I have always loved juice. Apple and grape topped the list when I was in high school. During this time I began to understand how my caloric intake had a direct relationship with my weight and I eliminated juice from my diet. I was amazed at the amount of calories in a small glass.
My decision was confirmed as I started studying nutrition. All that added sugar and lack of fiber wasn’t good for me. I understood that I should eat my fruit, not drink it.
The problem was I missed juice. In addition, I’m not sure if you’ve checked out the recommendation for fruit and veggie servings lately, but it is nearly impossible to attain even for the most health conscious person. We started at 3 to 5 and that was perfect for me. Definitely achievable. Then it jumped to 5 to 9 there was even talk behind the scenes that it needed to go to 9 to 13. Wow!
Finally the government realized that they were setting goals which initiated the ‘I give up’ mentality in people and they started the campaign Fruits and Veggies More Matters. They are now simply encouraging people to eat more. A good approach, I think.
The thing is I want to be healthy. I want to get my 5 to 9 everyday. However, I just don’t want to eat that much fruit. Sometimes I’m just not hungry for it, like in colder weather.
My solution is to return to juice. However, this time I’m avoiding the added sugars, HFCS and lack of fiber. I juice myself. Not the squeeze-the-orange kind of juice, but using a more professional juicer.
There are some negative aspects to this that I will address. First, it takes a bit of a commitment. There is labor involved in cutting and sometimes peeling the fruit. The clean up can be time consuming as well.
It is proving to be worth it for me though. I get to enjoy all kinds of combinations of juices. I can easily meet my fruit and veggie recommendation. A couple apples and a carrot and I’ve got a great drink and 3 servings taken care of at once. In addition, the better juicers allow some pulp in the juice so there is more fiber than in your typical store-bought bottle.
I’m glad to get back to drinking juice and I feel much better knowing that I’m getting in my fruits and vegetables. It is worth the extra effort to prepare it. Think about investing in your health and try juicing for yourself.
Photo courtesy of Free Range Stock
