The juicing craze isn’t something that is new. And if you’re a fitness fanatic, you definitely know that juicing has been highly promoted for its health-boosting benefits. A fast and easy way to get your daily dose of fruits and vegetables, juicers have been around since the 1930s and were invented by Normal Walker.
Jack LaLanne, fitness expert, died at age 96 and was made famous for his feats of strength well into his old age. The fitness guru put the modern juicer on the map in the 1970s and 80s with his endorsement of the practice.
Everyone in the fitness world listened when LaLanne spoke, and he can be attributed to the massive popularity of juicing today.
But juicing isn’t just some gimmick – it works. And a lot of people often overlook the benefits of juicing or miss these 7 benefits that they may not have thought about before.
7 Benefits of Juicers You May Not Know
- Less Waste
Studies show that 25% – 40% of the food grown and processed in the United States is never consumed. Much of this food is tossed in the waste bin and never eaten. Juicing reduces waste by allowing you to juice fruits and vegetables that you may not plan on eating this week and are on the cusp of going bad.
- Juicing Helps You Meet Dietary Requirements
It’s recommended that you eat 2 ½ – 3 cups of vegetables per day. Fruits are normally mixed into this equation, too. This is a lot of food for anyone that isn’t trying to compete in a food-eating contest, and most people never reach this dietary requirement.
When juicing, it’s a lot easier to pack all of these fruits and vegetables into your diet.
- Diversify Your Diet
Humans are creatures of habit. If you sit down and look at your week’s grocery list, you’ll find that you’re likely eating many of the same foods you ate last week. I get it: you love eating fried chicken and mashed potatoes, but if you don’t diversify your diet, you’re depriving your body of vital nutrients and vitamins.
Juicing allows for a greater diversification in your diet, so you get more of the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
- Better Nutrient Absorption
Fruits and vegetables are easily broken down by the body due to their liquid form when juiced. This has the benefit of more nutrients being absorbed by the body.
Speedy nutrient absorption and nutrient retention is better for your body.
After all, food may taste good or bad in some cases, but it all has one main goal: to fuel your body. The body doesn’t care if your taste buds hate the taste of broccoli – it only cares for all of the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that it needs to function optimally.
Note: A cold pressed juicer will allow for enhanced nutrient retention in your juice.
Cold press juicers are optimal over other types of juicers because they do not produce the same level of heat as the competition. When a juicer’s internal parts get too hot and heat up the vegetables and fruits you’re juicing, this leads to nutrient degradation.
Nutrient degradation will cause a breakdown of the nutrients, making them less potent overall.
- Energy Levels Soar
Everyone in modern society is busy. People work intense shifts, they’re stuck doing a million activities, and if you have children, you’re dead tired from the moment you step out of bed. Time flies by, and it seems like there isn’t enough energy to allow you to enjoy it.
Juicing has been shown to provide an energy boost to consumers.
If you’re eating more fruits and veggies, it’s only natural that your diet is more nutrient sound and that you’ll have less nutrient deficiencies as a result. Juicing allows you to:
- Feel more energetic
- Retain more nutrients
- Eat a balanced, nutrient-rich diet
If you find that your energy levels aren’t what they used to be, juicing can help restore these energy levels and literally revitalize your life.
- Juicing is Detoxifying
If you eat out, enjoy processed foods or find yourself munching on bad-for-you foods often, chances are your body is filled with toxins. Naturally, your gut is filled with good bacteria that aids in digestion and the breakdown of food.
But modern humans live a different lifestyle than their ancestors once did.
Not only can we enjoy the comfort of going to a well-stocked grocery store, but people also have a much less diverse diet. This is more of an issue in some parts of the world than others, too.
In the United States, for example, people can buy items that are well out of season from all corners of the world. And these foods are often heavily processed so that they stay “fresh” for longer.
The problem is that this also leads to toxins in the body growing out of control.
Detoxifying programs almost always include juicing as a key component. The idea is that a person will consume fruits and vegetables to get rid of the toxins in the body – primarily the liver.
Juicing often can help you keep these toxins at bay even when you’re not detoxing.
- Vegetables Keep the Body Alkaline
An alkaline body is a happy body. Acidity levels in the body can have an impact on your overall health and well-being. Juicing allows you to keep your body in an alkaline state as long as you’re juicing plenty of:
- Leafy greens
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Swiss chard
- Collard greens
But it’s important to note that many fruits can lead to higher acidity levels in the body. Citrus fruits are often a major culprit – especially lemons and oranges. If you’re juicing these fruits too often, it can cause your body to have too high of an acidity level.
Juicing can be a major contributor to your overall health and well-being. And when buying a juicer, you’re making a commitment to your health and body. When used properly, you’ll enjoy a more nutrient rich-diet that is nutritionally sound and filled with vitamins and minerals.
