Q & A Library

Juicing can be part of a commitment to healthy living and a good way to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, but I observe that people either love juicing or can't be bothered. If you enjoy juicing and juice products, I encourage you to prepare your own juice. It will taste better and give you more nutrients than store-bought brands. One reason for the difference is that commercial juice is heat treated to kill germs, making it safe for storage but altering its taste and lowering its nutritional value. Home squeezed citrus juice will retain more of the fruits inherent health benefits, such as lower levels of inflammation and heart disease. And, since it contains some of the pulp from the fruit, you also get some healthful dietary fiber. (On the other hand, juicing raw vegetables removes much of the fiber you need for intestinal health.)

You should be aware of some potential drawbacks of juicing. Home squeezed juices tend to break down if they remain exposed to air and pathogens can grow in them just as they can in commercial juices between extraction and consumption. For that reason, it's important to drink fresh juice soon after you prepare it rather than making several days' supply at once. You should also be aware that if you drink mostly fruit juices, you might be getting more sugar and less fiber than you need. This can cause problems if you are diabetic or have weight issues. In general, I recommend against drinking fruit juice by itself. Instead, drink it along with something with extra fiber, healthy fat, or lean protein. Any of these will reduce the glycemic load, moderating the impact on blood sugar. Also consider diluting fruit juices with some purified water.

Andrew Weil, M.D.