by William Paice
Most people begin juicing for the health benefits juicing can bring into our lives. But do you really know exactly what benefits you are getting from juicing raw fruits and vegetables? Let’s explore the top five health benefits of juicing:
1. Juicing concentrates the nutrients that exist in fruits and vegetables.
Have you ever noticed that it takes a whole lot of carrots to make one small glass of carrot juice? The juicer discards the fibrous pulp and extracts the juice, which contains almost all of the nutritious vitamins and minerals found in vegetables or fruits. The only thing that is not extracted is dietary fiber, of which only a small amount makes its way into the juice unless you mix some of the pulp back into the juice.
Because of this process, you may only be drinking a small glass of juice but what’s in that glass is the beta carotene (and other nutrients) of a whole lot of carrots. Most people find it a lot easier to drink a glass of carrot juice than to eat six whole raw carrots!
One of the top health benefits juicing can offer is that the higher levels of nutrients can have dramatically positive effects on health. Some people are even able to stop vitamin supplements.
2. Juices can promote weight loss.
Fresh juices (as opposed to store-bought juices) can be a healthy choice for weight loss. Some fruits and vegetables are known for helping with weight loss, especially when consumed in their concentrated, juiced form. However, that’s not the only way that juice can help you.
Juice is filling and is full of the nutrients you need to support your body’s functions, without as many calories or as much fat as the starchy foods we tend to normally consume at each meal. Therefore, it is a great way to replace snacks, supplement meals, or even replace some meals entirely. Juicing can be a healthy part of any weight loss regimen.
3. Fresh juices contain important enzymes and nutrients that are destroyed in the pasteurization process.
(Studies have shown that several nutrients, including Vitamin C, are destroyed when exposed to heat. Pasteurization involves heat, which is why store-bought juice is not as healthful as raw juices.
One of the health benefits juicing provides is the variety of enzymes that only exist in raw fruits and vegetables. Some of these enzymes promote digestion, help repair tissues, encourage energy production, and reduce inflammation.
4. Juicing is the definition of “whole foods.”
Few food preparation techniques can claim that they use all of the fruit or vegetable being prepared. Juicing, however, generally involves feeding an entire fruit or vegetable into the juicer. This means that the juice extracted contains all of the nutrients and enzymes found in every part of the plant – including the seeds (in some cases), the skin, etc.
The main exception is that juicing removes much of the dietary fiber. If you feel that you are not consuming enough fiber, one easy solution is to mix some of the pulp back into the juice.
Did you know that the skin of the fruit or vegetable is often the most nutritious part? This is the part we are most likely to discard while cooking, yet the part we most need to consume.
5. Your digestive system has less work to do when you drink your fruits and vegetables as juice, allowing for quick nutrient absorption.
Of all the health benefits juicing can bring into your life, the benefit to your digestive tract and to your ability to absorb nutrients is a major one. The digestive tract is so hard working, and is often susceptible to stress or food related illnesses.
By drinking your food in liquid form, you are essentially consuming pre-digested food, thereby giving your gastrointestinal tract a break from the work of digestion. In addition, this allows for very quick absorption of nutrients. Some nutrients may even absorb more easily than when consumed with solid foods.
Want to find out more about the benefits of juicing? William Paice is Editor and Founder of juicing site MEGAjuicing.com.
Article Source: Five Reasons You Should Drink More (Fresh, Raw) Juice
Last Updated on Tuesday, 24 January 2012 00:36
