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.” As you may or may not know, it does take quite a few people to keep the Diet Solution Program running. 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. Whenever entertaining guests, 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 minimal 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.
So now that I’ve shown you why juice is not good for you and how you can make your own healthy drink alternatives, why not learn more about which foods will cause you to lose fat? Check out our informative video right now!
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I used to be a juice junkie until I went to the dentist and realised I had acid erosion on a few teeth. The dentist told me that they get a lot of work through the ills of fruit juice. He said.. “Two words… Sugar & Acid”. I drink a lot more water and tea now.
It turns around what a lot of people believe. I have always known that the big companies making those juice will never tell all the truth.
I like this article, but I think it is important to note that if you are doing veg juices, or better yet smoothies (so the fiber is retained) the sugar is much lower, and the health benefits are greater. But I agree with the author in that fresh juices are where it is at, if you are going to drink juice.
I like to juice vegetables. I hope others see this info and how to juice properly as stated above.
hi… i always knew something is wrong with the juices available packed in the market…so i and my friends go for to a juice center where we get fresh juice squeezed in front of our eyes… hmm…. yummy….
what about freezing juice after juicing for a short period. In the nursing bags.
I had a herbalist suggest this because i work Two jobs with no time during the week
Isabel,
In the south (NC) your tea juice is just referred to as sweet tea.
BUT I actually want to comment on how quickly I have lost weight. I have lost 8.5 lbs in a little more than 3 weeks. I tried to diet for about 2 months prior to this and lost a grand total of 1 lb.
Thank you for a diet that isn’t a diet.
Mary Ann, the longer any juice sits (whether frozen or not), the less nutritious it becomes.
Absolutely right! Juice is meant to be eaten with the fruit it comes from, especially the fiber. Check out what fructose alone does to your body, especially in the quantities that are in fruit juice. You might as well just eat spoons of sugar!
When you buy juice at a store, you are buying PASTEURIZED orange juice, which means the juice has been cooked, along with vitamins and minerals naturally occurring in the juice. So, then the company has to “fortify” the juice with vitamins and minerals. Of course, as mentioned above, your body knows the difference, and passes the “fortified” vitamins and minerals straight out of your body.
I nake ny fruit juice in a blender, skin,seeds and all, mixed fruits. Make one serving a person at a time.
i learned a lot!
Great post. I am not a big juice fan myself.
I did find it interesting to see that you mention that your body knows this is not the real version of this particular nutrient. I would have thought it to be the same.
I have a vitaMix and love the thing. You can drop the entire fruit in there and make some great shakes. I do peel an orange but leave the seeds and all, the same with apples, but no need to peal.
One of my favorite things to do is juice fruits and vegetables. I always try to mix the two up to really get the flavors of the fruit to help the flavors of the vegetables to mix.
If you add 3 Apples, 2 pears, and 2 Large carrots to a juice you will love it. And if you want to add some green flavor, add your favorite lettuce or spinach…
Its great!
is fuze ok to drink?
I would never let myself drink juice that said it had sugar in the ingrediants. But now that I know juice isn’t good for you even if it says ”no sugar added” I am definately turning to more water. I never cared so much for tea.
these concept are great,I was really surprise when I read Isabells chapter on soy!
I really like the tea juice idea. The fact is that juice like other things contain a very high amount of calories and sugar. I just think water is the best option to drink but you still should enjoy your juices and other drinks but just be mindful. Remember a serving is usually 8oz not a whole glass.
Everything that has been said about juice is true. I sometimes make lemonade the way Isabel suggested and also add a little bit of ‘”raw apple vinegar with the mother” it really gives it a distinct flavor and it is very refreshing when it is really cold. Another thing I learned is that it is better to drink hot beverages with your meals than cold ones or even cold water. Isabel what are your thoughts about these?
I agree that, drinking homemade fruit and vegetable smoothies (I use a blender, drink all of the fruits and veggies that way) is the way to go, if you want more than water. But if a serving is only 8 oz, that leaves alot left over that will not get used right away. It will then be less nutritious after setting in fridge all day. Why can’t you freeze leftover to use later in the week? I would rather do this than throw it out. With the prices the way they are. I have never really bought many fresh fruit and vegtables (in the past) because I can not eat them all, before they have to be garbaged. They don’t last long enough in fridge. Juicing them in a blender is the only way I can get to use them up. (drinking takes less time than sitting down and eating a salad.) Any ideas for someone that is low on cash and time to eat more healthy? I have always given up on healthy eating before because I simply can’t afford it. But I truly want to be more healthy and lose some weight.
What is a good way to juice lemons? I peeled it and put it in my juicer, but it had a bitter after taste.
I sure wish I could find a quality single gear juicer for a little bit cheaper than most of them are going for now
Anyone seen Fat, Sick, and NEarly Dead?