Is Juice Healthy?
Juice might be a healthy addition to your diet if it doesn’t contain a lot of added sugar and preservatives. However, in some cases, you may be better off eating whole fruit that is loaded with fiber, especially if you need to eat a low glycemic diet. “Juices can be part of a healthy diet, but they are not a replacement for whole fruits and veggies, especially because you’re not getting the fiber,” explains Dana Angelo White, RD, author of Healthy, Quick and Easy Juicing. “That being said, you’re still getting the nutrients and the hydration—preferably by making your own juices or buying those with the simplest ingredients.”
Expert Tips
The other thing to watch out for is added sugars. Many brands load on the sweetness to compensate for all the “greenness.” Finally, pay attention to portions. White points out that while it may look like a small bottle, often there are two or more servings in there. While fruits are certainly full of good-for-you vitamins, aim to make your juices more veggie-based. “You’ll want to make sure they are low in sugar, with primarily veggies and some fruits for natural sweetness,” says Roosevelt. Veggies like beets and carrots are already on the sweet side. Fruits like pineapple and apples can cut the “green” flavor of your juices, while pomegranate is high in phytochemicals, making it a very powerful fruit source. “Juices are not a meal replacement nor are they a replacement for whole fruits and vegetables. It’s a supplement, like a vitamin, [to what you’re already eating],” explains White. Plus, actual fruits and veggies are already body detoxifiers in their natural fiber-full form, so skimming it down to a juice and drinking only that for days on end isn’t only useless, it’s torturous. Clean juices, with the right nutrient-dense ingredients, can be a great addition to your diet, but they should never be the basis of it.
