Marisa Moore, registered dietitian and spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, speaks on juicing, a popular alternative that allows people to drink their recommended fruits and vegetables in a smoothie or as a raw extracted juice. Highlights from Moore's interview:
Why it's so popular
“I find that a lot of people have a hard time getting their vegetables in. It’s pretty easy to walk around with an apple or an orange and get those in throughout the day. But they have difficulty getting in the cabbage or the kale or the broccoli. And they find that if they put it into the juice or a smoothie, they can do it a lot quicker or a lot easier."
Juicing vs. whole fruits and vegetables
"There’s really no advantage to actually juicing over having a piece of fruit or a vegetable."
Juicing as a diet
“If you’re using juicing as a way to lose weight, then I get a little concerned. If you’re only drinking juice, you aren’t getting any protein. You usually are very tired because you aren’t getting any calories. Use juices to supplement your diet, not replace it."
Know the facts
“With juicing, be cautious. You are leaving a good bit of the whole fruit or vegetable in the juicer, and we all need that fiber for digestion and weight management, and an overall healthy diet.”
For more health tips from Moore, check out her blog.