “juice cleanse” you’re depriving your body of stuff it needs. I can’t emphasize enough how important protein is, especially if you’re a runner. Our muscles need protein for rebuilding and repairing, and if they don’t get it our runs will suffer.
3. They are lacking in fiber - an important part of whole fruits and vegetables is fiber! It is either removed or broken down during the juicing process, and this can affect regularity, blood sugar and satiety levels, to name a few.
4. They will not make you lose weight – sure, in the short term maybe you’ll lose some water weight – you’re peeing a lot and may be consuming less calories than usual. Your weight will normalize once the cleanse ends. Juices often have a ton of sugar, so you could also be consuming just as many or more calories than usual.
5. They will not cause better nutrient absorption – there is no hard evidence to support the claim that vitamins and minerals in juice are absorbed more or better than whole fruits and vegetables. Period.
In a nutshell, there is absolutely no research supporting any benefits to the outrageous claims certain companies and people make regarding juice cleanses. It’s such a fad – a very lucrative fad – and because of this more companies seem to be jumping on the bandwagon and increasing the popularity, not the credibility. Again, there is a reason why none these cleanses are endorsed by RDs.
real food!
So ok, I’ve just bashed juices a lot. Do I think they have any place in the diet at all? Yes, sometimes. If you are like my Dad and think the only vegetable in existence is a potato, then I will tell you to make some juice with fresh fruits and vegetables because it’s better than not eating any at all. The same goes for picky kids. Fresh juice – that is, made at home from raw fruits and vegetables – can be a great supplement to the diet, but it shouldn’t replace meals or real, whole foods.
So that is my two cents. I know this whole fad is going to continue and maybe get bigger, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep believing the BS.
Now tell me – what do you think?