Juicing Fruits and Vegetables: Some Touted Benefits are Far-fetched

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Fruit and vegetable juices have many health benefits, but no convincing evidence indicates that "juicing" is healthier than eating whole fruits and vegetables, according to the February issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

Juicing involves using an appliance to turn raw fruits and vegetables into liquid. Swigging liquid produce from a cup can be tasty and healthful, but some claims made by juicing proponents are far-fetched.

The Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers juicing claims that don't stand up to scrutiny. Some of those claims and the corresponding facts are:

• The body absorbs more nutrients from juice — The theory here is that fiber, often filtered out of juice, is too taxing on the digestive system, and that fiber impairs digestion of fruit and vegetable nutrients. The opposite is true. The digestive system needs fiber to function properly and to remain healthy.
• Juices help cleanse toxins from the body — No convincing evidence supports this claim. The liver and kidneys efficiently process and eliminate toxins.
• Juicing helps with weight loss — Weight loss (or gain) is about calories consumed and burned. Homemade juices can have high amounts of natural sugars and surprisingly high calorie counts.
• Juicing is economical — Juicing machines can cost from $30 to $300. For frequent juice drinkers, the cost of juicing at home may be lower over time than purchasing 100 percent juice. However, grocery costs can easily increase because of the volume of produce needed to make juice. The most economical approach may be to consume whole fruits and vegetables.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on today's health and medical news. To subscribe, please call 800-333-9037 (toll-free), extension 9771, or visit Mayo Clinic Health Letter Online.

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