#4: Is Juicing Really Worth It?

     When my mom forces me to chug down her green machine drink every night, I wonder to myself if it's really worth it.... The putrid smell of juiced kale, cucumber, spinach, celery, and broccoli gets me every time! I have to pinch my nose to drink it each night….

     I used to always think that juicing was only good if you were going on a diet and wanted to lose weight fast. But after reading the article from the Food Republic, I have realized that juicing is just something good to do once in a while. You still need your proteins and carbohydrates, but juicing is something that can be useful when you want to get nutrients to your body FAST. Not only do you obtain the nutrients quickly,  but your body does not need to break down the starch in the veggies, making it go straight into your bloodstream. Juicing is an easy way to fill your body with concentrated amounts of nutrient- packed vegetables. The drinks are automatically low in ingredients you want to avoid like toxic fats, added sugars, and salt. But there has to be some downsides to juicing....

     Juicing as a dietary supplement is just plain wrong. By strictly following a juicing program for a few days, your body begins to leave gaping nutritional holes in your diet. You consume little to no protein, and the only carbs you intake are those from the vegetables. Most of the fiber is also lost because the pulp is taken away when it is thrown into the machine. (Basically its a high-carb, low protein, low-fiber diet). This can cause dramatic spikes in blood sugar, headaches, mood swings, dizziness, and fatigue. So although juicing may seem good for a few days (and it is) make sure you stick with your proteins and carbs, and don't change your diet too much.