Why do I prefer vegetable juices over fruit juices for health?

Thanks to Mauricio Prinzlau for this guest blog on the benefits of vegetable juices. To read more about him, visit his website.

Drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices to detoxify the body and promote weight loss is one of the latest trends in the world of healthy eating. But is it a trend, or is it a sustainable habit? Some people believe that all kinds of juices are good for health, but not all of them are equally beneficial. Vegetable juices have a clear advantage over fruit juices. Here are some ways in which veggies beat fruits by a wide margin in terms of health benefits.

Differences in sugar content

Increased consumption of processed sugar is one of the biggest reasons behind excessive weight gain and obesity in the world. Many health complications arise solely due to high sugar intake. Many people switch to juicing to lower their consumption of processed sugars, but they forget that not all juices are created equal. A single serving of grape juice has been found to contain 50% more sugar than a single serving of Coke. At least it isn’t processed sugar, but it is still sugar.

In this respect, vegetable juices are head and shoulders ahead of fruit juices because their sugar content is much lower. They do not add to the existing sugar content of the body like fruit juice does. In some instances, such as people with diabetes, physicians may recommend against consuming fruit juices as they wreak havoc with body’s glucose index. Fruit juices may actually do more harm than good in the long run.

Acidic vs. alkaline

Internally, the human body needs a more alkaline than acidic environment to function properly. When the body’s internal acidity is higher than its alkalinity, it becomes more prone to diseases and loses the capacity to fight back. This can lead to aggravated ailments such as allergies, joint ache and digestion troubles.

While factors such as stress, emotional turmoil, irregular lifestyle and lack of exercise lead to internal acidity, dietary intake plays a major role. Fruits have more citric acid than vegetables and hence are more prone to increasing acidity in the body. This is one of the main reasons why you should choose vegetable juices over fruit juices. It helps maintain your body in good balance if you consume more fruits than vegetables. Vegetables help to maintain the delicate pH balance of your body and alkalize it to contribute to overall good health.

Vegetable juice fiber content

The human body needs fiber to perform normal bowel functions. When you consume your daily dose of fruits and vegetables in the form of juices, you are naturally getting less than optimal fiber intake. On top of it, fruits contain much lesser fiber and pulp than vegetables do. So you should opt for vegetable juices over fruits ones to ensure your diet provides you with some of the fiber you require to keep your digestion system healthy.

Dental health

A study has found that high intake of fruit juices cause major damage to the tooth enamel and reduces its hardness by as much as 84% in just 5 days of sustained orange juice consumption. The high sugar content and acidic nature of fruit juices make them a perfect agent to cause accelerated tooth decay. However, to date, no such detrimental effects on dental health have been confirmed to be caused by vegetable juices. This gives you one more reason to choose vegetable juices over fruit juices.

Expenses

In general, fruits are more expensive than vegetables. If you opt for organic foods, the difference in cost is even more pronounced. Also, a larger quantity of fruits are required to produce a single serving of juice that would fill your stomach, as compared to the quantity you would require if you were eating them raw. Vegetables on the other hand, are less expensive in general and it requires fewer vegetables to produce a single serving of juice, making it more a more cost effective option in the long run.

So given these comparisons between vegetable and fruit juices it is best to drink your veggies and eat your fruits, a mantra propounded by many established nutritionists and dietary experts. If you have questions, you can always get a free 15 minute consultation with our dietitian, Alex Borsuk.