Top 5 Reasons to Juice…In Moderation!

These days it seems everyone from Gwyneth to your Dad is pushing the benefits of fresh juice.  Perhaps you’ve tried a juice cleanse yourself or maybe you are on the other end of the spectrum and the sight of the “green stuff” makes you ill.

I’m certainly not a health care professional nor a dietitian but what I’ve found when it comes to juicing is… moderation is key. (Duh?!)

Here are 5 reasons to get your juice on, plus why too much of a good thing ain’t always a good thang.

1. Enzymes and antioxidants: The standard American diet (dubbed the “sad diet” for a reason) tends to be filled with too much processed food and too few fresh fruits and vegetables. Processed food options often contain little nutrients. Juicing using fresh veggies and fruits provides powerful enzymes and antioxidants which replenish the body and ward against illness.

2.  “Clean energy”: We often wax lyrical about the importance of clean energy in terms of the earth but it’s also terminology that can be applied to the body.  As a self professed coffee addict I’ll be the first to say I need the caffeine “buzz.” However, the energy a good green juice provides lasts far longer – without the jitters and heart palpitations that can come with too much caffeine.

3.  Locavore love: Late summer and fall in eastern Pennsylvania provide an abundance of fruit and vegetables that are ideal for fresh juice. Take advantage of your CSA produce! Dark greens like kale and spinach make a super nutritional base. Seasonal beets, carrots, apples, cucumbers and celery are also good choices. Hint: When juicing with celery and kale add in a sweet fruit like apple to hide the bitterness.

4. Sustainability:Unlike processed and boxed foods, produce comes in little to no wrapping or packaging. And, if you choose local fruits & veggies the carbon footprint is significantly lower than those of other foods which have to be shipped, wrapped and distributed across the country (or internationally.)

5. Weight loss? Why the question mark? Well, without naming names prepackaged juice companies are getting rich off their 3 & 5 day juice cleanse options as consumers eat up (pun intended) their rapid weight loss promises. While these “cleanses” can be a a great way to detoxify the body and increase nutrient intake they are not effective for long term weight loss. Sure, a few pounds of water weight will disappear. But, as soon as you go back to solids the weight is likely to come back. Not a sustainable technique, friends.

A better solution? Add raw, fresh juice to your weekly routine in place of packaged junk and you’ll likely have more energy and enjoy long lasting benefits. Besides, who really wants to go without chewing for 3 days?

Where to pick up fresh juice in Philly? A few options:

• The Four Seasons Juice Bar in Reading Terminal Market
• Raindrop Cafe
• Sweetgreen

Want to make your own juice at home? Consider a Breville or the less pricey Nutri Bullet.