Do you get any fiber from juicing?
Juicing fruits and vegetables has become a popular way for people to increase their intake of nutrients. Proponents claim that juicing allows you to consume more servings of fruits and veggies, since you’re removing the fiber and drinking only the juice. However, the removal of fiber may be a downside for some people. This article explores whether you get any fiber from juicing.
What is juicing?
Juicing refers to extracting the liquid contents of fruits and vegetables. This is typically done by shredding or pressing the produce to squeeze out the juice, leaving behind the leftovers known as pulp. The resulting juice contains most of the vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds from the whole fruits and vegetables, but not the fiber.
Juicing is different from blending, in which whole fruits and vegetables are processed into smoothies containing all parts of the produce, including skin, seeds, and fiber.
Some of the top fruits and veggies used for juicing include:
- Apples
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Kale
- Spinach
- Beets
- Ginger
People juice fruits and vegetables for a variety of reasons, including to:
- Increase nutrient intake
- Aid weight loss
- Detoxify the body
- Boost energy
- Improve skin health
- Support heart health
Does juicing remove fiber?
Yes, the juicing process removes most of the fiber from fruits and vegetables. Fiber comes from the cell walls of plant foods, which are removed and broken down during juicing.
The pulp left over after juicing still contains some fiber, but a large portion of it has been extracted into the juice.
For example, here’s how much fiber is lost from juicing 3.5 cups (83 grams) of some common produce:
| Food | Fiber in whole food | Fiber left after juicing |
|---|---|---|
| Apples | 5.5 grams | 0.5 grams |
| Carrots | 3.6 grams | 1.1 grams |
| Broccoli | 5.1 grams | 0.6 grams |
| Spinach | 3.6 grams | 0.5 grams |
As you can see, juicing causes a major loss of fiber, ranging from 75–90% for the fruits and vegetables above.
Why is fiber lost during juicing?
Fiber is depleted during juicing because it is found primarily in plant cell walls, which are broken open and extracted into juice when fruits and veggies are juiced.
There are two main types of fiber:
- Soluble fiber: Dissolves in water to form a gel-like consistency. Found primarily in fruits and vegetables.
- Insoluble fiber: Does not dissolve in water. Found in foods like whole grains, bran, nuts, and seeds.
Soluble fiber is removed and incorporated into the juicing liquid since it can dissolve in water. Meanwhile, most insoluble fiber remains behind in the pulp since it doesn’t dissolve.
Still, a good portion of insoluble fiber is also extracted into the juice during the juicing process.
Overall, juicing removes about 75% of total fiber on average, including both soluble and insoluble varieties. This can significantly reduce the overall fiber content of your diet if you juice frequently.
Should you be concerned about the loss of fiber from juicing?
Removing fiber through juicing may be concerning for a few reasons:
- 1. Lower fiber intake: Most people already fall short on fiber needs. Further restricting intake through juicing could have implications for gut and heart health.
- 2. Blood sugar spikes: Without fiber to slow digestion, juice sugars rapidly enter the bloodstream.
- 3. Hunger and fullness: Fiber increases feelings of fullness. Removing it can lead to increased hunger and calorie intake.
That said, juices still provide a hefty dose of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants. For this reason, replacing one meal per day with a nutritious juice can still be healthy in moderation.
To counteract the loss of fiber from juicing, make sure to eat plenty of high fiber foods like fruits, veggies, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds at other meals and snacks throughout your day.
Should you juice the pulp?
Some people choose to juice the leftover pulp in order to recapture a bit more of the lost fiber and nutrients. Re-juicing the pulp can increase fiber intake by around 1 gram per 3.5 cups (83 grams) of juice.
However, pulp loses most of its texture after being re-juiced, so it may have limited benefits for promoting feelings of fullness. It also adds a bit of grittiness and sediment to your juice.
If you do opt to re-juice the pulp, keep the following tips in mind:
- Mix the pulp back into the finished juice to integrate flavors.
- Combine low-fiber juices and produce with high-fiber items like leafy greens.
- Drink your juice with the pulp right away before nutrients degrade.
- Consider discarding the pulp if juice becomes too gritty or bitter.
How to add fiber back into juice
In addition to juicing the pulp, other simple ways to boost the fiber in your juice include:
- Add fruit/veggie skins. Blend produce skins directly into your juice.
- Leave peels on citrus fruits. Zest oranges, lemons, limes, etc. before juicing.
- Juice whole fruits/veggies. Juice produce whole instead of cutting into pieces.
- Add chia seeds or psyllium husk. Stir 1–2 teaspoons of seeds or husks into juice.
- Switch up produce. Rotate a variety of fruits and vegetables, including pulp and seeds.
- Drink smoothies. Blend produce into smoothies a few days per week instead.
Should you take fiber supplements with juice?
Taking a fiber supplement can help counteract fiber loss from juicing. Supplements like psyllium husk, glucomannan, inulin, guar gum, and acacia fiber can provide an added fiber boost.
Aim for around 5–10 grams of supplemental fiber per day but make sure to spread consumption throughout the day. Taking fiber supplements immediately after juicing is not recommended since it can gel up and block mineral absorption.
Other tips for taking fiber supplements include:
- Always take with plenty of water.
- Start with a small dose and gradually increase over time.
- Consider a 50/50 blend of soluble and insoluble fiber.
- Watch for side effects like gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
Additionally, increase dietary sources of fiber at meals and snacks to help meet daily needs. Supplements can help fill shortfall gaps but should not replace fiber-rich whole foods.
Should you juice daily?
Despite being low in fiber, juicing can still be included as part of a healthy diet. However, juicing daily is not recommended.
Here are some tips on how often you should juice:
- Limit to 1 juice per day to restrict fiber loss.
- Maximum 3–4 juices per week. Any more may deplete fiber too much.
- Rotate with blended smoothies to boost fiber on some days.
- Always pair juice with fiber-rich meals and snacks.
- Listen to your body. Limit juice if you feel hungrier or digestive issues arise.
Moderating juice intake and alternating it with smoothies and fiber-filled foods can help support healthy fiber levels.
High fiber options to pair with juice
Since juicing eliminates most of the fiber, it’s important to emphasize high fiber foods the rest of your diet. Some healthy, fiber-rich foods to eat in addition to juice include:
| Food group | High fiber options |
|---|---|
| Fruits | Berries, apple, pear, banana, mango, dried fruit |
| Vegetables | Broccoli, artichokes, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach |
| Grains | Oatmeal, barley, quinoa, brown rice, whole grain bread |
| Legumes | Kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, edamame, peas |
| Nuts & seeds | Almonds, walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds |
Emphasizing these high fiber choices throughout your day can help compensate for the lack of fiber in juice.
Should you see a nutritionist for guidance?
Meeting with a nutritionist can be helpful if you plan to start juicing regularly. A nutritionist can:
- Assess your current diet and fiber intake
- Determine if juicing is appropriate based on your health status
- Recommend how often you should juice
- Provide fiber-focused meal plans to pair with juicing
- Monitor you for potential nutrient deficiencies or side effects
- Suggest supplements if needed
Seeing a nutritionist when making major dietary changes like daily juicing can ensure it fits into a balanced eating pattern.
The bottom line
Juicing extracts both soluble and insoluble fiber from fruits and veggies into the liquid juice. This can significantly decrease total daily fiber intake.
To make up for lack of fiber, consider juicing pulp, leaving peels on produce, adding back seeds, reducing juice frequency, taking supplements, and emphasizing high fiber foods. Consulting a nutritionist can also help maintain adequate fiber status when juicing.
