Is juicing your produce worth the hype? Local experts and avid juicers spill the details.
The juicing process involves separating liquid from fiber by squeezing or pressing the fresh fruit and vegetables. Juicing requires minimal digestion allowing a densely packed number of vitamins, minerals, and plant-based nutrients to go immediately and rapidly into the bloodstream.
Especially since the recent surge of viruses, there’s been a growing popularity and interest in juicing, but is it worth the squeeze or just part of a trend?
“Organic is not a trend, it's a return to tradition. I feel like juicing is the same,” said Jennifer Sigmon, certified health coach and owner of Clean Juice in Levis Commons. “Fruits and vegetables have been around since the beginning of time and that’s what humans eat, so whether you’re eating it in its whole form or condensing it down into a juice, I think it’s the same.
“Juicing has its advantages because you’re getting so many vitamins and nutrients packed into one tiny bottle when, otherwise, to get the same amount you would have to eat loads and loads of kale and celery and all the other things,” she continued. “So if you’re sick or if you have a weak immune system, getting all that condensed is the best thing you can do for your body.”
Located in Perrysburg, Clean Juice had its grand opening earlier this month. Formerly a regular customer, Ms. Sigmon took ownership of the franchise after discovering the store would be closing.
The shop offers products made with USDA-certified organic ingredients with no additives, artificial sweeteners, GMOs or chemicals, with the goal being able to provide their customers with pure, organic juices.
Despite its benefits, health experts advise that juicing is not exactly a balanced diet.
Brittany Wynn, a registered dietitian with ProMedica Weight Loss Surgery, noted that while juicing provides a variety of nutrients, it is still important to get fiber in your diet. “Getting fiber slows sugar absorption and keeps our satiety,” said Ms. Wynn.
Without fiber, sugars are absorbed into the blood much more rapidly causing a spike in blood sugar which can leave you tired and hungry, she explained.
As a dietitian, Ms. Wynn recommends her patients maintain a diet of whole fruits and vegetables paired with foods rich in protein. She believes this combination will help in feeling full and satisfied.
Clean Juice co-owner Matthew Palicki, says the shop gets a variety of customers seeking fresh, organic juice but two types stand out. “There’s the health-conscious folks that are already in this world, they know – ‘I’ve just come from the gym, I need to get my juice on or get my protein smoothie.’ The other demographic is the health-curious that say ‘Hey, my doctor says I need to get my diet on track. I need to work on my nutrition. Where do I start?’ ”
As opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach to health and nutrition, Mr. Palicki believes in bio-individuality, the concept that your unique body has its own unique needs. Everyone may not share the exact same experience with juicing. “But for some people the cold-pressed juices and the cleanses fit directly into what they're doing,” he said.
Adherents of juicing tout such health benefits as weight loss, better digestion, immunity support and detoxification. Some juice blends are rich in antioxidants that may protect cells against free radicals which may play a role in preventing heart disease, cancer and other ailments. Although many of these claims have not been substantiated by health professionals, there’s a growing community of people who use juicing as a holistic approach to healing.
Diagnosed with breast cancer last September, Shelley Schriner of Ottawa Lake, Mich, a loyal customer of Clean Juice, takes a weekly 20 minute drive to Perrysburg for a few days supply of fresh, organic juice.
“My diagnosis left me very prayerfully, on a journey to researching what was going to be best to fight this,” Ms. Schriner said. “Juicing is big in the integrative treatment of cancer. I’ve always been more natural with oils and supplements, but I had never really delved into juicing until I got that diagnosis.”
Now an avid consumer of fresh juice, Ms. Schriner recalled how her journey began. “I started out with a three day cleanse and I could not believe how much energy I had and I just felt so much better. And so now I do it daily. Juicing will definitely be a part of my life daily, probably forever.”
While juicing in conjunction with a whole food diet isn’t necessarily harmful, Nikki Flynn, Registered Dietitian at ProMedica advises caution when embarking on a juice fast.
“Juicing is a helpful way to get vitamins and nutrients and it tastes good. However, advocates don’t recommend more than 4-6 ounces per day. This meets nutritional needs.”
From a health perspective, Ms. Flynn believes that any more could be a little too much. Unless you were put on a low fiber diet, she recommends a more sustainable whole food, fiber rich diet. However, if someone wants to juice, she cautioned to always speak with a health professional first.
First Published February 5, 2023, 5:00 a.m.
