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Are juice cleanses really as healthy as they make themselves out to be?

Image via iStock.

Juice cleanses have been doing the rounds for quite some time now, but just how good for you are they really?

Lucky You cleanse’s website says that, “Basic elements required for existence such as air, food, and water often include pollution and chemicals,” and that their juices will help you to detoxify from these.

Another prominent cleanse, Urban Remedy, says that cleansing will benefit you if you “experience… skin problems including acne, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis; fluid retention, excess weight and cellulite,” among others.

While Orchard St cleanse’s website goes as far as saying that cleansing can aid in helping couples with their fertility; “if you plan on conceiving, we highly recommend a three to six month cleanse programme for both partners”.

If all is to believed, juice cleanses are pretty incredible, right? Not if you’re Samantha Turner, a Melbourne-based nutritionist.

“We have to understand that our bodies do an excellent job of detoxifying all on its own, our liver, kidneys and intestines filter all unwanted things we digest and expel them through urine, bowel movement, breath and sweat. It is not necessary to do a juice cleanse to eliminate toxins,” she explains.

“We have The Dietary Guidelines of Australia for a reason, and they outline how we should always eat healthy diet based on fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean sources of protein.” (Post continues after gallery.)

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But it isn’t just the “detoxing benefits” that people should be wary of. Another thing to consider is the amount of sugar that is included in some of the juices.

“When people are on a juice cleanse they are consuming high levels of natural sugars. These have a tendency to give the individual extreme blood glucose fluctuations, this happens when the blood glucose levels rise and fall rapidly and has the ability to cause havoc with brain function and overall energy levels,” Turner says.

Some juice cleanses offer as little as 3,415kj a day. The Dieticians Association of Australia recommend that the average adult has a daily intake of  8,700 kj. So it definitely pays to add up how much you’ll be consuming before starting.

(Image via iStock.)

 

"Low calorie content meals [or juices] are not safe for everyone. Determining whether the cleanse is safe would depend on how long you intending on completing it for," explains Turner.

"Low calorie intake over a long period of time can send the body into starvation mode, meaning the body starts to use muscle tissue present in the body for energy instead of fats. Symptoms of this could be weakness, feeling tired and changes in mood."

Side effects like feeling dizzy, foggy or being unable to concentrate can be caused due to the fact that juices are generally high glycemic index foods.

"Glucose fuels our brains and without a constant supply, which comes best from consuming low glycemic index foods such as whole grains, we can have a loss of concentration, motivation, a feeling of dizziness and mood changes," Turner says.

RELATED: The 11 emotional stages of doing a juice cleanse.

If you're set on doing a juice cleanse, it's a good idea to visit your Doctor beforehand, especially if you are on medication, are diabetic, pregnant, breastfeeding or have any acute or chronic disease.

Have you tried a juice detox? What was your experience like?
Samantha Turner is a Melbourne based nutritionist. You can find her on her blog, Facebook page and on Instagram.

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BreadKATIE THOMSITT, Dieticians Australia spokesperson says: "Lots of people shy away from bread to achieve weight loss. But bread is such an important source of fibre, and plays such a helpful role in weight loss and preventing bowel cancer. A couple of slices of a dark, seedy bread per day is absolutely fine."
CheeseKATIE SAYS: "Cheese is definitely a higher fat source of dairy, but still a good dairy fat. Choose low-fat options if you have it regularly, otherwise consume it in moderation. One serve of dairy is 30g, so a couple of slices is absolutely fine."
ChocolateKARA LANDAU, The Travelling Dietician says: "Studies have been able to show that dark chocolate can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood pressure in healthy individuals, protect against heart disease, and improve HDL good cholesterol (not a bad start for such a tasty food!). Dark chocolate also contains polyphenols, whilst white chocolate does not. These polyphenolic compounds are able to relax blood vessels allowing for better blood circulation, and thereby assisting with the maintenance of healthy blood pressure levels."
CoffeeKATIE SAYS: "Coffee is a really good snack, in particular if its milk-based to get the dairy in - for example, a skim latte. As long as its in moderation - daily guidelines say a maximum of three per day! And you want lots of water on top of that."
EggsKARA SAYS: "Yes, even the yolks are good for you! Healthy fat soluble vitamins, as well as half the protein found in an egg, are all found in the yolk!"
AvocadoKATIE SAYS: "Avocado is a healthy fat. Lots of people think its high-fat and not good for you, but its rich in mono unsaturated fats, which give you protection against heart disease. It also helps with controlling lower cholesterol levels."
nutsKATIE SAYS: "Nuts fall into the same category as avocado - they have lots of healthy oils and fibre."
dairyKARA SAYS: "Often milk and yoghurts are fortified with Vitamin D (a fat soluble vitamin) which requires a small amount of fat to be present in order for the body to absorb it, therefore having the full fat variety can be of value to enhance the nutritional benefits from the products' consumption. The fat in the dairy also aids with satiety, which could prevent unhealthy snacking at a later point in the day."
PotatoKATIE SAYS: "Potato always gets a bad rap as a starchy vegetable, but it's an excellent source of fibre. Sweet potato in particular is great for weight management and sugar level control. Potatoes are also really rich in potassium."
Red meatKARA SAYS: People tend to restrict red meat unnecessarily, thinking that its high in saturated fat."But lean red meat is high in protein, CLA (which has been found to be associated with lower body fat percentages), B12, iron and zinc. These are all nutrients we want to get into our body!"

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