Juicing and Diabetes – Is It a Good Idea? | Juice Me Better
Diabetes is a serious problem among the general population. This disease has grown exponentially over the last several decades. In fact, several centuries ago, only the rich would suffer from diabetes. This is because the rich had access to endless amounts of foods which can contribute to the condition. Fast forward to today and we can see that type II diabetes is occurring in children at an extremely young age.
With that being, if you suffer from diabetes, juicing daily can be an excellent strategy. However, there are some dangers diabetics can face when juicing. It’s for this reason that you will want to know exactly what to juice if you suffer from diabetes. Those with diabetes will want to focus on certain fruits and vegetables that can naturally stabilize blood sugar levels.
Before we get into how juicing can help improve diabetes symptoms tremendously, let’s first talk about what causes diabetes in the first place.
What Causes Diabetes?
The cause of diabetes is quite simple, yet this condition continues rise each year. It’s important to know that many have reversed type II diabetes with natural methods. However, in order to combat diabetes in the body, you must first know what caused it.
Type II diabetes is always caused by poor diet and a dysfunctional microbiome. The standard American diet is the quickest way to develop type II diabetes in the body. Those who consume high amounts of sugar, processed foods, packaged foods, and vegetable oils are more at risk of developing a diabetic condition.
Interestingly, there is proven research illustrating that processed foods which contain dietary emulsifiers can contribute to the onset of diabetes and obesity (1). Also, vegetable oils high in polyunsaturated fats can contribute to inflammatory conditions in the body which opens the door for the development of diabetes (2).
A whole foods diet is mandatory for anyone suffering from diabetes. This means eating whole natural foods which are low on the glycemic index. Also, it’s mandatory that you get enough fiber from primarily vegetables. Vegetable fiber it’s much more beneficial for the microbiome than grain fiber and contains many more nutrients. Research shows that fiber significantly lowers insulin resistance (3).
Cut Out all Inflammatory Foods
Since diabetes is actually a type of inflammation in the body, it makes sense to try and lower the inflammation response. Many foods contribute to inflammation and can pave the way for the early development of diabetes. Below is a small list of foods that are highly inflammatory and need to be removed from the diet.
- All Vegetable Oil (except coconut oil and olive oil)
- All Grains
- Sugar
- Processed Foods
- All Packaged Foods
These foods are found in almost every pre-packaged food on the supermarket shelf. It’s for this reason that a whole foods diet must be adopted in order to effectively combat diabetes. Meat, steamed vegetables, quality fats, raw foods, and fermented foods should make up the base of your diet.
For the sake of this post, we will not delve too far into diet. However, for those who want more information, The Weston A. Price foundation is an excellent resource to utilize. The information on this site is highly valuable for anyone with diabetes, or for anyone looking to improve their overall health.
How Juicing Helps Diabetes
Juicing can be a game changer for those with diabetic conditions. Fresh raw green juice contains an abundance of trace minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.
In fact, juicing each day can significantly boost antioxidant levels in the body. Studies show that antioxidant can help improve the diabetic conditions and reduce oxidative stress (4). Luckily, a small glass of fresh raw green juice will contain enough antioxidants in order to boost depleted levels in the body.
Raw green juice is also an excellent source of magnesium. Over half of the general population is deficient in this crucial mineral. Interestingly, studies show that patients with diabetes often suffer from low levels of magnesium in the body (5).
However, unlike synthetic supplements, raw green juice contains magnesium and other minerals in their organic form. This form is much more bioavailable to the body and will not cause unwanted negative side effects. Also, the nutrients in whole foods are able to penetrate the cells and be utilized much more effectively than any synthetic supplement.
Fruit, Juicing, and Diabetes
Juicing too many fruits is a serious danger that those suffering from diabetes need to steer clear of. Juicing removes all the fiber from both fruits and vegetables. This can be both good and bad as the removal of fiber increases absorption of nutrients and does not irritate the gut lining. However, fiber also acts as a regulator of how much sugar gets released into the blood stream during consumption of fruits. Removing the fiber from dark leafy greens is not a problem because they are naturally low in sugar.
Unfortunately, removal of high sugar fruit fiber can be problematic. Drinking juices compromised of mainly fruit should be avoided at all costs by not only those with diabetes, but also those looking improve health. Consequently, all juice recipes should follow the ratio below.
- 70% dark leafy greens
- 20% fruits
- 10% herbs
All raw juice recipes should follow this ratio. Don’t fall into the trap of juicing too many fruits. This will only lead to further health problems by dramatically spiking blood sugar levels in the body. Our Juice Me Better Juicing Recipe Book can be a great resource for those looking for low sugar juice recipes.
The Best Fruits and Vegetables to Juice
Dark Leafy Greens
These should make up the base of all your raw juice recipes. All greens contain high amounts of magnesium which is bound to chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is an amazing green pigment that can help build the blood and fight against various disease. Dark leafy greens are also very low in sugar and will not spike glucose levels.
Sour Fruit
Lemons, Limes, and grapefruits all make excellent additions to any raw green juice. They are naturally full of antioxidants which help protect against free radical damage and disease in the body. Make sure you juice the whole fruit with the skin on. The antioxidants of all citrus fruits are primarily located in the skin.
Herbs
Herbs should make up at least 10% of all your raw green juices. They offer amazing health benefits to the body and can help control blood sugar levels. Herbs such as ginger, turmeric, cilantro, and parsley are great for juicing. These herbs also contain potent anti-parasitic properties that help detox the body.
Start Juicing Today
If you suffer from diabetes, juicing can be a highly beneficial tool. Having your own home juicer is extremely convenient. This allows you to build recipes around your individual health goals. It’s also extremely convenient and allows you to stick to your healthy diet.
Before buying a juicer it’s important that you do some research before making a purchase. Luckily, we’ve covered all the basics and the best juicers for any budget.
Also, to learn more about juicing and its many health benefits, read our page on why juicing is necessary in today’s world.
There is no other health food on the planet that can compete with the heal benefits of fresh raw juice. In combination with a whole foods diet, juicing daily can regenerate and restore the body to heights not thought possible!
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Thanks Dorian! Glad it helped you!