I was over at the Amee Farm last week picking up my weekly share of vegetables. While I was there Russell one of the farm managers was drinking a cucumber beet drink he had recently juiced. Juicing, no not the steroided up gym at the gym. The juicing I am talking about refers to diet. I have read about the advantages of juicing, watched the documentaries, and seen first hand friends who have juiced. I headed home with more than just my weekly vegetables, but also a spare juicing machine Russell let me borrow until my move.

I got home and set off on an experiment in my diet. We can read and research all we want but our bodies are all experiments of one so until we try something it’s all just talk. So I set out on a change in my diet, nothing drastic. For the last week and change my diet has consisted of a morning protein shake which normally lasts most of the morning, then I replaced lunch with a juice, and finally dinner consists of solid food. Normally a snack or two gets mixed in as well.

Luckily, I have an abundant supply of vegetables around me so supply is never a problem. Over the past week I have been experimenting with cucumbers, beets, celery, apples, oranges, grapefruit, carrots, limes, lemons and ginger. Each day it’s been a little exciting to see what can taste good with what. It has been surprising how yummy so many greens can be. Before I go into how it has made me feel first it’s important to look at some of the benefits of juicing and drawbacks.

We need fruits and vegetables! Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. According to the new USDA MyPlate dietary guidelines we are all suppose to fill our plate half full with fruits and vegetables. Chances are most of us aren’t getting the full amount a day. Some claim that the enzymes and nutrients are better absorbed when consumed in a juice, however no study has said for sure this fact. Some say juicing also deprives you of the fiber in the fruit or vegetable.

Other claims of the benefits of juicing:

• Aid in weight loss and healthy weight maintenance.
• Clear, smooth and hydrated skin.
• Increased energy and vitality.
• Strengthen your immune system.
• Moreefficient digestive system.
• Regulate your blood sugar levels.
• Regulate your blood pressure.
• Aid in clearer thinking and reduce that “foggy” feeling…be prepared to feel a difference in this area!

My results, after a week of replacing my midday meal with a juicing I can say I do feel good. I wasn’t planning on a weight loss or detox as many use juicing for but I can say everything seemed to tighten up over the last week. So after the first week of juicing I decided to take it on for another week we are now into week two of juicing lunch and it’s still going well. It’s a nice change and after a few bad recipes finally think I have found a few different ideas I actually really like. I am not going to say that juicing is a cure all but it is a great way to get a power punch of nutrients into your body each day and take a step towards incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet.