To juice or NOT to juice…that is the question.
I’m pretty used to people coming to my home and saying “Wow, this place is so super healthy. I can’t believe it,” but last week was the funniest.
As you may or may not know, it does take quite a few people to keep the Diet Solution Program running. Last week I had a bit of a “retreat” at my house where I invited 3 of our employees to come and work from my house and spend some time together.
I always try and be the “hostess with the mostess” and in my best Martha Stewart impression I asked “Can I get anyone anything? Some food or a drink?”
One of my employees replied, “Yes, I would love some juice please.”
As I did everything in my power to hold back the look of death, I said “We don’t have any juice. How about water or a tea?”
Without going through the entire conversation, this particular employee couldn’t believe there was no juice in the house. Moreover, she absolutely could not believe that my son does not drink juice and only drinks water (and yes, I did let her keep her job).
She has, of course, read and knows the DSP inside and out, but she admitted that she really didn’t believe that I completely lived my life that way until she saw it with her very own eyes.
But back to the juice…
Juice is one of those drinks that many people perceive as healthy, especially when it’s labeled natural or organic and it says it is made from all natural ingredients. Let me clear this up right now…Juice is NOT part of a healthy eating plan unless you are freshly squeezing it right in your kitchen with your own hands or through a juicer.
“But Isabel. My juice says its organic, natural, 100% juice with no sugar added. Is that ok?”
Well, I spent a significant amount of time reading the label of almost every single juice container, juice box, and juice product and they all came up the same…with tons of SUGAR. Read the label clearly and you will see that every gram of carbohydrate contained in the juice directly comes from sugar.
“But Isabel. All the carbs from fruit are from sugar too right?”
Yes, fruits are almost entirely sugar (coming from fructose), but a whole fruit also contains plenty of fiber and vitamins that are lost when you make a juice, bottle it and store it for any amount of time.
“But Isabel. My juice is fortified with calcium, Vit D and iron (or whatever they are fortifying juice with these days).”
When you “fortify” any food or drink with a vitamin and/or a mineral, your body is smart enough to know that this is not the real version of this particular nutrient. So much so, that it will choose not to use it. Yes, all of these fortified products are not giving you the vitamins and minerals you need. You must obtain these from natural sources like real fruits and vegetables (i.e. real food).
So if you’re a juice lover like many people are or have fallen for the “juice is healthy” trap, here are a few strategies to help you get your juice fix while simultaneously following a healthy eating plan.
1. Buy a quality juicer and make your own juice. There are so many different delicious and nutritious juices you can make in a juicer that will give you a super boost of vitamins/minerals and super nutrition. One of my favorite is carrot, apple and ginger. Be careful though! If you’re anything like me and sensitive to too much sugar at once, I would suggest having a serving of 4 oz or less or mixing your 4 oz with some water. I would also suggest juicing primarily vegetables and not as many fruits. This is a great way to get in some serious nutrition without having to eat vegetables all day long (a great option for children). I would also combine your fresh juice with a protein and healthy fat to keep your blood sugar balanced.
It is best to drink freshly made juice right away, as the longer it is stored, the more it will decline in nutrition. You can put your juice in a glass jar with an airtight lid and fill it to the very top. There should be a minimum amount of air in the jar as the oxygen in air (air is about 20 percent oxygen) will “oxidize” and damage the juice. Wrap the jar with aluminum foil to block out all light. Light damages the juice.
2. Make my favorite “tea juice“. If you haven’t seen this recipe in the Diet Solution Recipe Guide, here it is again:
5-6 bags caffeine-free herbal tea (e.g., peach, mint, chamomile, or fruit tea)
3 quarts boiling water
Stevia powder (or liquid) to taste
Pour water over tea bags in a large pot. Add stevia while tea is hot. (Adjust amount
according to the desired sweetness.)
Let the tea cool, remove tea bags, transfer tea to a serving pitcher or individual water bottles, and refrigerate.
3. Make your own DSP approved lemonade. My business partner loves this and drinks it almost daily (be careful if you’re sensitive to citrus or too much lemon.) Mix the juice from half a lemon, 5 drops of liquid stevia and 12oz of water in a large cup. Add more stevia or lemon based on your taste. This drink is a great alternative to people who need a bit more flavor than plain water all day.
So what did I end up serving my thirsty employee? Water! (And she bought juice when we went out to lunch). Oh well, I tried.
Isabel, I have been reading your news letters for over a month now and really like your program! I take receipes from here and there but the truth is I’m a young, single, struggling Social Worker, I really want to be healthy but right now an just looking for a low cost grocory list. I love your program and so far have been following it and taking what I want out of the plans I end up low on my daily intake making it harder for optimal muscle gain and fat loss. I want to pay for a plan but I don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on goceries. I was just wondering if you had a good meal plan for a day to go to the gym, where optimal fat loss would be possible.
PS I made your juice ad it was delicious!
Are you familiar with Mona-Vie acai juice blend? If so, what is you take on this product?
Hi Isabel,
Your Tea recipe calls for Stevia. Whats your thoughts on using Manuka Honey as a sugar substitute. My wife happens to like the Earl Gray tea sold by Bigelow. This is described as a Black tea flavored with natural bergamot(oil). I don’t know what “bergamot” is. I’m assuming you have some familiarity with Manuka Honey.
