7 Must-Knows Before Beginning a Juicing Regimen

Believe it or not, people started making juice thousands of years ago. Archeologists uncovered evidence indicating people used to pound their figs and pomegranates until the juice came out.

Plus, grinding fruit with a pestle and mortar is a method that’s been used by many cultures throughout history. 

In 1936, a man by the name of Norman Walker released the first juicer. It came with a book of recipes called Raw Vegetable Juices to help juicers develop a juicing regimen.

Juicing is an excellent way to extract concentrated amounts of minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients from a particular fruit or vegetable. Plus, the liquid form makes for quick and easy absorption. 

If you’re thinking of starting your juicing regimen, there are a few things you should know before. It’s time to get your juice on and learn 7 of our top tips all about juicing.

7 Must-Knows Before Beginning a Juicing Regimen | Naturopathic Dr

Many people compare juices and smoothies, but they are quite different. A smoothie includes the entirety of the fruits and vegetables which you are blending. 

That means smoothies include the skin, the pulp, AND the juice.

Pulp adds calories to your consumption, which is why juice has become a fan favorite for cleansing and weight loss. 

2. You’ll Miss out on the fiber

When you opt to extract and get rid of the solid matter of your produce, the fiber goes with it. When you juice, you’re losing up to 90% of the fiber from those fruits and veggies.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s essential to be aware of.

Even though you lose out on fiber, you’ll still be left with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

If you have digestive issues, you might want to consider adding smoothies into your liquid cleanse as that fiber acts as a digestive aid.

Or you could take the solid leftover from juicing and turn them into a blended soup, or add them to muffins!

7 Must-Knows Before Beginning a Juicing Regimen | Naturopathic Dr

Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t get enough nutrients from their diets alone. Plus, the nutrient levels in many of the foods we eat are lower than they used to be.

This is due in part to processing methods and also the time it takes to move products from the field to the grocery store.

Buying local and organic can help combat that inevitable truth.

When people live in polluted areas or have high-stress levels, their bodies demand even more nutrients.

Fruits and vegetables are FULL of amazing nutrients that can help protect against disease and give your body the nutritional boost that you need.

Juicing is an easy way to significantly increase your intake, especially for those who don’t get enough nutrients from diet alone.

Plus, it’s convenient and could improve your levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, selenium, carotene, and other essential nutrients.

4. Juicing Can Help Fight Disease

Many cancer patients wonder: should I be juicing? 

There are two answers. 

No, you should not be on a strict juice diet because juicing alone won’t fulfill all the needs necessary to invigorate your vessel. 

And yes, juicing can be very beneficial for your body if you have cancer. The concentrated dose of fruits and veggies can increase the number of nutrients and vitamins going into your body. 

This is a wonderful compliment to the diet for patients who have difficulty swallowing during their ongoing cancer treatments.

It’s important to meet your daily needs of fruits and veggies, but it is also important to consult your doctor regularly about having a well-rounded diet if you have cancer and are undergoing treatment. 

7 Must-Knows Before Beginning a Juicing Regimen | Naturopathic Dr

Make sure that you ALWAYS clean your fruits and vegetables before juicing. That way, you’ll ensure that they’re free from contamination like bacteria and pesticides.

Contaminations like E. coli or listeria can make you sick and even kill you. If you think washing fruits and vegetables is silly, just think about the journey of a watermelon, for example. It gets tossed from place to place, rides in the back of trucks, and often crosses many state borders. 

When you cut into a fruit or veggie that has bacteria on the outside, you’re pushing that bacteria deep into the produce with your knife-yikes.

To be safe, wash everything before you juice it. You can make a solution easily using things like lemon juice and vinegar.

6. Make Your Cleanse Short and Sweet

Adding juice to your diet is an excellent way to give your body lots of added nutrients. It also aids in digestion and protects against diseases like diabetes.

But if juicing for weight loss is what you’re after, make sure your juicing diet doesn’t go too long.

Juicing will help you lose weight in the short term, but if you aren’t getting enough calories, it could slow your metabolism in the long run.

Do a 3-day or 5-day juice cleanse to jump-start your weight loss and then get back to eating whole, healthy foods. If you want to stick to liquids for longer, you could also incorporate smoothies and blended soups into your juicing regimen. That way, you can continue for a lot longer. 

The best thing to do before starting any type of juice cleanse is to speak with a naturopathic doctor and find out what will work best for your particular body. 

If you have menstrual cramps, you could also add certain flowers to your juices or smoothies as they’ll help alleviate that pain.

7 Must-Knows Before Beginning a Juicing Regimen | Naturopathic Dr

Healthy fats are vital for sustained energy, cell membranes, and hormone balance. If you’re only juicing fruits and veggies, you’ll inevitably miss out on other essential nutrients.

If you’re set on doing a longer juice cleanse, opt to add protein and healthy fats to your drinks. 

Ingredients like nut butter, greek yogurt, avocados, and almond milk will help you get there.

Take Time to Plan Your Juicing Regimen

Even though juice cleanses can be hard, they are also exciting! Before you begin your juicing regimen, take the time to plan it carefully, and get all your ingredients ready.

That way, you won’t be scrambling around for ingredients and left feeling hungry and nutrient-deprived.

It’s also great to recognize that juicing is a healthy method of receiving vitamins and minerals into your body. There is a balance to everything, and you don’t have to go full out and do a Juice cleanse. You can also take it slow by working juicing into your Saturday morning rituals. 

Do you want professional guidance throughout your juice diet? Schedule an appointment, or call my office anytime!

About The Author:

Dr. Karen Threlkel, Naturopathic Physician, Washington DC

Dr. Karen Threlkel, Naturopathic Physician, Washington DC

Dr. Threlkel received her degree of Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from The National College for Naturopathic Medicine (now called The National University of Natural Medicine) in Portland, Oregon. She also holds a Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology from The University of Maryland. She is licensed in Naturopathic Medicine by the Government of the District of Columbia Department of Health. Dr. Threlkel is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, past president & current member of the Washington DC Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

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