Juice and Smoothies for Gut Health: Get your daily dose of gut-healing goodness.

During the past decade, juices and smoothies have gained popularity among health-conscious individuals due to their versatility and health benefits. The difference between smoothies and juices is that smoothies are made in a blender, which is completely different from the juicing process and may contain any fruit or vegetable as well as other ingredients such as yogurt, chia seeds, and protein powder.

A juice, on the other hand, is the liquid extracted from pressing vegetables and fruits in a juicer. Juicing requires high-moisture fruits and vegetables and removes the fibrous materials of its ingredients. But there are benefits to both.

This article discusses the health benefits of juices for gut health, especially for leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, and overall well-being.

Benefits of Juicing for Overall Health

• Mental clarity: The polyphenols in fruits and vegetable juices protect against many neurodegenerative diseases and improve cognitive functions.
  
  
• Increased energy levels: Green leafy vegetables and herbs in juices contain high amounts of chlorophyll that help your body produce hemoglobin, which improves the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood for sustained energy levels.
  
  
• Reduced inflammation: Juices are packed with anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants that reduce harmful free radicals in the body.
  
  
• Improves sleep quality: Melatonin and tryptophan are found in small amounts in juices, both of which help induce sleep.
  
  
• Weight loss: Juices are low in calories, but they still provide ample nutrients. They make great pre-workout drinks and are a good substitute for sugary drinks and carbonated water.
  
  
• Promotes healthier skin: Consuming nutritious juices keeps your skin hydrated and helps you get glowing and blemish-free skin.
  
  
• Pain relief: Juices help balance your hormones and adrenals and are useful in eliminating aches and pains.
  
  
• Beneficial for chronic health problems: Drinking green juices regularly may reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and various chronic diseases.
  
  
• Regulates blood sugar levels. The nutrients in vegetable juices can help lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin secretion.

Benefits of juices for gut health

• Digestive Enzymes: Juices contain many vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes that are required by the body to break down food and for proper digestion.
  
  
• Gut Microbiome: Plant compounds such as phytonutrients and flavonoids in juices help increase microbial diversity through the stimulation of the beneficial bacteria and the simultaneous inhibition of pathogens.
  
  
• Soluble Fiber: Juicing removes most of the insoluble fiber from fruits and vegetables, but it retains their soluble fiber. Soluble fibers absorb water from the intestine and convert it into a gel-like substance, which helps to slow down digestion and proper absorption of food.
  
  
• Maintain Healthy pH: When your stomach is too acidic, it can lead to more inflammation and related diseases. Juices have an alkalizing effect on your body and balance out your pH.

Best Foods for Juicing

Here are 5 simple steps to create your delicious powerhouse of fresh juices.

1. Start with your base. Pick ingredients that have high water content and are easy to digest.
   • Cucumber
   • Celery
   • Romaine lettuce
   • Bok choy
     
2. Add some greens. They are great sources of nutrients and contain high amounts of chlorophyll. Try to use organic greens as they are free from fertilizers and pesticides and are non-GMO.
   • Kale
   • Spinach
   • Swiss chard
   • Cabbage
   • Collard greens
   • Wheatgrass
   • Herbs (mint, coriander, parsley, basil)
     
3. Include other Veggies. Choosing a variety of vegetables enhances the flavor and color of the juice while also increasing its nutritional value. Certain vegetables may also be used to sweeten the juice or make it spicy.
   • Beetroot
   • Carrots
   • Sweet potato
   • Tomatoes
   • Butternut Squash
   • Fennel
   • Radishes
   • Jalapeno/ chili pepper
     
4. Fruits as Natural Sweeteners. They are mainly added to improve the taste of the juice and the added benefits.
   • Apple
   • Grapefruit
   • Lemon
   • Oranges
   • Pears
   • Lychee
   • Watermelons
   • Cranberries
   • Cantaloupe
     
5. Detoxifying Extras. They make your juice even more therapeutic.
   • Turmeric
   • Ginger
   • Garlic
   • Aloe vera
   • Raw apple cider vinegar (as a probiotic)

It’s better to juice more vegetables than fruits. Fruit juices may be tastier and sweeter, but vegetable juices are much healthier and lower in calories. Include fruits and vegetables of all colors in your juices to get the full spectrum of nutrients that support your immune system, promote healthy digestion, and more.

