One of the major concerns with drinking juice is the amount of fiber you get. Depending on how the juice is made, it may or may not have enough the recommended dosage of daily fibers. So smoothies aside, does juicing remove all fiber?
The quick answer is “No”. Not all fibers are removed. Read further as we explain what actually gets filtered out and how the entire process can surprisingly benefit you in the long run.
Drinking juice is perhaps one of the quickest ways to start a healthy lifestyle. Think about it, all you have to do is drink it. Even green juices can taste good, and compared to juices made from a blender, they are easier to drink because they are thinner and lighter.
The 2 Types Of Fiber
There are 2 types of fiber that the body gets from fruits and vegetables. These are insoluble and soluble fibers.
Any fruits or veggies have fiber in varying amounts, some of them have an almost negligible effect on the body, while some have enough amounts that can help cure constipation. Both types of fiber, in their own degree, share the same functions of increasing bulk and softening the stool.
Insoluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber is, as the name implies, not soluble. This fiber doesn’t dissolve in water. Instead, it absorbs water which helps it to fulfill its main function. It is responsible for regulating bowel movement. This fiber is very important especially to those who are suffering from constipation.
This type of fiber speeds up the passage of food through the digestive track. As beneficial as it is, you don’t want too much of this fiber.
For one, it will force you to have frequent trips to the bathroom. Second, it can limit the amounts of nutrients absorbed by your body. This is because some of them are already being flushed out even before they are fully absorbed.
Insoluble fibers are also responsible for maintaining the pH balance in the intestines. This helps to prevent toxic substances from accumulating in your colon.
Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber is not too different from insoluble, except for the obvious fact that it can partially be dissolved in water. It also helps with regulating bowel movement but has more specific purposes than that.
Once it’s dissolved, it forms into a gel-like substance. This substance is not digestible at all, instead, it becomes like a shield that absorbs cholesterol in the form of digestive bile. It then eliminates this which ultimately helps to lower bad cholesterol.
Soluble fiber is the more popular type of fiber that you may have seen as advertised in a lot of health foods today.
Another function of soluble fiber is that it decreases the rate at which sugar is absorbed. This helps control diabetes and regulate blood sugar as well.
If insoluble fiber speeds up the transit of food through the digestive tract, soluble fiber is the balancing factor as it slows it down.
Which Fiber Gets Removed With Juicing?
Insoluble fiber is what actually is filtered out when you create juice using a juicer, whether masticating or centrifugal. It is not completely eliminated, though. You can get more of these fibers with centrifugal juicer types.
Soluble fiber is what’s left behind. This fiber is also the reason why nutrients from the juice are easily absorbed by the body compared to eating the fruits and veggies raw.
As we have pointed out earlier, soluble fiber can help slow down the transit of food, which means your body is able to absorb more nutrients from the juice. This is also the reason why drinking juice fills you up and is recommended for people who are cutting down on food intake.
What If You Want More Fiber?
If you’re suffering from constipation, juices created from a juicer may not really help you in curing it. Fortunately, there’s a way to go about this shortcoming. The pulp that gets discarded during the juicing process contains the insoluble fiber.
You can bake cookies and sprinkle some dry fruit pulp. You can also add them to your soup if you’re not into baking. Another creative way to consume the pulp is by frying them into fritters which you can nibble like when you’re eating nuts.
Wrapping It Up
While it is true that juice retains soluble fiber, it is also important to consider the features of the juicer used in the process. An easy to clean juicer is a perfect choice since you don’t want to be spending too much time cleaning up the leftover fibers or food bits.
Even if it doesn’t contain all the dietary fibers you need, drinking juice is still a lot better than munching on all the fruits and leafy greens that are used to create it in the first place.