The new juice craze is taking the health world by storm.  Juicers are the new health fad and everyone is trying to get their hands on one, from celebrities to high school students. They offer an easy way to cleanse the body with rich nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Thanks to the fruits and vegetables, these juices are low in harmful fats and contain minimal amounts of added sugars. Even though the benefits of juicing provide for an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, juice cleanse diets have proved to be unhealthy for the body.

Juicing programs as seen on television and popular websites like Pinterest can promote an unhealthy downward movement on the scale due to the decrease in calorie intake. Most of the juice diets ignore necessary nourishment offered from solid foods and are scarce in protein. The pounds may be dropping, but your health may be in jeopardy if there is not a healthy intake of protein.  Protein is the key ingredient that boosts metabolism and helps you feel full and energized.

On these juice cleanses, especially in the first few days, the body has not yet adapted to the decrease in calorie intake and may feel ravenous and unsatisfied. This, in turn, may cause you to consume more foods, the counteracting the purpose of the juice cleanse diet.

Frank Lipman, a New York physician, comments in Men’s Journal and states he prefers “incorporating juice into your daily life rather than a juice cleanse – I see many people who cleanse and then overeat when it’s done.  As part of a good eating plan, it can induce weight loss, clear skin, improve digestion, and boost energy.”

A healthy way to shed some pounds while maintaining a healthy lifestyle is by replacing one meal with a nutritious juice alternative. Replacing one meal with the juice will not cause the body to react and be thrown off schedule, rather it will give it time to adjust to the change in diet.

Senior Rachel Astorquiza started to incorporate juices into her diet and exclaimed that this addition, “has greatly improved my health. I feel more energized than ever.”