Summer is the perfect season to enjoy plenty of fresh green juices, but how do you combine juicing with a busy schedule? And is it really necessary to juice every day? Before you decide to invest in an expensive juicing machine, take a look at the pros and cons of fresh vegetable juices.
The pros:
1. Better nutrient absorption
The process of juicing helps to break down the vegetables, making it easier for your body to properly absorb the precious nutrients. Instead of having to pass through your entire digestive system, the nutrients go straight into your blood where they work their green juice magic.
2. Wide variety of vegetables
Have you ever considered adding Brussels sprouts, beets or broccoli to your green smoothies? I don’t think so. And if you have, please don’t! Combining starchy vegetables with fresh fruits will cause bloating, gas and other digestive issues. You don’t want to look like a pregnant woman with hormonal imbalances, right? On the other hand, it is perfectly possible to combine a wide variety of colourful vegetables with some lemon or green apple in a fresh juice. Green juices will help you to diversify your diet & absorb different nutrients every single time.
3. High concentration of vegetables
If you lack the time to prepare 6 to 8 servings of vegetables a day or you just don’t feel like crunching your way through a giant salad every single night, go for a daily green juice. Just one glass of vegetable juice can contain an entire day’s worth of vegetables! Speaking of a power-packed snack ☺
The cons:
1. Time-consuming clean-up
Juicers can be hard to clean. A real pain in the *ss. Make sure to check out different kinds of juicers before you buy one. I currently use a Hurom slow juicer, but more than often I just blend my vegetables with some water and then pour the result through a nut milk bag. This has saved me hours of frustration ☺
2. Short shelf life
When you juice your vegetables and fruits, you remove all dietary fibre. This lack of fibre speeds up the oxidation process, which means that the juice loses its nutrients very quickly. Therefore, it is always advised to drink your green juices as fresh as possible. This can make ‘green juicing’ on a busy schedule rather difficult.
3. Low calorie content
Although this may seem like an advantage, it isn’t. Green juices will give you a really short feeling of satisfaction because they are so high in water content and so low in calories (at least if you add little to no fruit). Chances are that you will feel hungry again after just 1 hour of even 30 minutes if you are a ‘fast-burner’. Don’t use them as a meal replacement, because they will increase your cravings for sweets and fatty snacks. Are you still confused by all the information out there about juices, smoothies, fasts and feasts? Check out this article on juices, smoothies, fasts and feasts.
Now I would love to hear from you! Which one do you like best: green juices or green smoothies – and why? Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
