Recent research by St Andrews University highlighted the powerful effect of fruit and vegetables in our daily diets. In the study, volunteers who increased their consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables found that their skin tone improved and ‘glowed.’The internet is also alive with reports from estheticians, facialists, magazine editors, and dermatologists who swear by green juice. In fact, NYC celeb aesthetician Joanna Vargas, the choice of Michelle Williams and Naomi Watts, says, “Great skin’s a reflection of what one puts in their body and their digestion.” (WellandGood)
Good: Juicing Provides Vitamins, Micronutrients, and Enzymes
Even if you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, it can be difficult (if not impossible) to regularly get access to many of the nutrients found in fresh juice.
It is true that you can take a multivitamin and get access to the 13 essential vitamins:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- 8 essential B vitamins (riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, folate, B12, B6, niacin, pantothenic acid and biotin).
Within these 13 essential vitamins, there are two classes:
- Water-soluble (i.e. all of the B vitamins; vitamin C). Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and mix easily in your blood. Water-soluble vitamins are eliminated through the urine quicker and small amounts are stored in the body at one time
- Fat-soluble (vitamins A, D, E, and K). Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in oil and fats. They tend to stick around in the body longer.
This also means that it’s hard to get a toxic dose of water-soluble vitamins, which means that drinking fresh green juice once or twice a day is perfectly within healthy limits.
But there are also other nutrients that are hard to get from vitamin supplements. For instance, there are enzymes, antioxidants, macronutrients, and trace minerals in fresh fruits and vegetables that are beneficial for the skin. Enzymes in particular are capable of creating or accelerating chemical reactions that allow them to help cells grow, regenerate, and repair. According to Dr. Edward Howell, “Enzymes may be the key factor in preventing chronic disease and extending the human lifespan.”
While I’m sure more enzymes will be available in pill form in the future, I think getting enzymes from a diverse array of fruits and vegetables in juice is an amazing way to give your skin cells the macronutrients and micronutrients it needs to stay young and healthy!
Good: Juicing Gives Your Liver a Break
I know my peers from college and medical school are scowling at me for this one. Most traditional medical doctors go on the record and say that the liver is more than capable of detoxifying itself from the toxins we encounter in a day.
But many osteopaths swear by juice fasts, claiming that it gives the liver a break now and then. Though it has not been confirmed in any peer-reviewed scientific studies, it makes sense: The liver performs more than 300 critical metabolic functions related to either transforming or eliminating substances within the bloodstream. With thousands of toxins from the environment, processed food, and even resulting from natural biological processes within the body, giving the liver one less thing to do (aid in digestion) should free up more energy for detoxification processes — and make your skin look more beautiful!
Nutritionist Kimberly Snyder adds that taking breaks from food can actually increase detoxification, improve digestive efficiency, raise your growth hormone levels, and help you absorb more nutrition when you do eat. Research by Mark Hartman and colleagues indicates short-term fasting can trigger production of human growth hormone (HGH) in men, and reduce oxidative stress that contributes to disease and aging; benefits include brain health, mental well-being, and clarity of thought.
For the skin, juice fasts have been reported to reduce inflammatory skin diseases like dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and adult acne (HealthAmbition).
I honestly might be more skeptical, but I can tell you that a three-day juice fast does give my skin a better “glow”. Attributing this glow to a cleaner, more detoxified body is not far-fetched at all in my mind!
Bad: Juicing Can Be Low in Fiber
