So many people ask me about juicing, and whether or not it’s the end all be all of nutrition. Many people have watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and have started on a juice craze. I’ve decided to put in my two cents about what a holistic nutrition coach thinks about juicing.
1) Vegetable juicing can be a great ADDITION to an already healthy diet. An example of when juicing is appropriate is sipping on juice while you are at your desk at work between meals, or after you’ve had a workout. More than once, I’ve talked to people who have done long juice fasts and have dropped weight dramatically. But when they start to eat again, the weight comes back on quickly, because learning how and what to eat is first and foremost.
2) Stick to mostly vegetables. People tend to throw in too many fruits. Instead, focus on cucumbers, leafy greens (you can juice leftover kale and collard stalks!) and celery. Juicing too many fruits can upset your blood sugar balance.
3) Is it the right time of year? The right time of year can be important. Juicing is something that is more aligned with the summer months. In winter, our bodies tend to crave warm soups and stews. Remember, your body is intelligent, so listen to it.
4) Balance Thermal Properties: Many common vegetable used for juicing are cooling in nature, which is fine for summer months, but in winter remember we want to eat more warming foods. If you INSIST on juicing, add some warming foods in to balance out your juice.
Cooling Foods
Cucumbers
Spinach
orange
lemon
bananas
apples
pears
Chard
Romaine Lettuce
Warming Foods
Ginger
Cayenne
Cinnamon
Garlic
Coconut milk/meat
*From http://www.acupuncture.com/nutrition/chinut1.htm
5) Your body needs protein and fats! Juicing alone is not a good source of protein or fats. It’s mainly carbohydrates and nutrients. Which, by the way, many of the nutrients in juices are more absorbable with a healthy amount of fat, so if you are hell bent on juicing, add some healthy fat to it. An avocado, pastured egg yolk, chia seeds, and extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil can be helpful for absorption.
In summary:
Juice in addition to a healthy diet, not in place of a healthy diet.
Focus on organic vegetables instead of fruits.
Think about time of year
Blend in warming foods
Add some fats!
So there are my two cents! Happy Nourishing everyone!
Tammy
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