advertisement



Q & A Library


Print this page | Send to a friend | Sign up for free e-bulletins
 | Bookmark This Page

Q
Is Juicing Really Good for You?
What are the health benefits of juicing?
A
Answer (Published 5/2/2007)

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.)

Related Weil Products
Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging for Healthy Eating - Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging for Nutrition - Want to change your diet? The Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging online guide is your anti-inflammatory diet headquarters. Start your free trial and get access to an exclusive version of Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid, hundreds of recipes, eating guides, and more.

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.

Creative Commons License Some Rights Reserved Creative Commons Copyright Notice
A portion of the original material created by Weil Lifestyle, LLC on DrWeil.com (specifically, all question and answer-type articles in the Dr. Weil Q&A Library) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Dr. Weil's Vitamin Advisor
Receive Your FREE Personalized Vitamin Recommendation & Supplement Plan Today!

Free Vitamin Recommendation
Let Dr. Weil customize a free vitamin & supplement plan for you. Take the Vitamin Advisor questionnaire today!

Dr. Weil's Spontaneous Happiness
Based on his new book, this online
plan helps chart your 8-week path to
optimum emotional well-being.

Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Diet Food Pyramid
Our interactive tool can help improve overall health through diet.

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging
Your Online Guide to the Anti-Inflammatory Diet. Start eating for your health - begin your free trial now.

Dr. Weil's Optimum Health Plan
Your 8-week plan to wellness.
Begin your journey today!
 

Dr. Weil's Head-to-Toe
Wellness Guide

Your guide to natural health.
Use the Wellness Guide today!

Condition Care Guide
Learn about health conditions from acne to vertigo, and Dr. Weil's view of the best treatment options for each.

Healthy Recipes
Discover a treasure trove of healthy, healing foods and creative, delicious ways to prepare them.

Q&A Library
Over 2,000 questions from you
and their corresponding answers
from Dr. Weil.

Vitamin Library
Supplement your knowledge within Dr. Weil's vitamin compendium. Learn why they are necessary and more.

 
Copyright © 2012 Weil Lifestyle, LLC
Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment.