Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a field of study with many controversial issues and is based mainly on people’s personal experiences. In this regard, the most effective way to understand the principles of such functional medicine can be an independent experiment on lifestyle changes. As part of a similar investigation, I tried the juicing approach of purposefully consuming fresh juices from fruits and vegetables. Although such practices have always existed, in recent times, various methods of juicing have been combined under a single name and proclaimed beneficial to health (Brennan, 2020). I used freshly squeezed juices from simple fruits such as apples and oranges in this investigation and observed the changes in my condition. After a week, I can note that I did not notice any significant differences; however, several factors drew my attention.
First, by regularly drinking juices, I began to consume less food. This is most likely due to an imbalance in calories in juices since they lack tissues and fibers (Brennan, 2020). In addition, I began to feel somewhat more energetic, which in theory could also be due to increased calorie intake. In addition to these factors, I did not notice any other changes, which may be due to both the duration of the experiment and its features. Studies show that juices from different fruits can have different effects, also depending on how they are obtained (Wang et al., 2020). The most significant benefit of regular juice consumption is to saturate the body with microelements. As a result, juicing may indirectly positively affect the development of certain diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (Vallée Marcotte et al., 2022). However, a similar and more beneficial effect can be obtained by consuming fruits as a whole since, in addition to vitamins, they also contain healthy fibers and tissues. Thus, the evidence for the effectiveness of this CAM method is rather vague, and long-term exposure is needed for a significant effect on the human body.
References
Brennan, D. (2020). Are there health benefits to juicing? WebMD. Web.
Vallée Marcotte, B., Verheyde, M., Pomerleau, S., Doyen, A., & Couillard, C. (2022). Health benefits of apple juice consumption: A review of interventional trials on humans. Nutrients, 14(4), 821. Web.
Wang, J., Jayaprakasha, G. K., & Patil, B. S. (2020). Untargeted chemometrics evaluation of the effect of juicing technique on phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities in common vegetables. ACS Food Science & Technology, 1(1), 77-87. Web.