LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Juicing is a health trend that has gained popularity, or resurfaced in some respects, as the latest health craze.
The trend experienced a rise in popularity after going viral on social media platforms like TikTok— now people can’t seem to get enough of blending different fruits and vegetables.
However, according to an Arkansas-based Registered Dietitian with Baptist Health Weight and Nutrition Center, the hype may not be worth it.
"Juicing definitely comes in and out of popularity, I feel like right now it's striking again with summer coming," said Veronica Click.
The trend isn't technically new but has gone viral on social media platforms.
“Detoxing is a kind of buzz term in the health world right now,” Click said.
Juicing takes whole fruits or vegetables and blends them down until you can drink them— whether it be the ginger and turmeric shots or greens powders that can be seen in stores.
“You take out the pulp, which is actually the fiber part of it, and you leave the juice,” Click explained.
What's left over from the blend is mainly a carbohydrate source.
“That's not a bad thing, but you're just missing a lot more to the picture that's really going to promote your overall health,” Click added.
Losing the crucial element in fiber happens the same whether it’s blended at home, or like greens powders, bought in a powdery form.
“With greens powders, they're essentially dehydrating the fruit or the vegetable, and then kind of grinding that up,” Click described. “Again, you're not getting the fiber in that, sadly.”
Click said that it's a societal trend to try and eliminate whole food groups.
“Our society really likes to eliminate foods and go on these crazy juice cleanses where they’re only drinking juice, but really you need to have a balanced diet of everything,” Click said.
A well-rounded diet is the goal, but juicing isn't all bad, short term.
“Juicing definitely can be a part of our diet, because it can increase our source of vitamins that you do get from those fruits and vegetables,” Click said.
Click emphasized that eating fruits whole is the best way to include them in a well-balanced diet. However, detoxing doesn't need to be a trend to stick to.
“As long as you have a liver and you have kidneys then you don't need to invest in any of these you know, detox pills or detox plan or anything,” Click explained. “Your body does that for you, and for free.”
If someone is interested in juicing, but has any condition that affects their blood sugar, like diabetes, Click advised not to drink the juice by itself because it would spike blood sugar. Instead, consume the juice and pair it with a protein source.