It seems that the raw foodists are into juicing. I am coming into this transition with a whole food mindset, and worry juicing is throwing out too much important stuff, and increasing the glycemic load of the foods. I know wheat grass, for example, can’t be broken down by the body, and it’s juice is nutrient rich, but besides this, what are the advantages to juicing?
Also, is wheat grass alone worth getting a juicer for? I know growing your own wheat grass is not difficult, so it seams a good value in the long run, but is it worth the expense and effort if you are eating a good variety of raw greens already?
Comments
yes I feel it’s a great question. On the one hand some say it messes up your adrenals, your pancreas, your insulin levels, I know Ann Wigmore stopped recommending it at the end of her life, stating it was too far from what nature intended. On the other hand some advocate it as a wonderful way to detox and lighten the work on the colon etc… stating fiber is usually irritating, like G Cousens. I feel it is not easy to have an idea. I fell ok on juice feasting, and I feel OK on smoothies for the moment anyway, but still I think it’s an intersting question
Good question. I hope more people posts! I don’t have an answer, but it is so intriguing. I personally don’t have a juicer, nor do I plan to buy one anytime soon. I drink smoothies, because I’m still consuming the whole food, just chopped up a lot:) I kind of lean towards eating whole foods and chewing is important, but I have a pretty small stomach and tend to get 500-700 or less calories eating that way without smoothies. So I guess it could be extremely beneficial for getting extra calories?
Did Ann Wigmore stop recommending juicing in general? Including wheatgrass? My sister has a wheatgrass juicer she no longer uses, and I could borrow indefinitely, but I am wondering if it will improve my chances of my body healing itself or will just sticking do dark leafy greens in my smoothy do the trick. I ordered her wheatgrass book, and will bge interested to read what it says, but am still curious if this is part of what she stopped recommending later in life.
no no not the wheatgrass juices.
Im on day 81 of my juice feast and feel better than ever. Juicing is a great way to get a lot of nutrients into your body quickly. Theres no way I could eat the 4+ lbs of greens per day that I am currently juicing. But be wary of straight fruit juices, they are super high in sugar so if your body doesnt need that energy right then and there its tough on you. But that said, i rarely juice with the exception of doing fasts and cleanses. Ive found that green smoothies are what my body loves best. They are full of fiber and water and are easy for the body to handle. Plus juicing all the time gets very pricey, i spend between $12-$17 per day on juice for this feast.
Juicing has some pluses, especially in the ease of digestion. It is really great for people who are trying to heal from something, or to give your digestive system a break.
On the other hand, I haven’t juiced since I got a high-speed blender in November. Crohn’s disease runs in my family but I have no trouble at all with the fiber load of green smoothies since the stuff is micronized. For me, blending FAR outpaces juicing for normal, everyday use. You get the whole food, plus it is decidedly faster, easier and more economical. That means a lot when you get 6 months in and can still make lunch for work in 5 minutes. Blending is an easy habit to get into and to maintain.
Juicing always seemed like a pain and a waste. It was a discipline for me – not a lifestyle.