Why you need to start juicing now

If getting fit in January is top of your wish-list this winter, then you may want to listen up! Far from the crash dieting it’s often associated with, juicing can actually offer a fantastic way to get your fix of those all-important nutrients in a fun and super tasty way. But not all juices are the same. If you reach for a bottle on the go, the chances are it contains a lot of unwanted additives and sugars and is pasteurised for a longer shelf life. However, if you juice from home, not only can you know exactly what’s in your drink, you can take control of your own healthy lifestyle while having fun in the kitchen trying out recipes at the same time. Philips has teamed up with nutrition and fitness coach, Joe Wicks, to reveal the truths behind juicing and to finally banish a few juicing myths once and for all. So if you’re looking to juice it in Jan (as part of a healthy, balanced diet of course), here are a few things you need to know…

Are juices full of sugar and bad for your teeth?

It depends. ‘There are, let’s face it, cheap concentrated juice drinks packed with sugar that have been sitting on supermarket shelves for months,’ says Joe. ‘In addition to high levels of sugars, during the bottling process, heat and other types of processing of fruit and vegetables can lead to 15-35% reduction in vitamin C after treatment.’ But, by juicing at home, it can be a completely different story. Not only will you swerve the juices that have little or no health benefits, juicing at home also means you have the opportunity to add in vegetables in place of certain fruits which will in turn lower the sugar content and give you greater health benefits.

Is juicing expensive to do at home?

In a word: no! In fact, if you replace your go-to guilty 4pm snack with a healthy juice, it could actually work out cheaper. ‘You just need to change some habits and instead of shopping for guilty snacks, make space in your kitchen for healthy food,’ Joe explains. ‘You can also head down to your local market or greengrocers to pick up fresh, in season fruit and vegetables to save some extra pennies.’ What’s more, the beauty of juicing is that it’s incredibly forgiving – meaning you can throw almost anything in there, including leftovers at the end of the week that you might otherwise throw away for being overripe, but that would work perfectly in a juice. 

Is juicing good for a quick/rapid weight loss?

‘No, no, no! Ditch this now!’ urges Joe. ‘People get bored, they give up, and any lost weight returns with a vengeance. For some with underlying health problems, such as diabetes, this approach can also be dangerous.’ While juices are an easy, great way to incorporate essential vitamins and minerals into our busy, everyday lives, they are simply not enough to sustain you and they should be in addition to a healthy diet, not instead of. ‘Quick fixes and crash diets are pointless and totally unsustainable,’ continues Joe. ‘For me it’s all about real food, real nutrients and plenty of good fuel for the body.’

Is blending better for you than juicing?

Essentially they are equally good but completely different, both benefiting the body just in different ways. ‘Juicing is simply a very efficient way for the body to take in nutrients quickly,’ says Joe. ‘Recent research from University College London actually recommends an ‘up to ten-a-day’ diet of fruit and veg. Now that’s a lot of veggies on your plate, so juicing makes this easier.’ A variety of fruit and veggies in your diet is also super good for you and your health and juicing offers you the chance to do just this.

Do juices taste gross?

‘Taste is personal, and everyone will have their own favourites,’ explains Joe. ‘Those starting on their juicing adventure, and who aren’t so keen on their veggies, can start off with ingredients such as apples, watermelons or carrots to add some initial sweetness.’ Even if you don’t like a certain vegetable, but want to incorporate it into your diet, adding a little into a juice with a whole bunch of other yummy ingredients will mean you get the awesome health benefits without even realising it’s in there! Some would call that a win/win!

Do you lose vital nutrients from fruit and vegetables when you juice?

Quite the opposite. ‘This is another myth that needs debunking because it’s stopping people from getting healthy,’ says Joe. And if you don’t believe us, the UK Department of Health has recognised juices count towards your 5-a-day. Why? Because through eating your fruit and veg raw in juice form (rather than heating them through cooking), you don’t lose any nutrients apart from fibre. ‘You can increase juice quality by using cold produce and juicing is a great way to add essential vitamins and minerals to your diet. So juice consistently and drink it fresh!’ adds Joe.

Is buying a juicer expensive?

Essentially, no. Philips currently has an amazing selection of juicers, such as the Philips Viva Collection Compact juicer (which starts from as little as £40). If you think how much you spend on one juice alone from a shop, you’ll soon have your return on investment, as home juicing is infinitely cheaper. ‘You can’t put a price on good health!’ says Joe.

So what next? If you’re interested in juicing after the excess of Christmas, here is a great place to start. First, begin by investing in a juicer if you don’t have one already. Visit philips.co.uk to shop the range. Then, check out some great recipes and get started! We have a whole host of delicious and nutritious recipes on weheartliving.com such as the pre-run buzz juice and, perfect for Christmas time, our warming pear, ginger and cinnamon juice. You can also try any of Joe Wicks’ juicing recipes, which prove that juicing can be easy, quick and hassle free. Here are our favs:

Carrot or the stick

2 carrots

5 celery sticks

1 beetroot

1 pear

Cool as a cucumber

1 cucumber

2 apples

½ a lime

5 mint leaves

The lean in 15 post workout shake

2 carrots

1 apple

3 handfuls of spinach

3 handfuls of kale

1 scoop of whey protein (optional)

Don’t forget to share your creations using the hashtag #RealJuiceTruths. Happy juicing!