J is for...

Before you get started, you should know a few things about what you can expect juicing to do for you, and what's just hype.

The Biggest Advantage: It's an easy way to get more fruits and veggies into your diet!

“If you’re not big into fruits and vegetables, it’s a good way to get them in," says nutritionist Jennifer Barr, RD, of Wilmington, DE. You should still aim to eat 2 whole fruits and 3-4 vegetables each day! Choose them in different colors, so you get a good mix of vitamins and minerals.




Fiber Factor:
When you juice, you don't get the fiber that's in whole fruits and vegetables. Juicing machines extract the juice and leave behind the pulp, which has fiber. So you don't miss out on the fiber, you can add some of the pulp back into the juice or use it in cooking such as muffin batter or broth for soup!

The calories disappear when I put it in the blender, right??

Wrong. Those extra additions to your juice may taste delicious but be aware of the face that calories can quickly add up!. You could be taking up to four fruits. If you use vegetables to juice, the calories are a lot less. You can make your juice more balanced by adding protein. Some good sources are almond milk, Greek yogurt, flaxseed, and peanut butter.

It's an easy way to drop a few pounds...

On a juice-only diet, you may not get enough fiber or protein to make you full. You might rebel.

Not getting enough protein could also mean you lose muscle mass. The bottom line: It's too extreme, and the results aren't likely to last.
(that sounds terrible)!

But it will cleanse my body...
“I haven’t seen any research or science paper to support that cleansing is happening from juicing,” Villacorta says.

Your liver and kidneys take care of that -- whether you're juicing or not.

So should I skip juicing entirely??

As for other health claims, it's true that eating a plant-based diet is linked to lower risk of heart disease or cancer. But there hasn't been a lot of research done that's specific to juicing.

There is some research on juicing and the immune system. But any immune system benefits probably come from eating fruits and vegetables, whether it's in juice or not, Barr says.

Bottom line: Including fruits and vegetables in a well balanced diet will support your overall health and well being. Check with your doctor before doing a lot of juicing, so you can avoid any potential problems.