Juice cleanses (or juicing), and other detox diets, have been touted for their ability to eliminate "toxins," control weight, and improve the workings of your digestive health.
Although fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a good overall diet, health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) caution that fad diets generally don't work long-term and may not be as healthy as they seem. And, in some cases, they might even be risky, according to a review of studies examining the effectiveness of detox diets published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics in December 2014.
There is no credible scientific evidence that a detox diet or juicing is actually effective, the study states. According to the review, the few studies that suggested these diets may have some benefit were small and flawed.
What We Know About Juicing and Health
The first step in juicing extracting juices from raw vegetables and fruits. To do this, you use a juice extractor that grinds up and then spins down the food, separating the juice from the pulp.
The idea behind the juicing movement is that raw fruit and vegetable juice can cleanse or detoxify your body and help you lose weight, according to the National Center for Health Research (NCHR). Some people also believe that juicing can help ward off disease and certain problems associated with aging, including dementia.
The NCHR also reports that there are claims that juicing is beneficial for your digestive health — that juice, which lacks the fiber found in whole fruits and veggies, is more easily absorbed by the body.
However, eliminating fiber from your diet might not be such a good idea.
"Juicing may be a good way for individuals who do not consume enough fruits and vegetables to get important vitamins and minerals by creating tasty concoctions of fruit and vegetable juice,” says Debra J. Loder, RD, program director at Remuda Ranch, a program for eating disorders in Wickenburg, Arizona. But, she adds, fiber plays a key role in digestive health and helps people feel more satisfied for longer after eating. Fiber also reduces your risk for heart disease and helps keep your cholesterol levels in check, the NCHR notes.
There is also no evidence that drinking fruit or vegetable juice is better for you than eating whole fruits or vegetables, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). The idea that the enzymes found in raw fruits and vegetables have any special powers is also misguided, because these enzymes are broken down by your stomach juices during digestion, the ACS adds.
A healthy digestive system is designed to break down carbohydrates, like fiber, and is capable of extracting the nutrients your body needs from all types of foods, including whole fruits and vegetables, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Your body is also designed to remove toxins on its own. That’s the job of organs like the liver, kidneys, and colon, the NCHR states.
Why Juicing Is a Dangerous Fad
For certain people, juicing poses additional risks:
- Some say that juicing should be part of a cancer-fighting diet, but the ACS warns that people with cancer should never consider juicing an actual form of treatment.
- Those with chronic kidney disease who consume too many oxalate-rich foods while juicing — such as spinach and rhubarb — could develop kidney failure, found a study published in 2013 in The American Journal of Medicine.
- Among otherwise healthy people, overuse of juicing can cause sudden weight loss, nausea, fatigue, and diarrhea, the NCHR warns. Because juicing limits fat and protein intake, following a juice cleanse can also slow your metabolism and lead to weight gain, the group adds.
5 Ways to Juice Wisely
If you want to incorporate juicing into your diet, here are five ways to do it safely:
- Preserve fiber. Instead of using a juice extractor, opt for one of the many juicers on the market that preserve the fiber in fruit and vegetables, Loder advises. “Either use a juicer that does not remove the pulp or add the pulp to a batch of muffins or soup," she says.
- Control portions. Juice in small quantities to avoid excess calories and weight gain.
- Don’t forget veggies. For a healthier alternative to all-fruit juices, make juice with vegetables and include one fruit for a hint of sweetness.
- Add protein. Incorporate Greek yogurt, nuts, or seeds into juices to balance your carbohydrate intake. Add some protein, and help your body absorb fat-soluble nutrients.
- Eat whole fruits and veggies too. A diet high in fiber from whole fruits and vegetables is key for digestive health, Loder says. "My recommendation is to juice if you want to,” she adds, “but also remember to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables in their whole state to help keep you full and satisfied.”
