Weight loss 101: Are juices good for weight loss?

Weight loss 101: Are juices good for weight loss?

Juicing is a popular alternative method to get the most nutrients from natural sources. Many people believe that it has natural health benefits such as lowering the level of blood sugar and bad cholesterol, aids in treating or reducing the risk of cancer, detoxifies the body, and more. Some people also believe that it’s an ideal complement to reducing weight. Are juices good for weight loss?

Juicing is the process of extracting the juices from fresh fruits and vegetables. The extracts contain the minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients found in whole fruits and vegetables.

However, the fiber in fruits and vegetables are lost during most juicing. Fiber aids in better digestion and adds nutrient, so it might not be a good factor.

These fruit and vegetable extracts are easily absorbed into the blood stream because of the absence of fiber that the stomach needs to digest.

Are juices good for weight loss?

Juicing is healthy and the juices found at supermarkets have a large amount of nutrient content. However, these juices might not be ideal for weight loss.

According to Harvard School of Public Health, juices contain natural sugars which contribute to a high caloric content. It is true enough that juices still contain all the minerals and vitamins from whole foods, but they might not aid in reducing weight.

Fruit extracts contain high levels of sugar and calories. You might want to extract vegetables because they contain lower amount of sugar and calories. Add one piece of kiwi, apple, and other fruits to add flavor to your preferred mixes of vegetable extracts.

WebMD adds that juicing prevents your body from getting enough protein. Insufficient protein causes loss of muscle mass. Juicing might also cause you to crave more food. Juicing is a too extreme form of diet and you will not improve your overall health with a diet comprising mainly juices.

Juices that promote weight loss

Fortunately, there are many fruits or vegetable extracts that support weight loss. The following are some of them.

Lemon juice

It is a popular belief that lemon and lime juices can dissolve fats and calories. This is a misconception. However, lemon juice is relatively low in calories. In fact, one ounce of lemon juice has less than 10 calories.

You can mix it with water or favorite drink. Another health benefit of lemon juice is the high level of Vitamin C that aids in reducing body weight.

Homemade vegetable juices

Vegetable extracts have less sugar and calories compared to fruit extracts. Juicing greens such as butter head lettuce, cabbage, watercress, and cucumber results in a juice with fewer calories than fruit juices, which is ideal for weight loss.

You may add spices or lemon juice to boost Vitamin C content or a piece of apple or kiwi to add the flavor you want.

Carrot juice

Carrots are rich of fiber and low in calorie. One full glass of carrot juice keeps you full until lunchtime. It also increases the secretion of bile which aids in burning fat and adds to weight loss.

To make it a more balanced detox drink, add one piece of apple, some ginger, and orange to help get rid of toxins in the body.

Cucumber juice

Cucumber is rich in water content but low in calories, and this vegetable will make you feel full for a longer period of time. Cucumber juice is also rich in fiber which aids in digestion. Add some lemon juice and few mint leaves to make a refreshing summer cucumber juice drink.

Amla juice

Faster metabolism is desirable for rapidly burning fat. Amla juice accelerates metabolism and keeps the digestive system healthy. Add honey to amla juice to make you more energetic. Amla juice is best consumed on an empty stomach.

Pomegranate juice

Pomegranate juice is good for the skin, but it is also a great for weight loss. It is rich in antioxidants, conjugated linolenic acid, and polyphenols, which aid in burning fat and boosting the metabolism. It also helps control your appetite to prevent you from eating excessively.

Conclusion

These juices have two or more of these characteristics: low in caloric content, rich in fiber, and high in water content. These make them desirable for weight loss, burning fats, suppressing your appetite, and making you feel full for long.

With juices alone, you might fail with weight loss. Combine them with regular exercise and healthy diet to make weight loss successful and long lasting.

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