Introduction
The 2010 documentary film “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” chronicles the weight loss journeys of two men, Joe Cross and Phil Staples, who both used juice fasts to transform their health. The movie popularized juice fasting and brought juicing into the mainstream as a way to lose weight, detox, and boost nutrition.
But what exactly was in the juice that Joe Cross and Phil Staples drank during their fasts? The movie focuses more on their inspiring journeys rather than the specifics of the juice recipes. However, Joe Cross has shared some of his juice recipes over the years so viewers can get an idea of what fueled his success.
Joe Cross’ Mean Green Juice
The staple juice featured in “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” is Joe Cross’ famous Mean Green Juice. Here is the recipe:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Kale | 1-2 leaves |
| Celery | 2-3 stalks |
| Green apple | 1 |
| Lemon | 1/2 |
| Ginger | Thumb sized piece |
| Cucumber | 1/2 |
Joe would drink this juice multiple times per day during his 60-day juice fast while traveling across America. The dark green color comes from the kale, which provides vitamins A, C, and K along with minerals like calcium. Celery adds vitamin C, folate, and water content. Apples provide fiber and sweetness to balance the veggie flavors. Lemons add vitamin C and enhance the green flavors. Ginger aids digestion. Cucumbers make the juice refreshing and hydrating.
Overall, the Mean Green Juice offers a nutritious blend of fruits and vegetables that gave Joe Cross the nutrients he needed to get through his fasts successfully. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients while being low in sugar and calories. The veggies provide filling fiber to keep hunger at bay. It’s no wonder this classic green juice became so popular after being featured in “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.”
Other Juices Joe Cross Drank
In addition to the Mean Green Juice, Joe Cross would mix up his juice fasts with other concoctions. Here are some other recipes he enjoyed:
Orange Mean Green Juice
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Orange | 1 |
| Carrots | 2 |
| Kale | Handful |
| Ginger | Thumb sized piece |
| Lemon | 1/2 |
This twist on the original adds carrots for beta carotene and oranges for vitamin C. The sweetness of oranges balances the strong veggie flavors.
Mean Red Juice
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Apples | 2 |
| Beets | 1 |
| Carrots | 2 |
| Ginger | Thumb sized piece |
| Lemon | 1/2 |
Beets turn this juice red while providing nutrients like folate and manganese. The apples and carrots sweeten up the earthy beets.
Grapefruit Cranberry Juice
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Grapefruit | 1 |
| Cranberries | Small handful |
| Ginger | Thumb sized piece |
For a tangy, antioxidant-rich juice, Joe would use grapefruits and cranberries. The ginger cuts any bitterness.
Apple Lemon Ginger Juice
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Apples | 2 |
| Lemons | 1 |
| Ginger | Thumb sized piece |
This simple combo allows the sweet apple flavor to shine alongside cleansing lemon and spicy ginger.
Green Lemonade
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cucumbers | 1 |
| Kale | Handful |
| Lemons | 1 |
| Ginger | Thumb sized piece |
| Apples | 1 |
Kale, cucumber, and lemon create a green lemonade full of nutrients. Apples add sweetness.
Beet Orange Carrot Juice
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Beets | 1 |
| Carrots | 2 |
| Orange | 1 |
Here’s another red juice recipe using beets and carrots with orange for a flavor kick.
Phil Staples’ Juice Recipe
The other success story featured in “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” is truck driver Phil Staples, who lost over 150 pounds on a 60-day juice fast. Phil’s juice of choice was simpler than Joe’s complex combos:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Apples | 3 |
| Celery | 4 stalks |
| Spinach | Handful |
| Kale | 2 leaves |
| Ginger | Thumb sized piece |
| Lemon | 1/2 |
Phil would drink this basic green juice up to 6 times a day during his first 30-day fast. The spinach and kale provide phytonutrients, while the apples offer sweetness. Overall it’s a simple but nourishing juice to get in servings of fruits and vegetables.
Joe Cross’ General Juicing Tips
While the Mean Green Juice was his staple, Joe Cross recommends switching up produce as much as possible when juicing.
