Of course we have all seen the green juice fads take over
mainstream diets. But the way you drink
up on these juices can have an effect on your diet and weight loss goals (if
you have any). Take note of the
following if you want to juice it right!
1) You may be leaving some fruits and veggies
out of your diet
-While most
juices are packed with a variety of fruits and veggies including green leafy
vegetables, it is rare that we add vegetables such as eggplant, squash and
other gourds, cauliflower and other white veggies like onions and mushrooms, that
have nutritional benefits, to our drinks
-And when we
find a juice blend we like, chances are we stick to it and stop experimenting
with adding a wide variety of fruits and veggies, so we are not going to always
get the most bang for our blend (get it?) from our juice blends
2) Its not going to fill you up like whole
foods do
-There is more
to consuming fruits and veggies than their nutritional benefits. Whole fruits and veggies are very high in
fibre and help to keep you fuller longer.
For one, if you are straining the fibre out of your juices, you are
missing on the fibre. If you keep the
fibre, it is more beneficial but there is also something to be said by the act
of chewing your food (chewing alone burns some calories FYI), the time it takes
to chew and swallow and how much space a whole product takes up in your stomach
than one that is pre blended, that add to your satisfied appetite, keeps you
fuller longer and prevents you from over indulging later.
3) You may be consuming more carbs than you
think!
-Because you
are juicing the fruits and veggies, they take up less space in your cup than
the whole food
-Some store
bought blended drinks contain almost a whole pineapple, 2 bananas, spinach,
kale, carrots…basically way more than you would eat in one sitting let alone a
whole day if you were to eat these foods whole!
That’s way more carbs than you need in a day, and all you’ve had is one
blenderized drink!
-If you
opt for a shake at breakfast, ensure
that its going to have protein in the way of some yogurt or protein powder,
fibre such as ground flax or the pulp of the fruit included, otherwise you may
find yourself craving whole real foods throughout the day
-Chances are
you are missing out on other vital minerals and vitamins. For example, you are not going to put any
kind of meat or legume in your drink and if you are using your blender drink as
a meal replacement, there goes a good chunk of your iron intake for the
day. And while your leafy greens account
for some, the iron you get from meats cannot be found in plant sources.
So, if you are going to jump on the juice/shake/blend
bandwagon, ensure that you are making the right decisions. If you want to consume all your fruits and
veggies for the day in a blended beverage, don’t strain the pulp out and be
realistic with how much of these whole foods you would eat in a day. Don’t cut out entire food groups either and
try to have a variety of fruits and veggies in your drink, avoid sticking to
the same recipe.
Give juicing a try, with the seasons changing there are
always delicious options for you to try!
Photo from: Martha Stewart
