Juicing was a popular dieting method in the 90’s, but it seems to be making a resurgence. With stores like Juice Generation popping up all across Manhattan, jumping on the “juicing” bandwagon has never been more convenient. Juicing definitely has its pros and cons, and we will review both in order to give a balanced picture.
One of the major pros of juicing is that it is a fast and convenient way to obtain the recommended amounts of servings of fruits and vegetables. According the American Center of Disease Control, the average person should consume three-five servings of vegetables and two-four servings of fruit every day. Finding time to ingest all these servings can be overwhelming, but juicing is a great way to ensure that you get all these servings in for the day. Another positive aspect of juicing is that it removes a lot of skin and pulp from fruits and vegetables, which allows your body to digest these foods more quickly. This allows you to immediately reap the benefits, including increased energy. Therefore, juicing can be a great way to wean yourself off of the unhealthy energy drinks that have been getting you through afternoon sluggishness.
Although juices lack of skin and pulp is good for digestion, it also has a down side. Fruits and vegetables contain a hefty amount of fiber, but you loose out on the fiber when you consume them in juice form. Therefore, it is important to alternate between getting your fruit and vegetable servings from whole fruits and juice. Another con to juicing is that many juices contain added sugar. Moreover, juicing also has a con that effects the weight of your wallet: it is quite expensive. Juice products cost an average of $10 per bottle. Bottom line: juicing is a good idea, but should be done in moderation to keep your wallet and your weight at a healthy limit.
In order to help you kick-start your juicing plans, here is a summary of a few great juices, that are low on calories, that you can pick up at grocery stores all around New York City. The first juice brand I want to recommend is Odwalla. Odwalla carries a great carrot juice that is only 100 calories per twelve-ounce bottle, and an organic alternative version contains only seventy calories per twelve-ounce bottle. The brand Naked also carries a huge variety of fruit juices, with flavors ranging from 100 to 220 calories per serving.
The last juice brand I want to talk about is my personal favorite: Evolution. Evolution is my top pick because their juices offer a unique hybrid of greens and fruit. Some awesome flavors that they offer include: Sweet Greens with Lemon Juice and Cucumber Pineapple Lemon Juice. Evolution juices are also mostly below 200 calories per serving. Equipped with this new knowledge about juicing, you are now prepared to head into the summer ready to drink your way to a healthier body.