What are the Pro's and Con's of Going on A Juice Cleanse

For those of you wondering what a juice cleanse, or "juice fasting" is? A juice cleanse involves limiting your diet to only include vegetable and/or fruit juices and water for a few days to a few weeks. The types and duration of these programs are very different. This is a multimillion dollar industry and today we are going to take a look at the pros and cons for doing a juice cleanse and determine if it's even worth it.  

Not eating solid foods does not sound like a good time, so why do people even consider it? These programs claim to have a variety of health benefits. Common claims include weight loss, clearer skin, immunity system boost, body detoxification,  and even illness  prevention.  You have to be careful when it comes to doing a cleanse and I always recommend consulting a doctor before changing your diet habits.  There is a huge amount of information available on the web and I've gone through and sorted through pages and pages of information to give you a condensed version of what you need to know about juice fasting.

Pros of Juice Cleanses

1. Easy Way to Get Your Daily Dose of Fruit and Veggie Nutrients

Think about your daily diet. Are you really getting the recommended 7 serving of fruits/veggies? Juicing makes getting the nutritents your body needs from fuits and veggtables a lot easier.  You are getting a huge supply of vital vitamins and minerals by juicing. If you decide to buy a juicer (I use the Hampton Beach Big Mouth Juicer), you can try frutis and veggies that you might not of otherwise eaten. Trying new combinations alllows you to get creative and makes getting daily nutrients fun.

Your body will also have a much easier time absorbing nutrients. Since it's in liquid form, your body has less work to do when extracting nutrients and overall, the digestion process becomes much easier. Juicing is like taking a super multivitamin and it also actually tastes great.

Hampton Big Mouth Juicer (over 2200 reviews on Amazon)

2. Cleanse your body of toxins and harmful chemical buildup

Our normal diets are typically packed full of food that is artificial and full of chemicals and additives. Chemical from food, like preservatives, can build up in your body and causes headaches, arthritis, cancer, and other illnesses. While our liver and kidneys have the role of cleaning toxins from our body, the amount of "bad" stuff in our food has risen exponentially and our body could use some help in clearing it out. Be careful, though, as some cleanse programs do contain laxatives that will cause you to frequent the bathroom more.

3. Can Juice Cleases Lead to Weight Loss

Can juice cleanses make me lose weight? This is a tricky question. Yes, most cleanses will make you lose weight but a lot of the weight lost is simply water weight. If you go on a cleanse make sure to pick on that will help you reach a decent amount of calories a day. The cleanse should be packed full of nutrients and protein so that your body doesn't feel like it's getting nutrients depleted. Be sure to study the cleanse and determine if it's the right thing for you. There are many different cleanse programs with varying lengths. There are programs that are anywhere from a basic 3-day juice cleanse to some that last a whole month.  

Con's Of Juice Cleanses

1. Time

Depending on which cleanse or program you are looking to follow, time can be either a pro or a con. If you plan to buy a juicer and juice your own fruits and veggies than you are looking at a pretty big time commitment. Since produce does not stay fresh very long, you'll need to plan for multiple trips to the grocery store.

If you already have a busy schedule and don't know how you'll be able to fit juicing into your day, there are programs that will deliver juices that are ready to drink right to your door. My favorite and more convenient juicing cleanse are Chef V's Cleanse programs. She has a few different options for the length of the cleanses and everything you need is delivered fresh every week to your door.

2. High Cost of Juicing

Fresh fruits and veggies are expensive and the price goes way higher if you buy organic. Juicing isn't always the most budget-friendly option but you do get tons of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. If you do your own juicing, you can buy produce that is on sale or discounted. If you are really strapped for cash or time consider doing a 3 day cleanse. Chef V offer's a 3-day cleanse and for new customer's she gives you 50% off the cleanse. Chef V is a premium juicing product that is super fresh and must be consumed within a week. Another more budget friendly option is to go for a green juice that is in a powder form like Athletic Greens or Organifi green juice powder. They are pretty similar and you can find a side-by-side comparison here.    

Chef V Fresh and Organic Green Juice

Athletic Greens Juice Powder

Organifi Green Juice Powder

3. Side effects and Risks of Juicing Cleanse

Becuase a juice cleanse or "juice fast" are such a dramatic change from our normal eating habits there are risks and sideffectsyou can expect. These sideefffects will also depend on the type of cleanse and the duration. You may feel a loss of ernergy and this is due to the lower calories intake. Some juices are not good for your health. If you do take up juicing you still need to get the proper fiber and protein. be sure to read all the ingredients and nutrition pannel. Here is am example of a cleanse that is high in both protein and fiber.

Basically, if you are going to do a juice cleanse make sure you are doing it right and getting the proper nutrients and vitamins. If you don't it could lead to some serious side effects and even land you in the hospital for malnutrition.

‍

Video About Pro's and Con's of a Juice Cleanse