Now that the post New Year’s resolutioners have gone back to their normal lifestyle, many individuals are trying to lose a few pounds before summertime rolls around. Most people when trying to lose weight go to some type of extreme diet to achieve their temporary success. They might cut out all carbohydrates or protein sources, they might eat nothing but fruit and smoothies for a few weeks. Whatever the extreme diet that someone chooses, there is ALWAYS one problem, it is not a sustainable lifestyle choice. This means that in the end, they will always gain the weight back because there is no balance of nutrients to the equation.
One of the new fads is to eat nothing but fruit and vegetables for a few weeks to get the weight loss started. Fruits contain significant doses of fiber, vitamins and minerals – making hitting the fruit bowl a seemingly healthy choice. The problem is that too much of ANYTHING can cause problems that an individual may have not considered. Fruit is high in fructose, a simple sugar, and carbohydrates, which are two things that need to be consumed in moderation in order for a person to lose weight. Eating too much fructose can cause a spike in insulin levels – and the body has a hard time burning fat while insulin levels are elevated. Many fellow gym goers will make a protein shake either prior to or after working out. They will typically use a protein powder and many will include several types of fruits into the smoothie. The problem is that most people use high glycemic fruits such as bananas, berries, and pineapples. It is very easy for someone to accumulate close to 100 grams of carbohydrates in their protein shake with all of those fruits plus they might also add some type of milk to the equation.
Juicing does have some drawbacks as well even though most tout it as the secret fountain of youth. According to the Food and Drug Administration juicing can, in some cases, lead to foodborne illness. All raw food can harbor pathogens that cause vomiting, diarrhea, and in worst case scenarios conditions like E.coli, hepatitis, and even kidney failure. The pasteurization process that most packaged juice and milk commonly goes through kills these dangerous organisms; juicing on its own doesn’t. Washing fruit and vegetables thoroughly and drinking raw juice immediately after it’s made can minimize the risk, but pregnant women are advised to be especially wary of drinking unpasteurized juice.
The Mayo Clinic says that it’s essential to drink fresh juices as soon after they’re made as possible because of their increased vulnerability to bacteria when stored.
And the doctors and researchers at Mayo are not the only ones who advise gulping down fresh juice only seconds after it has met with the centrifugal blade. There are plenty of other health professionals who believe that without fiber, fruit and veggies can’t hold onto their nutritional value.
“The antioxidants and other phytonutrients start to break down almost immediately once they are exposed to light and air,” says nutritionist Monica Reinagel.
The next thing to remember is that, because juicing removes the fiber from fruit and veggies, your body absorbs fructose sugar from fruit juice more easily and this can upset blood sugar levels. Vegetable juices other than carrot and beet, which work similarly to fruit juice, don’t have this negative effect, which is why many health professionals encourage us to drink more veggie juices and limit fruit juice to a glass a day.
The Mayo Clinic argues that there’s little scientific evidence to support the belief that juice makes vitamins in fruit and vegetables easier for the body to absorb. Eating whole fruit and vegetables is the healthier way to get your daily intake, they say.
Regardless of the debate as to which is the best way to get your fruits into your diet, they are a crucial element in having a balanced nutritional protocol. As with any type of food or beverage too much of anything can cause an increase to your waistline, so the best modality is to utilize balance and moderation. If you are concerned about your caloric intake try to consume fruits that fall towards the low glycemic category and this will help stabilize your insulin response. If you have questions, please contact us at info@xspeedtraining.com