home juiced fruits and veggies?

[ecb]

I saw the topic on V8 where it was not recommended, but what if we're juicing our own fruits and veggies; is that OK? I know that fruit juice is to be used sparingly, but what about something like a freshly made carrot/celery/kale/apple blend? all of the ingredients are OK but was wondering if being able to drink your food means that you're more likely to overindulge/have too much fructose.

also, as a treat are homemade popsicles OK? just thinking about blending up some fruit like canteloupe or honeydew and freezing it. seems ok to me (in that it's a relatively small amount of fruit) but I wasn't sure of it would qualify as cheating since it is dessert-ish as well.

Thanks!

[Robin Strathdee]

ecb -

You're on the right track talking yourself through it. We would SO MUCH rather see you eat those veggies than juice them because you're missing out on all the fiber involved, because you're way more likely to overindulge, and because the processes in your body for drinking and eating are completely different (your body really doesn't want you to drink your meals).

When it comes to popsicles, that's a fine line to tread. Most of us eat popsicles when we want a sweet treat or dessert, not just because we want a snack. But then again, some folks eat fruit that way. I would recommend just freezing some chunks of whole fruit if you need something chilly. That way you don't lose perspective on how much of what you're eating. Plus, you still have to go through the chewing process, which sends your body the signals it needs to know you're eating.

Hope that helps!

[prchrmom]

I thing we need to make a distinction between "juicing" and blending. I beleive that the challenge with juicing is that juice machines filter out the pulp, which contains the fiber and some of the nutrients, consequently rendering the juice less filling. If you can blend your fruits and veggies instead, you would at least have the whole food in pureed form.

Ann

[Robin Strathdee]

Good point, Ann. That would be a good way to make sure you're getting all the fiber benefits of the fruits and veggies. It still holds, though, that it's really easy to overconsume when you're drinking your fruit and veg - you can drink a heck of a lot more than you could eat.

[Lora Friedenthal]

Would green smoothies (blended, not juiced) be off the menu even after Whole30?

[ecb]

Would green smoothies (blended, not juiced) be off the menu even after Whole30?

It's my impression that after the Whole30 you can do what you want, just be aware of what the changes do to what you eat and how your body processes it. If you feel like green smoothies make you feel better and you enjoy them, I can't imagine that being a bad thing. I'd be curious to hear from some authoritative sources on how drinking food is processed differently (both mentally and physically) than eating it.

FYI I sort of got into juicing a few months ago which is where this came from. I have one of those nice macerating juicers that is likely going to be sitting quiet for the next few weeks. :\ Once this is done I'll try using it again and see how I feel with different juice concoctions.

[Emily]

I do a lot of veggie/fruit blending, because I'm much more likely to get veggies in that way. I think the fiber is somewhat broken down, but not completely. In terms of overdoing it, one small glass of a kale/spinach/broccoli/beet/apple mixture is nicely filling—not uncomfortably full, but full and able to stay full for hours (of course, I also eat some protein and fat).

Interestingly, I also find that my teeth feel much cleaner when I have a "juice" (not really juice) per day.

I'm a fan.

[bon]

I'm a fan of juicing and blending as well. I've done both off and on for the past year and it makes a tremendous difference in my skin. I also juice aggressively when I quit or cut back on or quit coffee and it pretty much erases all side effects (headaches, brain fog, etc.)

I did my first Whole30 and gave up juice and blending both.

I'm now doing my 2nd Whole30 but this time I am doing it with juice - I want to see how I feel. My juice is primarily vegetables (kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, broccoli crowns, carrot, beet, ginger, lemon and 3/4 small apple) I have my juice in the morning with breakfast. I try to drink it slowly along with my protein and fat. So far I am loving this and it doesn't seem to be encouraging cravings. I try to avoid fruit the rest of the day as it is a weakness of mine and I want to use it as a sugar replacement. (I've pretty much been no sugar for 3 years, but when I let it in it tries to take over my life and it makes me feel like a crazy person).

[ecb]

thanks for posting bon! curious to see how the juice works out for you. i kind of miss it plus it's a nice way to work through foods in your fridge that you may not be able to eat before they go bad. and that's a pretty extensive breakfast juice! do you make it up for a couple days or fresh every day? and can i ask what you're using for a juicer? we bought one of the omega juicers (VRT-350 i believe). macerating but upright. it's quite nice.

[Robin Strathdee]

I think we need to consider, too, the difference between juicing with a meal and juicing as a meal. I just assumed that you all were referring to the meal replacement type of juice that seems to be so popular these days. If you're juicing some veggies with a protein and fat appropriate meal, and retaining the fiber content, then it's probably not going to do you any harm. We'd still rather see you eat the veggies, but we won't call a no-rep on you either.

PS: I'm working on that info about the different processes for food and liquid. I'll get that up as soon as I can.

[bon]

ecb: Haha, yes my breakfast juice is pretty elaborate. I just love how it tastes with all those different veggies, sometimes one or two of those will be missing, but for the most part it's pretty much a staple concoction. I have been considering challenging myself to a 3 ingredient limit, just for kicks;)

I generally prep veggies for juice every other day, but like to juice them each morning. My boys enjoy feeding the juice monster, so this fits into our routine easily. On occasion I will juice ahead and keep it refrigerated in a canning jar.

I use an Omega juicer as well. It is the bomb-diggity when it comes to juicing greens and I chose it for this reason.

Robin: In the past I have used juice as a breakfast replacement, but the Whole30 way of eating works so well for me, I decided I would try one with the juice, but fit it into the rules as best as I can. So far it's been great with my protein and fat heavy breakfast. I also drink a smaller portion than I used to (16oz instead of 24).

[Emily]

I use this blender: http://www.myhealthmaster.com/. Twice a week I have early mornings (leave my house by 6am) so I make a "juice" (that's not really the correct term as it is a thick concoction I eat with a spoon) and eat it and some hard boiled eggs for a quick breakfast. It's yummy.