Juicing for health and vitality

Most of us have heard and/or read about the benefits that juicing can have on the body, and whilst many genuinely like the idea of juicing for health, I have found the number one reason patients report not consistently implementing juicing into their daily routine it is the time that is required to make it. I would like to convince you that the 10-15 minutes you could spend on making a daily juice is worth it!

Benefits:

Digestive health: 

Juicing removes fibre from fruits and vegetables, so your gut does not have to work too hard to break down the foods juiced to then utilise. This is great news for those whose digestive system may be compromised (i.e. digestive disorders, gastroenteritis, viral or bacterial illnesses, post-antibiotics), as juices provide us with concentrated forms of vitamins and minerals that are needed to improve gut health and reduce chronic (or acute!) inflammation. Juicing can also assist with the quality of bile produced; which is required to properly break down fats from dietary sources and aid in the removal of toxins from the body. 

Immune health:

Juicing stimulates the elimination organs - liver, kidneys and bowels in particular, which can assist with decreasing the build up of acids and metabolic wastes within the body that when in too higher amounts can lead to increased inflammation and decreased immune function. 

Cardiovascular health:

Daily vegetable juicing with various vegetables and some fruits has been associated with a decrease in high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol levels, reduced systemic inflammation, reduced platelet aggregation (which is involved in the development of atherosclerotic disease), decreased high homocysteine levels and increased folate status.

Juicing Guidelines:

#1 Go organic where possible: It has been reported that you can absorb 99% of the nutritional value of a freshly made juice. So this may also apply to any pesticide residues that your fruit and vegetables are sprayed with and have not been washed off. It may not always be possible to find the organic fruit and vegetables that you need, so keep in mind the “dirty dozen” and the “clean fifteen”; avoid using fruits and vegetables from the “dirty dozen” and choose from the latter:

Dirty Dozen (foods that are highly sprayed and should be ideally be limited unless organic)- Strawberries, spinach, kale, peaches, cherries, blueberries, green beans, capsicum, grapes, apples, nectarines, pears, peaches. 

Clean Fifteen (foods that contain the lowest amount of pesticide residues)- Carrots, sweet potatoes, watermelon, mangoes, mushrooms, avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, papaya, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi fruit, cabbage, honeydew melon. 

#2 Drink first thing in the morning on an empty stomach:

If possible at least 20-30 minutes before breakfast. Your body will be in a position to absorb the vitamins and minerals in the morning as it will not yet be working to digest any food you have already consumed during the day. If you are unable to consume your juice prior to breakfast, try during the day in-between meals/away from food - I recommend 2 hours after meals/food and at least 20 minutes prior to eating. 

#3 No more than 10-20% fruit in your juice

Fruit is a wonderful addition to improve taste and can increase in particular antioxidant and vitamin C content of your juices, however too much and the high amount of sugar can be detrimental to metabolic health. Children will need a juice that is sweeter to be more appealing to their palate - so ensure you are including vegetables such as carrot and beetroot - they are naturally sweeter. Also with children - consuming juice in the morning prior to brushing their teeth will assist in protecting the teeth from cavities. 

My top 5 favourite fruit and vegetables to juice:

Beetroot: Great to assist with cleansing the liver, gallbladder and biliary system. Can assist those with iron deficiency - I often recommend juicing with beetroot for women experiencing heavy and/or prolonged menstrual cycles in the lead up and onset of their period to assist with negating some iron loss. 

Carrot: Excellent for growing children, especially where there are recurrent infections. High in beta-carotene, vitamins B and C, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Promotes healthy eyes. Reduces inflammation of the mucus membranes in the intestine and respiratory tract. Cleanses the liver, and reduces inflammation in the stomach and intestines. 

Celery: High in vitamin B and C, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iron and sulphur, celery is terrific to reduce acidity in the body. It is particularly of benefit in the treatment of gout, arthritis, reflux and where there is fluid retention. It can assist with balancing the pH levels of the blood and those that suffer from insomnia, nervousness/irritability, kidney or bladder problems. 

Spinach: High in vitamins B, C, K, folic acid, beta-carotene, iron, calcium, potassium and sulphur. Can reduce arthritic pain, assist with healing the lining of the digestive tract and to maintain healthy blood vessels. Supports liver and kidney function, reduces fatigue and promotes regular bowel movements. Very good for the treatment of iron deficiency. 

Pineapple: High in vitamins B, C and E, calcium, phosphorus, the digestive enzyme bromelain, quercetin, potassium and magnesium. A great addition for the prevention and treatment of bronchitis, asthma (as well as lung conditions in general), sinusitis or where excess mucus/catarrh is an issue. Is anti-inflammatory, and supports the digestion of proteins. 

I recommend using a few of these as staples in your daily juices, but do not be afraid to experiment! Using seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs will help you to vary your intake of vitamins and minerals, and provide you with the nutrition that you need for each season i.e. watermelons are in season over summer and will assist with hydration, oranges are in season over winter when we often require additional intake of vitamin C. 

Cold pressed Vs centrifuged juicers:

Cold pressed juicers have been around for some time now, one of the apparent benefits of using one of these as opposed to a centrifuged juicer is that they would provide a higher amount of bioactive compounds and greater antioxidant status in comparison to the traditional juicers. Several studies have demonstrated that this does not appear to be the case. One study compared the bioactive compounds ascorbic acid, total phenolic and total carotenoid content, and antioxidant capacity in cold pressed vs centrifuged juicers, but there was no notable differences. 

How long can they be stored for?

This seems to be another question around when your homemade juice should be consumed. My recommendation has always been to consume your juice within 2 hours of making to ensure the highest nutrition. Studies suggest that when stored at a room temperature of 28 deg C, the bioactive compounds: ascorbic acid, total phenolic and total carotenoid compounds, as well as antioxidant values where adversely affected within 48 hours of being made. However, when the juice was stored in the fridge, the bioactive compounds and antioxidant values remained stable (unchanged) for up to 5 days. On day 6, these parameters decreased, and by day 7 they were at their lowest value. So, this is good news for those of you are time poor (especially in the mornings) -  you could make up your juice ahead of time and store it in the fridge, and provided it is in an airtight glass jar and consumed within 5 days you should still be getting similar bioactive compound and antioxidant levels as if you were drinking it freshly made. It should be noted that whilst the research that has studied specifically the above mentioned bioactive compounds and antioxidant status, it does not look at the possible degradation of other specific vitamin and mineral content. For this reason, I still recommend to consume your juices within a 24 hour period ideally, and if not consuming immediately ensure you store it in the fridge until ready to drink. 

So, if you still have a sunbeam juicer pro or whatever juicer you may have purchased or being gifted at some point stored under the kitchen sink somewhere, now might be the opportune time to bring it out and have it take up residence on the kitchen bench again. On average it takes 66 days to form a new habit, so a couple of months from now you could be reaping the rewards from regular daily juicing. 

Note: This article is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat disease. Readers should consult their relevant healthcare providers in relation to their health and well-being.

References:

PMID: 31286079

PMID: 28273863