Here’s a Link to one of many Websites which provide some info for Manuka Honey.
http://www.evolutionhealth.com/pure-synergy/manuka-honey-benefits.html
Hi there! I read the newsletter about the juice and have a question about
something that I have been drinking. Although it is called Youth Juice, it
is made with 7 pounds of 7 of the worlds most powerful antioxidative berries
through a proprietary whole berry extraction process. Ellagitannins, Kombu
Fucoidan and Vitamin D3 are added as well as 18 essential vitamins and
minerals as well as having naturally occuring Resveratrol. There are no
preservatives and only a small amount of fructose and stevia leaf extract
are used. What would you look for in a product like this as far as knowing
if it would fit into this plan?
Any feedback would be appreciated!
Thanks so much, LOVING the plan and the recipes!!
Jannah
Jen & Jannah,
Both of those juices sound great! However, I would still recommend drinking them in great moderation – only about two tablespoons a day. Enjoy!
Ron, Manuka honey sounds like a great sugar substitute. Make sure you pay attention to the Suggested Uses on the site you provided – it sounds like a great way to combat illness!
Hi Isabel
Purely by accident I came across your informational video on the 10th of May and it was like music to my ears. At the end of the video I didn\’t even hesitate and purchased it immediately. After reading the manual (13th May)I started with the \"14 Days to a Sexy New Body in 2010\". I can sum up in just 3 words how I feel about it, I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! I lost 7.5 pounds in the first 2 weeks. After the 14 day period I\’ve moved on to the 20 Day Meal Plans for Protein types and after that will switch to using your weekly menu planners to put together my own meals.
Everything makes so much sense! Most of which I already knew but there were a few surprises in there like the advantages of cooking with coconut oil (extra virgin of course!). But the most convincing for me was the advantages of going organic. I\’ve completely switched to organic produce since starting your program. I can not only taste again but I\’m surprised everyday at the real flavor of meat, fish & veggies!
The best part is that just after one week I was getting loads of compliments from friends, colleagues & family members. What more do you need as motivation, eh?!? My back ache & knee pain has disappeared. My clothes fit much better. My goal is to loose 22 pounds and after that to maintain it for the rest of my life. There is no doubt in my mind that I will reach this goal.
A few weeks ago I added Yoga to my exercise routine (more for the peace of mind and relaxation then the exercise) and I\’ve now started some sculpt & toning excercises. I also ordered Mike Geary\’s \"The Truth About Abs\". I\’m looking forward to seeing results soon.
So here\’s a very big thank you for giving me back
my healthy body (inside & out), my energy, my peace of mind and finally but most importantly my positive outlook on life!
-Virginia
PS I love your newsletter and your emails. I always look forward to them.
Have you see the youtube video Sugar: The Bitter Truth? That really changed my thoughts on fructose!
I recently read that nutrients in veggies are fat soluble, meaning they can only be absorbed with fat. So if we decided to make our own juices, we should take coconut oil with it so our bodies can absorb the nutrients?
Glad your blog is back up and running =)
I am a big soda drinker. I did switch from regular to diet soda many years ago. I do not drink coffee so my morning diet coke is my caffiene fix. Based on the info I have read about artificial sweetners can you tell me if I should drink a diet coke or a regular coke to get my caffiene fix. I tried going cold turkey today and have a terrible headache.
Anne, I can’t recommend drinking either regular Coke or Diet Coke because one has high fructose corn syrup and the other has aspartame – both of which are not good for you. I woul recommend switching to black tea or green tea in an effort to wean yourself off the caffeine. Both are much healthier alternatives to Coke.
Good morning Isabel, I always enjoy reading your newsletters but this mornings…Does Your Belly Hurt…really hit home with me. I spent 5 months off of sugars and wow, felt like a million bucks then I thought…one peanut butter brownie won’t hurt me, then the one became another the next day and then another and before I knew it, I couldn’t even eat the natural sugars in fruit without getting stomach aches and bloating. After reading this article I realized how many errors I have been making in my food choices. It’s not just the sugars, it’s enjoying that iced water with my meals, eating my favorite comfort food, mashed potatoes, every night with my meal, and eeks…eating dinner with my hubby while watching the news. I guess I break every rule in the book.
This article has really opened my eyes. THANK YOU!
Hey, Isabel !
Thanks for all the info you’ve been sending me and especially for the digestion pages from Yuri, which really came in handy !
Hi Isabel,
I have hit a plateau after losing 12 pounds. I haven’t lost any more weight for about 3 weeks. Can this be expected? What can I do about it?
What do you think of this new investigation regarding Agave syrup?
http://www.glycemic.com/AgaveReport.htm
Do we or do we not continue to use agave as a natural sweetner to aid weightloss?!
Hey Michelle, thanks for sharing that article you found. I actually no longer recommend using Agave as a sweetener – check out this article from Dr. Mercola for more information http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/30/beware-of-the-agave-nectar-health-food.aspx
Hi Isabel! I just wanted to let you know that I have started the DSP and I am so excited to change my life. Everything that I have read so far in the manual, videos, and blogs make COMPLETE sense to me and has basically answered all of the question I’ve had and explains why I haven’t been losing weight. Thank you so much for helping people like me out
Kiki