What is the 80 20 rule for juicing?

The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, is a concept that can be applied to many areas of life and health. When it comes to juicing, it refers to getting 80% of your calories from vegetables and 20% from fruits. This ratio is considered ideal for maximizing nutrients while minimizing sugar intake.

Why Follow the 80/20 Rule for Juicing

There are several reasons why the 80/20 vegetable to fruit ratio is recommended for juicing:

• Vegetables are lower in sugar and calories than fruit. Eating too much fruit sugar can spike blood sugar levels.
• Vegetables provide more nutrients per calorie. Things like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are more densely packed in veggies.
• The fiber in vegetables helps slow sugar absorption. This prevents blood sugar crashes and energy fluctuations.
• Fruit contains fructose, which does not require insulin to be metabolized. Too much can be hard on the liver.
• Going heavy on the veggies helps prevent juicing from becoming a high-calorie beverage.

By following the 80/20 ratio, you can maximize the nutrient density of your juices without overdoing it on the fruit sugar. This helps keep the calorie count down while still providing a powerful dose of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Tips for Sticking to the 80/20 Rule

Here are some tips to help you stick to the 80/20 ratio when making vegetable and fruit juices:

• Always start with your base of vegetables, such as carrots, cucumber, celery and leafy greens like kale or spinach.
• Add fruit as an accent. Some good options are apple, lemon, lime, grapefruit or berries.
• Aim for 2-3 vegetables for every 1 fruit you include.
• Measure your produce before juicing. For every 3 cups of veggies, add 1 cup of fruit.
• If using juicing recipes, look for ones that contain 80% or more vegetables.
• When in doubt, go heavier on the veggies and lighter on the fruits.

It may take some trial and error to find vegetable-fruit combos you enjoy. Getting into the 80/20 mindset can help guide your juicing habits.

Vegetable and Fruit Combinations

There are endless combinations of vegetables and fruits that can be mixed together for juicing. Here are some tasty 80/20 ratio juice recipes to try:

Green Juices

• Cucumber, celery, kale, lemon, apple
• Cucumber, romaine, spinach, kiwi, lime
• Bok choy, parsley, broccoli, pear, ginger

Root-Based Juices

• Carrot, beet, parsley, lemon, apple
• Sweet potato, carrot, spinach, blueberries, orange
• Parsnip, celery root, collard greens, tangerine, mint

Fruit-Accented Juices

• Tomato, carrot, celery, basil, pineapple
• Bell pepper, cucumber, zucchini, strawberries, lime
• Broccoli, kale, cucumber, orange, ginger

Get creative with combining your favorite vegetables and fruits while sticking to the 80/20 ratio. This ensures your juices are nutritious, low in sugar and high in nutrients.

Nutrition Benefits of the 80/20 Juicing Rule

Following the 80/20 guideline for juicing comes with many nutritional perks. Here are some of the top benefits you can expect:

Higher Antioxidant Content

Antioxidants are compounds found naturally in fruits and vegetables that help neutralize free radicals and prevent cell damage. Going heavy on the veggies pumps up the antioxidant content of your juices. Some especially antioxidant-rich options are leafy greens, carrots, beets and broccoli.

More Vitamins and Minerals

The vitamin and mineral content of vegetables far outweighs that of fruit. Adding more veggies to your juice gives you a wider variety of essential vitamins and minerals. Some of the biggest nutrient-dense vegetables to juice are spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, broccoli and peppers.

Higher Fiber Content

Vegetables are also far higher in fiber than fruits. Adding more veggies to your juice increases the fiber you get per serving. The fiber helps regulate digestion, stabilize blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. Some great high-fiber veggies for juicing are carrots, celery, broccoli, artichokes and green beans.

Lower Sugar Content

One of the biggest perks of the 80/20 rule is that it limits sugar content. Fruits contain much more sugar and calories per cup than vegetables. By minimizing fruit amounts, you avoid sugar spikes and crashes. You also reduce your risk of conditions like obesity, diabetes and fatty liver disease.

More Hydration

Vegetables have a high water content. By juicing more veggies, you are increasing the fluid content of your juice. This helps you stay hydrated, which is key for energy, circulation and metabolic function. Cucumber, tomatoes, zucchini, celery and radishes are all great hydrating vegetables to juice.

Juices made according to the 80/20 ratio deliver a powerhouse of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber with less sugar. This makes them incredibly nourishing and health-promoting.

Downsides of Juicing with Too Much Fruit

While fruits do contain beneficial vitamins, antioxidants and phytonutrients, they come with disadvantages when over-consumed. Here are some of the downsides of using too much fruit in your juices:

• Higher calorie content – Fruits like bananas, mangos, grapes and apples are high in calories and carbs. This can contribute to weight gain.
• Rapidly absorbed sugars – The natural sugars in fruit are quickly absorbed by the body, spiking blood sugar.
• Less nutrients per calorie – You get fewer vitamins, minerals and antioxidants per calorie from fruit than vegetables.
• Higher fructose – Fruits contain the simple sugar fructose, which is difficult for the liver to process in excess.
• Faster energy crashes – The quick jolt of sugars from fruit leads to an energy crash as blood sugar declines.
• Tooth decay risk – Too much simple fruit sugar feeds bacteria and raises your risk of cavities.

