Amid the pandemonium of diet culture, people have been pairing green juices with their ketogenic diets. These juices are called “keto-aligned juices,” and unsurprisingly, the wellness industry has been making hollow claims about their efficacy. These juices are supposed to “include high-fat ingredients, such as MCT oil or avocado.” Allegedly, these “keto-aligned” juices “make sticking to your keto diet easier.” With utter vagueness, some companies also assert that keto-aligned juices “serve as a meal replacement, support weight management, and detox the system.”
Detox the system?
Wow, what does that mean?
While the keto diet is meant to support the body's fat-burning process with low-carb, high-fat components, people also ”juice detox” for this purpose. Juice detoxing involves the restriction of solid foods, replacing them with juices in the name of body goals and detoxification. And unfortunately, this is just one extreme juice program the industry purports.
From the “adrenal mocktail” to the Kylie Jenner juice cleanse, there are all types of juice programs, and some wellness platforms are running amuck, touting their health benefits and creating sales opportunities out of disarray. While the average cost of a 12 oz pressed juice (imagine a can) is $5.50 -$13, the cost of production is only around $1.72-$3, including all of the ingredients! Yet, it’s a marketing success.
But, at the same time — it's true that many juice at home. And within several cultural communities, juicing also has deep roots in traditional medicine. So, not all juice regimens are costly, trendy, or restrictive, and many of them are valid.
This blog specifically refers to the way pressed juices are currently being marketed in mainstream advertising and media as quick fixes and full-on systems detoxes that destroy miscellaneous toxins. All the while, these “toxins” have yet to be clearly defined.
So, of course, we'll get into the benefits of fresh fruit. But first, let's talk about how the body actually detoxes on its own.
Your body detoxes itself through something called “metabolic detoxification” or biotransformation. Biotransformation is a natural, bodily function, and it removes toxic substances. The two main detoxification organs are the liver and kidneys. Your lymphatic system, digestive tract, and lungs also play a part in how your body detoxes.
How does the body detox?
Metabolic detoxification is an extremely complex and integrated process, and it is much more dense than the following explanation. But, to make a long story short in layman’s terms – here we go.
The Liver and Kidneys: What do they do?
The biliary route eliminates toxins through solid waste. It’s known for biliary excretion, which is when the liver secretes substances into bile, and then, transports the bile to the gut for excretion. The biliary tract is part of the digestive system and works with the circulatory system to remove waste from the blood. On the other hand, renal routes primarily focus on the kidney, filtering waste and enabling the passing of urine.
What are toxins?
"Toxicants can enter the body through the air, drinking water, and food. Toxins, on the other hand, can be found in the environment." As mentioned before, they can also be produced by the body. In this blog, we use the word “toxin” to define both.
Through metabolic detoxification, the body cleanses itself of these substances. However, the detoxification system greatly depends on proper nutrient support. Nutritional support for the biotransformation system is extremely important because it’s an energy-dependent process. Your body needs proper nutrients and energy to detox itself. Likewise, juice detoxes, which primarily involve meal replacement and restrictive eating, may not have the desired outcome.
Do pressed juices in combination with a healthy diet help metabolic detoxification?
Potentially enzyme boosting
"Genetic variability and dietary factors may affect detox enzymes." For instance, "CYP1A2 is a detoxification enzyme, and cruciferous vegetables broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, watercress, and cabbage may increase CYP1A2 activity."
Water and vitamins
Furthermore, many fruits and vegetables, especially watermelon, contain an abundance of electrolytes. They also contain nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Electrolytes: What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes also help with hydration because they support the balance of fluids inside and outside of cells.
Fiber: What does fiber do?
Furthermore, pressed juices are a great source of fiber. "Fiber isn't digested in our stomach like other foods. Instead, it passes through it and into our colon." Fiber can help prevent the build-up of solid waste and ease the process of emitting it from the body.
However, during the cold-pressed juicing process, most of the fiber that's found in pulp is removed. So, chewing a well-rounded diet of whole foods would be more beneficial. This offers a greater availability of nutrients and fiber.
So, ultimately it's better to rely on the whole fruit or vegetable rather than a pressed juice. But yes, pressed juices are a convenient way to get an intake of these nutrients – albeit this method should be done in moderation.
Antioxidants: What are antioxidants?
Cold-pressed juices also retain many of the nutrients from the original fruit or vegetable. So, they offer an abundance of antioxidants. Antioxidants destroy free radicals, which are toxins in the air or body, and they also reduce inflammation. They do this by giving the free radical one of their electrons. Although the antioxidant becomes scavenged, it protects your DNA and tissues from being damaged by these toxins.
Takeaways
Cold-pressed juices can definitely be a helpful part of a nutritious diet, but before you buy every color at the organic market, here are some key takeaways.
Pressed juices cannot treat acne.
As mentioned before, pressed juices contain antioxidants. When ingested, they can decrease inflammation in the body, which could help support the skin.
Produce, especially carrots, and grapes, also contain vitamin A, which supports the skin's cellular turnover, helps to expose a new layer of skin, and gives it a glow. However, in and of themselves, no evidence suggests pressed juices treat acne.
Pressed juice cannot catalyze weight maintenance.
All pressed juice brands are not made equal.
Cold-pressed juice is normally unpasteurized so it can retain nutritional value, but some brands use high-pressure processing (HPP). HPP is a “ non-thermal preservation technique that uses high water pressure to kill harmful bacteria. This extends the shelf life of juice. HPP is a gentle process that preserves vitamins and nutritional values, but it also removes yeast and bacteria.”
Remember to align with your body.
Ultimately, remember that your body is a beautiful vessel that is intelligent and efficient. Remember – you can be kind and gentle to it while simultaneously bettering your health. At times, intensity can be a helpful tool for sticking to health regimens, but our body needs support, grace, and allyship to be successful too! Making space for self-care, movement, water, and plant-based foods is a great way to encourage and champion it!
Cover photo cred: Lacuna
Sources:
https://www.goodnature.com/blog/how-much-to-charge-for-juice
https://www.goodnature.com/blog/how-much-to-charge-for-juice
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8876337/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488002/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/biliary-tract
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/detoxification
https://www.akaction.org/wp-content/uploads/Tutorial-on-toxins-v-toxics-4-13-21.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10302286/
https://www.kidney.org/news-stories/6-tips-to-be-water-wise-healthy-kidneys
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21790-electrolytes
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9984102/