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Most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables to reap the benefits that they offer. Although the National Cancer institute recommends five servings of vegetables and three of fruits each day, the truth is the average American eats only 1 1/2 servings of vegetables and, on average, no fruit on any given day. Juicing helps provide the solution to our fruit- and vegetable-deficient diets.
Juicing provides health benefits for several reasons: - It is a source of raw food and live enzymes
- It is easily digested
- It often contains chlorophyll and special protective phytochemicals which prevent chronic degenerative disease
- It acts as a substitute for less healthy foods and drinks
- It increases water intake (most people drink too little)
- It can help in weight loss.
Most people do not consume enough raw food, yet a raw food diet leads to major improvements in health and while the reasons are not fully known, the experience is often unmistakable. Although modern commercial food processing results in convenience and cost savings, it does have a very real down side. Most nutritional doctors agree that people who regularly consume processed foods will pay for these seeming advantages, one way or another, sooner or later.
"I am convinced that this is one of the most powerful tools one can use to obtain high level vitality. All of us need raw foods every day, and this is an excellent technique to assure you receive large quantities of them. I see many seriously ill patients and I am always constantly amazed at how potent the vegetable juice is in restoring their health and energy levels." Dr. Joseph Mercola, D.O.
Many of the phytochemicals that nutritional researchers are focusing their attention on are found in vegetables that are easily juiced. Fruit and vegetable juices are also good sources of traditional nutrients, and since juicing removes the indigestible fiber, these nutrients are available to the body in much larger quantities than from whole fruits or vegetables. It is best to mix at least some of the fiber in with the juice and consume it because fiber serves as fertilizer for the good bacteria in the colon and provides bulk, which in turn encourages regular bowel movements.
Fruit and vegetable juice also provides one more substance that is absolutely essential for good health - water. Most people simply do not consume enough each day and many of the liquids that we do drink - such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and artificially-flavored drinks - contain substances (diuretics) that promote water excretion. Fresh fruit and vegetable juice are desirable substitutes for these types of drinks.
So far, the National Cancer Institute’s attempts to promote the health benefits of fruits and vegetables have only affected a small segment of society. As more and more is written about the long-term health benefits of fruits and vegetables and as increasing numbers of people learn about the possibility of preventing and curing cancer, heart disease and a host of other diseases by making dietary changes, the fruit and vegetables trend and the popularity of juicing will continue to grow.
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Juicing can help with the following: | | | | | Digestion |  Diarrhea | Carrot juice and concentrated carrot oligosaccharides have been used in Europe for bacterial diarrhea for almost a century. |
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Environment / Toxicity |
General Detoxification Requirement| | The benefits of consuming freshly-made vegetable juice make it an important part of most cleansing and detoxification programs. |
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Metabolic |
 Problems Caused By Being Overweight| | Vegetable juicing increases not only the quantity of vegetables that you will eat, but also the absorption of their nutrients. Nutrient deficiency, a common problem with dieting, is thereby overcome. Fresh vegetable juice also helps lower calorie consumption because it reduces or replaces other foods that you might have eaten instead. Juicing helps normalize weight, sometimes without a forced reduction in calorie consumption. Juicing also promotes a feeling of being energized. It is as though energy would rather be burned than converted to fat. |
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KEY | | Likely to help | | | Highly recommended |
GLOSSARY
Bacteria (Bacterial, Bacterium)
Microscopic germs. Some bacteria are "harmful" and can cause disease, while other "friendly" bacteria protect the body from harmful invading organisms.
Cancer
Refers to the various types of malignant neoplasms that contain cells growing out of control and invading adjacent tissues, which may metastasize to distant tissues.
Chronic (Chronicity)
Usually referring to chronic illness: Illness extending over a long period of time.
Colon (Colonic)
The part of the large intestine that extends to the rectum. The colon takes the contents of the small intestine, moving them to the rectum by contracting.
Diarrhea
Excessive discharge of contents of bowel.
Diuretic (Diuretics)
An agent increasing urine flow, causing the kidneys to excrete more than the usual amount of sodium, potassium and water.
Enzymes (Enzyme)
Specific protein catalysts produced by the cells that are crucial in chemical reactions and in building up or synthesizing most compounds in the body. Each enzyme performs a specific function without itself being consumed. For example, the digestive enzyme amylase acts on carbohydrates in foods to break them down.
Phytochemicals (Phytochemical)
Substances such as vitamins and minerals that occur naturally in plants and have been shown in research to possibly prevent or cure disease.
Last updated: Nov 14, 2009
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