Juicing or the Fruit? Which is Better?

  I love fruit juice, especially the kind I make myself.  I especially love carrot and apple with a touch of ginger just to spice it up.  I even have several juicer cookbooks for ideas.

The other day I remembered a comment made by a doctor to another one about how its better to eat the fruit rather than the juice.  I don't remember where I saw this.  I don't know if I read it or saw it on the television.  The idea stuck with me.

So it does bring up an interesting question.  Is juicing better than the fruit?  In general juicing removes the juice so you get all the vitamins, minerals, and plant chemicals found in fruit or vegetables but most juicers separate the plant fiber out so you are only left with the juice. 

It is said that drinking pure fruit juice allows your body to better extract the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and it gives your body a break from absorbing the associated fiber.  In addition, juices can help your body stay healthier by protecting you from certain diseases and boosting your immune system.  Juices also help remove toxins from your body, help digestion, and help you loose weight. At the moment, there is no scientific evidence to support this position. 

There are a few studies out there indicating that eating the fruit and vegetables straight can lower your chance of developing type 2 diabetes while drinking the juice can increase your chances of getting it.  It is also noted that juice often has more calories than the equivalent fruit.  For instance, n eight ounce glass of orange juice has the same number of calories as two oranges and does not fill you up because its missing the fiber.

There is another aspect of this.  The fiber binds to the sugar in the fruit, making it slower for the body to absorb it but the sugar in the juice without the fiber is absorbed faster, making blood sugar levels spike.  The body automatically releases enough insulin to convert the sugar to fat and glycogen. Furthermore, the fiber from fruit also supports digestion, helps lower cholesterol, and helps control blood sugar levels.

If you are not a fruit or vegetable eater, it is acceptable to include them as juice occasionally but not to completely replace them in your diet.  If you want to go this way, it is suggested one blend the whole fruit or vegetable because the fiber is included this way. It is recommended a person should make up only enough to consume on the spot.

Just to let you know, when I make my own juice, I save the pulp and skins to use in my baking because they are where much of the fiber is located.  I hate wasting anything. 

Let me know what you think.  I'd love to hear from people.  Have a great day.