My wife is on a juicing kick after watching a “Juiceman” infomercial a few weeks ago. She bought a $120 juicer and now is going through the fruit like mad! The Juiceman says you get more vitamins from juicing than from eating the fruit. Can that be right? My real problem with it is that it’s so waistful…you go through about 3 pounds of fruit to get one little cup of juice. What’s the real scoop on juicing?
I am not a doctor nor am I a nutritionist, what I’m about to say here are just my observations. Please see a medical professional or a dietician for more information.
There’s more vitamins in juice, sure . … but that’s because it takes so much fruit and/or vegetable to get that juice.
What you might gain in vitamins you lose in fiber . . . which is just as important as vitamins.
It’s healthier to eat the fruit. However, most people don’t eat near enough fruits and vegetables anyway, so at least by drinking juice they are getting some of what they need.
Most people also don’t drink enough water, and juice does put more fluid through the body. That’s another reason people tend to feel more energized after buying and using a juicer.
Fresh squeezed juice is usually much tastier than bottled. However, there is also a greater risk for e.coli and other nasties; you must be sure that the juicer is clean and the produce is well-washed.
For more information, read what “Quackwatch” has to say abou juicing: Juicing
Yeah, it could be said it’s wasteful. . . but what would you do with those fruits and vegetables anyway? I bet in most kitchens they would go to rot. So you might as well make juice and drink up.
What to do with all the pulp? Well . . . compost is a good thing. Start a compost heap . . . your garden will thank you for it.
your humble TubaDiva
Thankyou, Lady Tuba. I check out the URL.
Also check out Consumer Reports. About 6 years ago they tested a bunch of juicers and the results were not very supportive.
Use their index for “Juicers.”
IIRC they didn’t really go into the health claim area.
They just didn’t like low-power motors that couldn’t handle much of a load (Juiceman brand included) and the quantity of produce it took to supply even a quart of juice.