Fruit has many benefits for a juice cleanse. Lemons are alkalizing. Grapes purify the blood. Oranges contain loads of vitamin C. Apples may strengthen your bones and lower your cholesterol.

So why do some experts tell you to stay away from fruits when juice cleansing? These fruits, while beneficial, also contains a lot of sugar. Natural, yes, but sugar nonetheless. I have found that when I’m juicing, if I consume too many fruits, it makes me rather shaky. This is because fruits actually speed up the detoxifying process. Detoxifying too quickly can cause many side effects.

If you want to add fruits into your juice detox plan, I suggest limiting them to your morning juice, or adding only one type of fruit to a vegetable juice blend. Prepare for your cleanse by eliminating processed foods and caffeine at least one week prior. This may help reduce side effects.

Should people with diabetes avoid eating fruits? Here is Dr. Andrew Weil’s viewpoint.

Do you get enough fruits and veggies in your diet?  The USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruits per day.  Here’s some examples of a serving:

These numbers actually represent the minimum suggested servings daily.  For optimal health you should probably consume more than this, but many Americans do not even consume the minimum recommendation.  In theory the guidelines seem doable however if we consider that most people will put proteins (meats) and grains (pastas) on the plate first it’s easy to see how the fruits and vegetables get left behind.

If you’re confused about shopping in the produce aisle or generally bored of sweet corn as your vegetable side dish every night, then check out this educational site Fruits and Veggies More Matters.  You’ll find articles and guides for shopping, cooking, and getting kids involved in healthy eating

One really easy way to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables is to juice them.  With a juicing machine you can get the 3-5 servings (or more) into one glass of juice!  Plus if there are some vegetables you don’t like as well, you can blend them with some fruits or veggies that you do like to improve the taste.

Try and see if you can eat more fruits and veggies with some of the methods above.  Your body will thank you.

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1. The Benefits of Juicing Fruits and Veggies

The origins of juicing for health purposes can be traced back to Ayurvedic practices in ancient India which means juicing is a nearly 5000 year old tradition. Throughout the years people have discovered that the juice of specific fruits and vegetables can help improve body functions and eliminate symptoms of disease, sometimes eliminating the disease itself.  Juicing can be especially helpful for chronic conditions, allergies, and impaired digestion, because the cause of these conditions can often be traced back to toxins in the diet.

Juice refers to the water and nutrients that have been separated from the indigestible fiber.  It is a much more concentrated form since several fruits or vegetables are used to yield one glass of juice.  When the nutrients are released from the juicing process they are more readily absorbed and assimilated by the body.  You could receive the benefits in as little as 15 minutes.

Typically it is hard for the average person to consume the daily requirements of fruits and vegetables.  Drinking fresh juices is and excellent way to incorporate them into the diet.  One eight ounce glass of juice equals about one-third of your daily needs.  Juicing also makes it easier to consume a variety of fruits and veggies so that you can benefit from all the various vitamins and nutrients contained in them.

You may also notice some of these improvements when you drink juice on a regular basis:

• improved immunity
• clearing of the digestive tract
• strengthened bones
• increased energy
• clearer skin
• balanced moods