The juicing phenomenon: Detoxing or damaging?

A selection of cold-pressed juices at SunLife Organics in Malibu, California, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. (Photo by Clara Kusno)

Alongside gluten-free diets and almond milk alternatives prevails another notorious health trend in Los Angeles: juice cleansing.

In a city where the health-conscious swap Lay’s chips for kale chips and sip on kombucha, juice cleansing is another regimen to add to their already ultra-healthy lifestyle. However, health experts and juice cleanse enthusiasts continuously debate whether this regimen is healthy or safe.

“Juice cleanses are a modified starvation diet,” said Loan Pham Kim, assistant professor of Nutritional Science at Pepperdine University. “They do more harm than help for your body.”

Juice cleansing involves only drinking cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices, said Hannah Blau, office assistant at Juice Crafters, a juice bar in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Cold-pressed juices differ from regular juices, as the fruits and vegetables are crushed and pressed using a hydraulic press.

Regular juices, however, are blended using metal blades, Blau said. The spinning blades exert heat and oxidize the nutrients in the juice.

“Since there is no heat involved (in making cold-pressed juices), the fruits and vegetables don’t oxidize, so the nutrients are in the juice for a longer period of time compared to those in regular juices,” said Mike Fabi, sales associate at SunLife Organics.

A selection of cold-pressed juices at Juice Crafters in Los Angeles, California, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. (Photo by Clara Kusno)

Juice cleanses range from one to seven days, Blau said.

People participate in juice cleanses for multiple reasons. Some do it for the mental and emotional clarity that they gain, while others do it to temporarily make up for their unhealthy diet.

How Juice Cleanses Claim to Positively Affect the Body

However, the No. 1 reason of juice cleansing is to detox and restore proper health to the body, said Briana McCafferty, brand communication specialist at Moon Juice.

“Juice cleanses allow the body to naturally go into detox mode and flush out the toxins that accumulate in the body,” McCafferty said. “These toxins lead to both physical and mental imbalances.”

The body has its own natural detoxing mechanism, Kim said. The body’s filtration system consists of the liver and kidneys. The liver breaks down medicine and alcohol within the body, while the kidneys cleanse the water and blood in the body and maintain the body’s electrolyte balance.

The body also has an immune system that attacks foreign substances, such as toxins from processed food, said Susan Edgar Helm, associate professor of Nutritional Science at Pepperdine University.

Juice cleanses fill the body with nutrients and enzymes, Blau said.

Health experts argue otherwise.

“You are getting nutrients, but you are missing fiber that is beneficial for health,” Kim said. “Fiber binds cholesterol, which reduces heart disease. A lack of fiber results in cardiovascular diseases.”

Juice cleanses can also lower the body’s metabolism and break down muscles that are needed to supply the body with protein, Kim said. This is because the body does not get enough protein during a juice cleanse.  

Additionally, juice cleanses limit the amount of protein and good fats that the body gets, Kim said.

Juice cleanses can change the body’s bacterial population and the intestines’ structural components, Helm said, which introduces the body to a host of chronic health issues, such as colon cancer and constipation. The sugar in the juices feeds the bacteria in the body, causing bloating and eventually weight gain.

Juice cleanses help shed excess weight, Blau said.

However, Helm said, the body receives lots of sugar and carbohydrates, especially from the large amount of fruits consumed during juice cleanses, which ultimately results in weight gain.

How Juice Cleanses Negatively Affect the Body

“It is no better than grabbing a piece of fruit and eating it as a whole,” Kim said.

Regardless of the disadvantages of juice cleansing, many still think that it is a safe dieting option, according to a poll of 55 Pepperdine students asking their general knowledge and     attitude toward juice cleanses.

According to the poll, 75 percent of respondents consider juice cleanses safe and 62 percent said cleansing and detoxing the body were their biggest motivations for participating in a juice cleanse.

Proponents of juice cleansing said it wasn’t right for everyone. Juice cleansing is not ideal for people with certain medical conditions, Fabi said, including Type 2 diabetes.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also refrain from juice cleansing, Blau said.

Despite the disagreements, some still perceive numerous benefits from juice cleanses, both physically and mentally.

“I don’t crave sugary food as much,” said Sarah A., a sales associate at Pressed Juicery, who declined to give her last name. “I also sleep better and have more energy throughout the day.”

Those who juice cleanse also experience an overall refreshing feeling.

“I feel cleaner, lighter, happier and clearer,” Fabi said.

However, such positive effects are not entirely from the juices.

“You’ll feel better, but it’s not because of the juices themselves,” Kim said. “It’s because you are simply eliminating processed food and simple sugars.”

Some receive the benefits of juice cleansing on a deeper and more emotional level.

“I journal a lot while cleansing,” Fabi said. “It lets me get to the root of what my feelings are. I’m essentially cleansing my whole spirit and soul.”

Other students said drinking cold-pressed juices was easier than instead eating whole fruits and vegetables.

“I can get so many fruit and vegetable nutrients from just one bottle,” said Nadya Yapari, a senior majoring in business administration.

For some, juice cleansing is a quick way to nourish the body following an unhealthy diet.

“If I feel like I haven’t been eating properly, I’ll go on a juice cleanse to get all the vitamins that I need,” senior finance major Christina Nilam said.

Even for the most experienced, juice cleansing is not the easiest diet to accomplish.

“It was difficult for me at first,” said Kenny Tirto, a senior majoring in integrated marketing communication. “I felt hungry and tired, but the second time was easier.”

Juice cleansing also interferes with social situations.

“It’s hard not being able to sit and eat with friends and family,” Fabi said. “Food is such a social thing. It’s also a mental thing, because so much of our day is structured around what we eat.”

A selection of cold-pressed juices at Pressed Juicery in Los Angeles, California, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. (Photo by Clara Kusno)
A selection of cold-pressed juices at Pressed Juicery in Los Angeles, California, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. (Photo by Clara Kusno)

Those who don’t participate in juice cleanses remain skeptical about this health trend.

“I just don’t see how juice cleanses are filling or satisfying,” said Stella Lo Balbo, a freshman international business major. “I like to eat real food, and drink normal orange, grapefruit or apple juice.”

The lack of sustainability and nutrition in juice cleanses is also a turn-off for some.

“It’s unsustainable and short-term,” said KiMi Robinson, a senior majoring in English. “I don’t see how you can get all the nutrients you need and maintain your energy.”

There are various types of juices included in a juice cleanse. The most popular type is green juice, which is purely vegetable juice, with the occasional green apple or lemon added in.

“My favorite cold-pressed juice is one from Whole Foods called Emerald River,” Tirto said. “It has kale, celery, broccoli, cucumber and Granny Smith apples in it.”

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Protein-based juices cater more toward vegetarians and typically consist of almonds, dates, coconut water and vanilla beans. Less appetizing but still nutritious options include cayenne pepper, aloe vera and activated charcoal.

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Kim suggests sticking to a normal but healthy diet of complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats.

“Eat dark green, leafy vegetables,” Kim said. “Berries are also good for their antioxidants and fiber.”

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Clara Kusno completed this story in Dr. Christina Littlefield’s fall 2015 Jour 241 class.