Here are some of his general tips for juicing beginners:
– Use a variety of fruits and vegetables. Rotate greens like kale, spinach, chard, and lettuce.
– Mix and match fruits like apples, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, berries, pineapple, and melons.
– Always add lemon – its cleansing properties help flush the liver.
– Ginger aids digestion and reduces bloating.
– Drink juices slowly – don’t gulp them down.
– Drink only when hungry to allow the stomach to rest.
– Chew juices to activate digestive enzymes and increase nutrient absorption.
– Make different combinations to prevent taste fatigue.
– Organic produce is ideal to minimize pesticides, but not required. Do the best you can.
– Drink juice immediately for maximum nutrients.
The Benefits of Juicing
Both Joe Cross and Phil Staples turned to juice fasts because they needed a drastic nutritional overhaul. Juicing allowed them to flood their bodies with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants while eliminating processed foods and giving their digestive systems a rest.
Here are some of the top benefits of juicing:
Increased Vegetable and Fruit Intake
Juicing makes it quick and easy to consume pounds of produce per day. Because the fiber is removed, it’s easier to take in a large serving of micronutrients.
Enhanced Absorption
With the produce pre-broken down into liquid form, absorption of vitamins and minerals is very efficient. Juicing also spares digestion compared to eating whole fruits and veggies.
Weight Loss
Filling up on nutrient-dense juices allows the body to eliminate excess fat. Juice fasts lead to dramatic weight loss, while juicing as meal replacement can also contribute to weight loss.
Detoxification
Flooding the body with phytonutrients promotes detoxification, allowing the liver to more effectively remove toxins and metabolic waste.
Reduced Inflammation
The antioxidants in produce may help reduce inflammation throughout the body, contributing to improved health.
Boosted Energy
With adequate mineral intake and hydration from juices, many people report greater energy levels consistently.
Improved Skin, Hair, and Nails
Vitamins and minerals from produce can translate to improved skin, hair, and nails.
Stabilized Blood Sugar
The fiber and nutrients in juices helps regulate blood sugar spikes compared to sugary drinks or juices.
Alkalizing Effect
Most fruits and vegetables have an alkalizing effect on the body, helping restore pH balance.
Juicing Considerations
While juicing can clearly have dramatic health benefits, there are some important factors to keep in mind:
Not a Long-Term Diet
Juice fasts lasting more than a few weeks may result in nutritional deficiencies since fiber is removed. Juicing is best used for short term cleansing.
Calorie Reduction
Long term juice diets often involve severe calorie restriction, which may cause issues like fatigue, hair loss, and gallstones. Adding protein-rich superfoods like hemp seeds can help.
Spikes Blood Sugar
Fruit-heavy juices without fiber can spike blood sugar levels. Pairing fruits with low glycemic index veggies can help mitigate this effect.
Potential Bacterial Contamination
The FDA warns that drinking unpasteurized juices may increase the risk food-borne illnesses if produce is contaminated.
Not a Meal Replacement
While juices can be nutritious, they lack protein and healthy fats needed for well-rounded nutrition. Juices shouldn’t replace all meals.
Tooth Enamel Erosion
Some fruit and vegetable juices, especially citrus, may erode tooth enamel. Drinking juices through a straw may help minimize this effect.
Oxalate Build-Up
Spinach, beets, carrots and celery contain oxalates that can accumulate in people prone to kidney stones.
High Cost
Premade juices get expensive. Making your own allows you to control produce quality and ingredients.
Conclusion
In the documentary “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”, simple fruit and vegetable juice fasts led to dramatic weight loss and improved health for Joe Cross and Phil Staples. Joe’s signature Mean Green Juice packed in vitamins and minerals from kale, celery, apple, lemon, ginger and cucumber. He also emphasized mixing up different juice recipes. While juice fasts can kickstart health turnarounds, they may not provide complete nutrition long-term. Overall, juicing remains a powerful way to increase intake of micronutrients if done sensibly alongside a healthy diet.
