Fruit Juice Vs Whole Fruit: Here's Everything That Is Wrong With Juicing

Fruit juice vs fruit: You must have often heard that you should eat whole fruits instead of fruit juice. But have you ever wondered why that is? Fruit juice is a common inclusion in people's breakfast. Many resort to a refreshing glass of fruit juice to beat mid meal hunger pangs. And not just fruit juice, but even vegetable juice is a popular beverage in the world of weight loss. On times when one needs to go on a detox or cleanse, or simply want to reduce overall calorie intake, a refreshing glass of vegetable juice seems to be the best pick. However, this may not be the healthiest thing to do for your health. 

Lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho takes to Facebook to share why he stopped juicing and why everyone else should do the same. According to Coutinho, breaking down a fruit for a juice reduces it to a glass of sugar, and grinding vegetables for a vegetable juice robs the vegetables of their fibre and other essential nutrients. Juicing reduces fibre, vitamins and protein content of foods. Keep reading to know other reasons why juicing is bad for you. 

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Reasons why you must stop drinking vegetable and fruit juice

Referring to green juices, which are highly popular for aiding weight loss and also providing nutrition, Coutinho says that pesticides and chemicals that are used for growing the likes of kale, spinach and celery can be harmful for human health.

1. You don't get sufficient fibre (or you might get too much of it)

Eating whole foods gives you fibre, an important nutrient which aids digestion, weight loss and prevents constipation. Fibre in whole foods fill you up and help you in feeling full for a longer period of time. This satisfies your hunger, reduces cravings and prevents overeating. Juicing fruits and vegetables robs them of their fibre content.

Drinking juice instead of eating food can provide you with lesser (or more) fibre than required
Photo Credit: iStock

2. Chewing food is important for digestion

Eating food involves chewing of food. Properly chewing your food produces digestive enzymes that help in breaking down nutrients from food. Saliva helps in stimulating stomach acids, which can help in breakdown any bacteria or pesticides in the stomach itself, before it reaches the intestines.

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3. Juices can be helpful for cleanse, but don't provide you with nutrition like whole foods

Vegetable juice like beetroot or carrot juice can help in cleansing and detoxifying your system. But they cannot give you the nutrients you need for sustaining good health. What's more is that there are five detox systems in the body: lungs, liver, kidneys, colon and skin. "As long as these mechanisms are working the right way, the food is being broken down the right way and the nutrients from it are getting absorbed in the system. It supplies our defence mechanisms with the required raw material to keep your body clean and detoxified," Coutinho explains.

Juices can help you cleanse or detox, but they don't provide with sufficient nutrients
Photo Credit: iStock

4. Avoid juices if you get bloated and experience gassiness and flatulence

Excess intake of liquid fibre through juicing can make your gut act up, leading to acidity, gas, bloating, constipation etc. It is important to maintain a balance and drink juices in limited amounts only.

Juicing should not be a permanent part of your lifestyle. Always opt for eating a carrot instead of drinking carrot juice, etc. The more you chew, the better it is for your digestive system, says Coutinho.

Also read: Are You Fat Or Just Bloated? Know The Difference Between Weight Gain And Bloating

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.