Juice cleans the intestine and increases the inflammation, study finds

Here is what nutritionists know about juice purifications and their effects on the body, and why most experts are strong against this practice.

What did the study find?

The small study recruited 14 people and had one of three diets follow for three days: an all-juice diet, a diet of juice and food or a diet on a vegetable basis. Before and after diet, the participants gave chair, saliva and inner guards and 14 days after the end of the diets.

The researchers found that people had “frequency” of inflammatory bacteria with the juice diet, which they were related to the high sugar and a low fiber nature of the juice diet. Bacteria associated with intestinal permeability (the ability of the intestinal clothing, to control what is going on into the bloodstream), inflammation and cognitive decline also increased in the Juice diet group.

“These results suggest that short -term juice consumption can negatively influence the microbiota,” the researchers wrote in the conclusion.

The nutritionists we spoke to say that they are not shocked what the study found. “These results contribute to the growing proof that short -term nutritional interventions can significantly influence the microbiome,” says Scott Keatley, co -owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy.

Marie Borum, MD, MPH, Director of the Department of Gastroenterology at George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates points out that it is a small study that makes it difficult to draw large conclusions. “However, this study shows that the importance of understanding the nutrient content of juices and the prioritization of fiber intake in nutrition,” she says.

Why could a juice -clean person negatively affect the intestine?

There are some potential reasons for this. “If you eat fruits and vegetables, you get fiber – which is great,” says Jessica Cording, RD, author of The small book of the Game Changers. “But if you juice these foods, you largely miss the fiber. What is left is primarily sugar. ”

A diet to be lifted with high sugar is “not an advantageous thing for health, including intestinal health,” says Cording.

Juicing also eliminates insoluble fiber, which gives the chair a large part and regularly keeps the digestion, as Keatley points out. Insoluble fiber “is essential for feeding beneficial intestinal bacteria and maintaining intestinal degrees,” he explains.

“The lack of fiber can lead to an increased abundance of bacteria that thrive by simple sugar, such as: Proteobacteriathat are associated with inflammation, ”continues Keatley.

For the intestinal microbioma, it is important to take into account the types and quantities of bacteria that thrive under healthy conditions, says Stephani Johnson, DCN, RDN, professor at the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutritional Sciences at Rutgers University. “Useful intestinal bacteria rely on prebiotics and fiber – which is indigestible by the human digestive tract – as a primary source of food. Only juice diets eliminate these decisive components and withdraw these bacteria of essential nutrients. “

All of these sugar from juices can also show microbial populations that are not so good for them, he says. “Your intestinal microbiota is the ultimate” survival of the strongest “, and it really becomes a mirror of everything you eat,” says Keatley.

Are juice cleaning healthy?

No, juicing is not considered healthy. “I asked people not to do juice cleaning for 12 years,” says Cording. It calls the promise of quick weight loss and helps her body to detoxify “tempting”, but says that the results of juice cleaning are not what they seem.

“People lose weight if they do juice cleaning because they eat less and pee a lot, and they may even have more stool approaches,” she says. “But the weight you lose is mostly water weight.”

Juice not only cleans your intestinal microbioma, which helps with digestion and contributes to your immune system, says Cording that they are “terrible for their blood sugar” because they can cause spikes and crashes. If you regularly have blood sugar tips and accidents, you can have a risk of developing an illness known as an insulin resistance that is a forerunner for the development of type -2 diabetes, says Cording.

But physical inflammation is also a big problem. “This was associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders,” says Keatley. “While a three -day juice diet in healthy people may not be added to permanent damage, repeated or longer juice fasting can have cumulative negative effects.”

What to consider instead of a juice cleaning

Keatley warns against using juicing as the main diet strategy. “For those who enjoy fresh juice, the combination with fiber -rich foods such as nuts, seeds or whole grains can help slow down the absorption of glucose and to support the health of the intestine,” he says. “But only eating the fruit and vegetables – even if it is less than with juice – is the best option.”

If you want to have juice, Dr. Borum before combining it with whose foods. This can “compensate for the intestinal microbioma,” she says.

But Cording emphasizes that actual fruit and vegetables are still better for them. “Instead of a juice cleaning, look at how you can include more nutrient -rich products in your day and combine you with good, high -quality protein sources and healthy fatty acids. Drink a lot of water too, ”she says. “These are things that can improve the body’s natural detoxification systems, also known as kidneys and liver.”

But Johnson says that they do not have to avoid juice completely, and point out that there is a big difference between the strange juice glass and juice cleaning where these drinks are their primary or only source of nutrition. “In moderation, the inclusion of a portion of juice can be a healthy and pleasant way to increase the micronutrient and antioxidant intake,” says Johnson. “However, only juice diets are inadequate nutritional, without essential fiber, protein and healthy fats.”