A discussion on why juice cleanses and other types of detoxes are a waste of money and don’t really help your body or make you healthier in the long run. Insights into how the detox industry tricks consumers into thinking they need their products and why you shouldn’t fall for their false marketing.
Juice fasts. Skinny teas. Detoxes. Cleanses.
Whatever the diet industry decides to label the newest thing they’re trying to shill to the masses, one thing is for sure…DETOXES DON’T WORK. And they’re not necessary either.
A bold statement? Perhaps. But there is a ton of scientific research to back up this claim and even more affirmative proof that detoxes are a waste of time AND money.
Detox culture is on the rise and it kills me that so many people fall victim to the marketing efforts of the diet industry every single day. Not only do they lose out on tons of money and time, but they actually believe what they’re doing to or putting in their bodies will make them healthier!
Well, I am hoping to give you all some good information and stray you away from heading to the local juice bar next time you want to feel healthier.
Here are a just a few of the problems with that 30-day green juice detox cleanse diet NONSENSE that you’re thinking about doing…
No Fat to Absorb Nutrients
Did you know that a lot of nutrients found in the vegetables and fruit that are liquified in your juice are fat soluble? This means that these important vitamins (like A, E, and K) require a source of fat to even be absorbed and used by the body. Since juices are made of raw fruits and vegetables which naturally contain little to NO fat, you’re ingesting tons of great nutrients and getting NONE of the benefits. You basically could have poured that $8 organic juice down the toilet for the same effect.
All Fruit, No Fiber
Most juices contain some sort of fruit. Even if you’re ordering a “green juice” the bulk of the juice is coming from apples, oranges, or high sugar vegetables like carrots. This coming from a person (me) who previously worked at a juice bar. Even when you order a custom juice with kale and spinach, the amount of greens going into the juice equate to a handful at most. Greens and other low-water vegetables just don’t produce a lot of juice, so the quantity needs to be supplemented with fruit. The problem with fruit juices or fruit-containing juices comes down to fiber. When you press fruit into juice, you’re removing all the insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber works together with soluble fiber to coat your digestive system like a gel and stop sugars from being absorbed into the your blood stream too quickly, thus overburdening the liver. Without insoluble fiber, found in whole vegetables and fruit, this process can’t happen.
Not Satisfying
Those people who say drinking a juice, or even a smoothie, is just as satisfying as eating food are not only lying to you, but also incorrect. As mentioned above, juices lack fiber, a nutrient that provides staying power in our food. Additionally, juicing fruits makes it easy to way over-consume them. Eating 6 apples will make you incredibly full, but drinking the juice from those same 6 apples will feel like nothing in your stomach and for your satiation levels. Even worse, all the sugar in that apple juice will be too quickly absorbed by your body (due to lack of fiber) causing sudden sugar-high and inevitable crash. Leaving you cranky, low-energy, and hungrier than before.
Doesn’t Actual Detox or Cleanse Your Body
You know all those “toxins” that juice cleanses and detoxes are supposed to remove from your body? Well, believe it or not we are all already equipped with two incredibly capable organs that were MADE to remove harmful substances from our bodies naturally. Hello, LIVER and KIDNEYS! Instead of wasting your hard-earned money pulverized produce that you’re going to pee out anyways, trust your body to do exactly what it is meant to do to take care of you.
Expensive and Unrealistic
Even if there were any substantial benefits to juice cleanses, the cost of juicing full-time or even frequently is not affordable for the majority of the population. You’re better off changing your diet to include REAL, whole foods instead of opting for the $300 3-day juice cleanse. You’ll always get more nutrition and health benefits from eating a real meal than from drinking an expensive juice.
So, sure, if you want to treat yourself to a fun, trendy juice now and again…go right ahead! But don’t expect your green juice to be your ultimate health placebo. It’s not a miracle worker. It won’t make you lose 5 pounds over night. It won’t make up for the unhealthy foods that comprise the rest of your diet. And it certainly won’t “detox your system” in any way.
Have you ever done a detox or juice cleanse?
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I did a juice cleanse just to try it out and share how bad it is. It is so unrealistic and the price is absolutely ridiculous! If you actually purchased the food and made it yourself it would be way cheaper. Plus our body detoxes on the daily! We don’t need silly “cleanses”.
YES YES YES! Totally agree with everything you’ve said here. So unnecessary!
I’ve never had any reason to juice cleanse, though I have made green juices on the odd occasion. Nothing beats fresh whole foods. Informative. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Cherry-Ann! Whole foods are ALWAYS best! 🙂
I have a juicer but only for making “juice” not for detox. Very detailed info!
Thanks Martha! 🙂
thanks for the information will share it with the adults in our family.
Thanks Angie!!