Low moisture foods such as mangoes, bananas, dates, and most berries can’t be juiced well and are better suited for smoothies. A juice made with minimal ingredients tastes better than one with too many ingredients. It is recommended to start with fewer ingredients and build up gradually.

If you don’t have a juicer, you may blend the ingredients and strain them using a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer.

Key Ingredients for a Juice Recipe for Gut Health

If you’re new to juicing, it is easy to get overwhelmed while deciding which vegetables to choose. Here are some foods you must include in your juice, especially if you want to improve your gut health.

1. Celery
   Celery contains pectin-based polysaccharides, including apiuman, which is known to improve the intestinal barrier, prevent stomach ulcers, and regulate stomach secretions. In addition, it helps restore electrolytes in the body and prevent dehydration. Hence, celery juice a day will help in relieving inflammation all the way.
   
   
2. Pineapple
   Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps in the breakdown of proteins. Bromelain also helps to alleviate various digestion problems such as constipation, bloating, and acid reflux. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, this extract may be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
   
   
3. Beetroot
   Beetroot is a natural laxative and can help treat or prevent constipation, hence helping regulate bowel movements. It is also useful in regulating stomach acid and increasing blood flow to your muscles which improves your stamina as well as cognitive functions. Additionally, beetroot contains betalains and nitrates, both of which are associated with reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
   
   
4. Cucumbers
   Cucumbers are highly nutritious and keep you hydrated, which is essential for weight gain management, digestive health, physical performance, and kidney health. Cucumber also contains high amounts of soluble fiber and acts as a coolant for your digestive system.
   
   
5. Ginger
   Fresh ginger is one of the best foods for a healthy digestive system. It contains a compound gingerol which increases gut motility and keeps food from staying too long in the gut. It also helps to regulate metabolism and has antibacterial properties. So, don’t forget to add ginger folks, as much as you can.
   
   
6. Turmeric
   Turmeric is a highly powerful anti-inflammatory spice and can be used to treat skin problems, such as acne. It contains the compound curcumin, which stimulates the gall bladder to secrete bile. It helps combat ingestion, gas, and bloating as well as reducing your risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and more.

Quick Tips: Adding a pinch of black pepper to turmeric recipes increases the bioavailability of curcumin to 2000%.

Easy Juice Recipes for Your Gut

It’s much cheaper to make pure juice at home compared to store-bought juices, and it’s the best way to avoid artificial ingredients. If you’re looking for some quick recipes to start juicing, try out these 6 beginner-friendly recipes.

Anti-inflammatory juice:

• 2 cups cut pineapples
• ½ sliced apple
• ½ thumb of ginger
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 thumb of turmeric
• Juice half a lemon

To combat fatigue:

• 1 small lime
• 4 peeled and sliced oranges
• ½ stalk chopped fennel
• ¼ green medium cabbage
• ½ medium-sized cucumber
• Chopped celery stalks
• 1 small handful of broccoli (optional)

Eliminate constipation

• Half a cup chopped beetroot
• ½ lime
• ½ medium-sized purple cabbage
• 4 chopped apples

Weight loss and bloating

• 1 lime
• 1 medium-sized chopped cucumber
• ½ bundle of chopped coriander
• ½ bulb of chopped fennel
• 1 medium-sized chopped kale
• ½ head of Romaine lettuce
• ½ head of celery

Green juice for healthy gut:  

• ½ lime + 1 cucumber
• ½ chopped celery stalk
• 1-2 apples

Immunity booster

• 2 carrots
• 1 beetroot
• ½ a handful of fresh watercress
• 1 apple
• ¼ pineapple
• 2 celery stalks
• ½ cucumber
• ½ lemon

It is recommended to juice most fruits and vegetables along with their skins for best results. However, the peels of citrus fruits should be removed as their essential oils can turn the juice better.

Juices prepared with fresh fruits can spoil very quickly as the natural sugars present in the juice begin fermenting over time. But storing them in air-tight mason jars can extend their shelf life to 48-72 hours.

Why juices should be a part of your diet?

There’s no doubt that whole fruits and vegetables are good for you and should be consumed regularly. But juices deserve their special place in a balanced diet, here’s why.