For optimal nutrition and health, it’s best to emphasize vegetables over fruits in your juicing recipes. The 80/20 ratio helps you avoid overwhelming your system with too much sugar while maximizing nutrients.

Should You Always Stick to 80/20 Juicing?

Is the 80/20 ratio an absolute rule that should always be followed for juicing? Here are some things to consider:

• It depends on your health goals – If you are juicing for weight loss, blood sugar control or fatty liver, sticking closely to 80/20 is advised. If you simply want extra nutrients, you can be more flexible.
• Fruit servings should stay small – Even if you aren’t rigidly sticking to 80/20, fruit should still be a minimal accent, not the main component.
• Listen to your body – Notice how you feel after juicing certain ratios. If you get jittery or have energy crashes, you may be using too much fruit.
• Consider your fruit choices – Berries have less sugar than tropical fruits like mangos and pineapples. If using the latter, cut back even further on quantities.
• Don’t drink fruit juice – Juicing whole fruits is better than drinking fruit juice, which has no fiber and is very high in sugar and calories.

While the 80/20 rule doesn’t have to be followed exactly, it provides beneficial guidance for constructing nutritious, low-sugar juices.

Typical Mistakes to Avoid

It’s easy to unintentionally skew your juicing ratios in an unhealthy direction. Here are some common mistakes to be mindful of:

• Using too much fruit – It’s tempting to load up on apples, mangos, bananas and other sweet fruits.
• Not counting citrus as fruit – While citrus has nutrients, it is still high in sugar and should be minimized.
• Juicing fruit juice – Don’t juice juices like orange juice, apple juice or cranberry juice which are already high in sugar.
• Underestimating calorie content – It’s easy to take in a lot of calories if juicing large quantities of fruits like grapes, bananas and pineapples.
• Not balancing sweet veggies – Beets, carrots and sweet potatoes still count as sugars. Balance them out with greens.
• Using too many cheat ingredients – Things like apple sauce, coconut water, maple syrup and almond milk can skew ratios.

Being aware of these common pitfalls can help you avoid sabotaging your nutrition goals with your homemade juices.

Sample 1-Day Juice Plan

Here is an example of what a 1-day juicing plan might look like if you are sticking to the 80/20 ratio of vegetables to fruits:

Morning

12 oz juice

• 5 oz celery
• 4 oz cucumber
• 2 oz kale
• 1 oz lemon

Mid-morning

16 oz juice

• 10 oz carrots
• 3 oz beet
• 2 oz apple
• 1 oz ginger

Lunch

20 oz juice

• 8 oz tomatoes
• 6 oz cucumber
• 4 oz spinach
• 2 oz strawberries

Afternoon

16 oz juice

• 10 oz swiss chard
• 3 oz bell pepper
• 2 oz pineapple
• 1 oz lime

Dinner

24 oz juice

• 15 oz broccoli
• 5 oz carrots
• 3 oz pears
• 1 oz ginger

This provides a good variety of vegetable-based juices throughout the day while limiting fruit as an accent ingredient. The ratios stick close to the 80/20 recommendation.

Should You Juice Every Day?

Is it advisable to drink these vegetable-fruit juices every single day? Here are some factors to consider:

• It depends on your goals – If you are juicing for a short-term cleanse, you may juice more frequently for a week or two. For general health, every other day is great.
• Monitor nutrient levels – Frequent juicing can interfere with nutrient absorption, especially minerals and protein. Get bloodwork periodically to ensure you aren’t deficient.
• Get some fiber – Since juicing removes fiber, make sure to eat some whole fruits and vegetables as well to get both soluble and insoluble fiber.
• Consider your calories – Don’t use juicing as a way to take in excess calories. Too much can hinder weight loss.
• Watch sugar intake – The sugars in juice can add up quickly, so limit quantity if aiming to control blood sugar.
• Drink your juice soon – To get the most nutrients, drink juice immediately. The longer it sits, the more oxidation occurs.

Daily juicing can be great for short-term cleansing but may be excessive if continued long-term. The 80/20 rule helps ensure you get proper nutrition if juicing frequently.

Other Tips for Getting the Most from Juicing

Here are some other great tips for maximizing the nutrition from your vegetable-fruit juices:

• Use organic produce when possible
• Wash all produce thoroughly before juicing
• Drink your juice on an empty stomach when possible
• Chew your juice to get extra fiber benefit
• Make only what you can drink in one sitting
• Store juice in an airtight container and straw if saving any
• Freeze juice in ice cube trays for easy blending into smoothies
• Include leafy greens like kale and spinach for nutrient density
• Use a slow juicer if you can for minimal oxidation

The Bottom Line

Using the 80/20 guideline when juicing is a great way to maximize nutrition while avoiding excessive sugar and calories. By sticking mainly to low-sugar vegetables and minimal amounts of fruit, you can get an energizing nutrient boost without disrupting your health goals. The wider the variety of veggies you include, the greater the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant benefit.

While you don’t have to follow the ratio exactly, it provides a beneficial framework making your own juice blends. Always emphasize the vegetables, keep fruit minimal and include lots of leafy greens. This will ensure you get the most nutritional bang for your buck from your juicing habits.