Juicing

[stubz706]

What is the Whole30's approach/opinion/recommendation on juicing? Not as a meal substitute but a way to ensure that nutrients are consumed. I know that animal protein and good fats are part of the protocol along with a plateful of nutrient dense vegetables. What if to make sure and get a large quantity of nutrients from organic raw vegetables this is by way of juicing? 

 

Christiaan

[Tom Denham]

The answer to juicing is a firm NO. Your body responds to liquid food differently than whole foods. 1) The satiety signals are lessened so you can drink more veggies than you would ever eat if you were chewing whole foods. Not good. 2) Liquid food digests faster than chewed whole foods, so you get hungry faster than you otherwise would. Again, not good. 

 

Although smoothies are not identical to simple juicing, the problems are the same. I began my Whole30 journey before smoothies were discouraged, and I made them regularly. Mine were light on fruit and heavy on spinach, carrots, and sweet potato or avocado. I was never satisfied with three meals back then and often ate 4, 5, and sometimes 6 meals per day. I failed to recognize that the veggie smoothie was not keeping me satisfied very long. Eventually, I stopped drinking any of my food and soon I was satisfied with 4 meals per day. After a little more practice with meal composition, I got to where I could happily go all day on 3 meals. It was more than a year later that it dawned on me that drinking my food contributed to my needing to eat so frequently. 

[Robin Strathdee]

For clarification: It's not against the rules to add a glass of vegetable juice with your meals (I read the original post to imply supplementation rather than replacement), but we think you can get enough from the food you chew and that supplementation with juices is un-necessary and could lead you to overconsume.

[stubz706]

Perfect and succinct answers Tom and Robin, just what I needed and wanted to know. 

 

You're both right regarding satiety signals and as a result overconsumption. Something that I hadn't really thought about. I was approaching it from the other side thinking it's away to get loads of nutrients on board, however our bodies are extremely clever aren't they (rhetorical) and they know what they need and want. Thank you for reminding me. 

I had also thought that they digest a lot quicker and I saw this as a positive in that you get that hit of goodness almost immediately. I once again didn't think about the back end of that, that you would in turn get hungrier faster - makes sense. 

 

I know that smoothies are advised against owing to the high sugar content, albeit natural. So the question did relate to vegetables.

 

All in all I will stick to the whole, nutritious foods that are on my plate and eaten with a knife and fork. 

 

Thank you again @Tom and @Robin, very much appreciated.