• Juices are concentrated. Juices provide the nutrients, enzymes, and compounds of a large number of fruits and vegetables in a concentrated form, which may be difficult to consume otherwise.
  
  
• They are easy to digest. Many of us have the habit of eating too quickly and end up overeating. As a result, our bodies spend much more energy on digestion than they should. Since juices have almost no dietary fiber, they are digested easily and are ideal when you want something light and invigorating.
  
  
• Increased bioavailability. Juicing increases the bioavailability of fruits and vegetables, meaning that the nutrients are easily absorbed and assimilated into the body.
  
  
• Great for kids. The vibrant colors and refreshing taste of juices may get your kids into eating more vegetables and other beneficial ingredients. Also, adding spices to your juice is a good idea as it gives you the benefits of wellness shots without its pungent taste.

What about a Juice Cleanse?

You may be thinking, if juices are so healthy, should juice cleanse be on your radar?

A juice cleanse involves drinking only fruits and vegetable juices for a certain time duration. It may last for a few days to a few weeks.

Juice cleanse is a popular trend for its purported health benefits. But it may not be for everyone.

While juices are generally healthy, they contain much less fiber than whole foods, which are important to keep you satiated and for other bodily functions. Besides, there is no scientific evidence that supports the effectiveness of juice cleanses.

Moreover, it is not a sustainable way of losing weight as it is overly restrictive, and people tend to gain weight as soon as they resume their regular diet. Therefore, it is best to treat juices as a part of a well-balanced diet.

Studies on the effect of Juices on Gut Health

A clinical trial was conducted to determine the effect of a vegetable/fruit juice-based diet on the human gut microbiome. 20 volunteers were given only vegetable/fruit juices for 3 days which was followed by a customary diet of 14 days. The study showed that the juice-based diet increased the number of good gut bacteria associated with weight loss, decreased lipid oxidation, and increased the vasodilator (blood vessel dilator) nitric oxide ^[1].

A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 17 healthy women to determine the effect of cranberry juice on the gut microbiome. The treatment group was given double-strength cranberry juice while the control group received a placebo. The plasma, fecal, and urine samples were recorded at baseline, after 3 days, and after 21 days. The study showed that consuming cranberry juice for 21 days significantly increased the number of good bacteria and reduced the number of bad bacteria in the gut ^[2].

Conclusion

Juices can be excellent sources of many nutrients, antioxidants, and beneficial plant compounds. Juicing is a great way of consuming multiple servings of vegetables and fruits in a concentrated form and is a great way to squeeze in more fruits and vegetables, especially for those who don’t like them. It has several health benefits, including better immunity, reduced inflammation, improved digestion, clearer skin, boosted energy, weight loss, as well as prevention of several diseases. In addition to this, juices are easy to digest, and their nutrients are easily absorbed in the body.

You can juice a wide range of foods, each having its unique set of health benefits. When making any kind of juice, it is advisable to juice more vegetables than fruits to avoid consuming too many calories and simple sugars. To make and drink green juice, you can also add ingredients such as wheatgrass powder, raw apple cider vinegar, and aloe vera for additional benefits.

While juices are a great way to supplement your diet, they should be consumed as a part of a balanced diet along with whole foods and not be treated as a meal replacement. Drinking juice on an empty stomach allows the body to more readily absorb the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables and also helps to jumpstart the digestive process, or you can also add a Probiotic Supplement to you diet to promote good digestion, find out the Best 10 Leaky Gut Supplements that can compliment your diet and also solve digestive issues that you are dealing with presently.

References

1. Henning SM, Yang J, Shao P, Lee RP, Huang J, Ly A, Hsu M, Lu QY, Thames G, Heber D, Li Z. Health benefit of vegetable/fruit juice-based diet: Role of microbiome. Sci Rep. 2017 May 19;7(1):2167. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-02200-6. PMID: 28526852; PMCID: PMC5438379.
   
   
2. Zhao S, Wang G, Liu H, Khoo C, Gu L. Changes of Human Gut Microbiome Correlated with Metabolomics After Cranberry Juice Consumption in a Double-Blinded, Placebo Controlled, Crossover Study. Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 May 29;4(Suppl 2):497. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzaa045_130. PMCID: PMC7258519.