Does Green Juice Have Benefits? All You Need to Know
Green juice is one of the biggest health and wellness trends of the last decade.
Celebrities, social media influencers, foodies, and wellness bloggers are all drinking — and talking about drinking — green juice.
Green juice enthusiasts purport that this drink offers numerous health benefits, including improved digestion, weight loss, reduced inflammation, and boosted immunity.
Though these claims may make it seem like an obvious choice, green juice also has downsides.
This article reviews everything you need to know about green juice so you can determine whether to add it to your routine.
Green juice is a beverage made from the juices of green vegetables.
There’s no official recipe, but common ingredients include celery, kale, Swiss chard, spinach, wheatgrass, cucumber, parsley, and mint.
Given that green juice tends to taste bitter, most recipes add small quantities of fruit — which may or may not be green — to sweeten it and improve its overall palatability. Popular fruit options include apples, berries, kiwi, lemons, oranges, and grapefruit.
The most dedicated green juice drinkers prefer fresh, homemade juice, but you can buy it from specialty juice cafés too.
Commercial green juices are available as well, but some varieties contain added sugar, which reduces the drink’s nutrient density. Excess sugar intake is also linked to several adverse health effects.
Moreover, many bottled green juices are pasteurized. This process heats the juice to kill harmful bacteria and extend shelf life, but it may damage some of the heat-sensitive nutrients and plant compounds found in fresh juice
Green juice is not a substitute for a balanced and healthy diet, but it shares many of the benefits that come along with eating more fruits and vegetables.
Green veggies and their juices are excellent sources of several essential vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds. For example, Swiss chard and kale are packed with vitamins A and K, while wheatgrass supplies plenty of vitamin C and iron .
Research suggests that eating leafy green vegetables daily may help reduce inflammation, heart disease risk, and your risk of age-related mental decline.
There’s also evidence that certain compounds in fresh juice can function as prebiotics, which feed and support the growth of beneficial bacteria living in your digestive tract.
Routine prebiotic intake is linked to numerous benefits, including reduced constipation, weight maintenance, and improved immune function .
Moreover, many people find that drinking their vegetables and fruits is an easy and efficient way to boost their intake of valuable nutrients .
Finally, certain people, such as those who’ve had surgery on the stomach or intestines, can benefit from green juice, as it’s easier to digest. For these populations, juicing is a short-term option during recovery.
Speak to your healthcare provider or dietitian about juicing for your specific condition.