to hardly ever eat any fruit since buying juice maker

[Huromjuicemaker]

Had a trip to Macau last month and the hotel had a great juice bar in the breakfast restaurant. I guess I got hooked and when I got home I bought a juicer. Since then I’ve had juice every day and I love it; experimenting with loads of exotic flavors, mangoes, lycees, mangosteens bulked out with basic stuff like an apple or a pear. But I realized that I’m not actually eating any of it exactly - does it matter? Anyway I’m taking in more fruit and vegetables than I was before and it’s not meat so I’m doing my bit for the planet so that’s good.

---

MNHQ Update
On the hunt for the right juicer for you and your family? Our guide to the best juicers is up to date with a wide range of tried and tested options. We hope it’s helpful!

Err

You can only count juice as one of your 5 a day, no matter how much you drink. It contains a lot more sugar and far less of the fibre etc than eating whole fruit and veg.

Oh and imported mangoes etc can have a much worse impact on the environment than locally farmed meat due to the air miles.

loads of exotic flavors, mangoes, lycees, mangosteens

and it’s not meat so I’m doing my bit for the planet so that’s good

Assuming you are in the UK, these two statements are contradictory. How do you think these "exotic" fruits get here, exactly?

Also, juicing basically means you are ingesting a lot more sugar and a lot less fibre than chewing.

I would say go easy because you are getting all the sugar and none of the fibre.

And to do more for the planet (and sugar reduction) try things like carrot, apple and ginger. Carrot makes great juice, is cheap, and not flown in from other continents.

It's it a juicer that removes pulp? I've found using a blender keeps the fibre and pulp etc in!

The blender is doing your body’s job of breaking down the fruit, so it’s essentially empty sugars. And the exotic fruits come with their own carbon footprint….. It’s not the worst habit in the world but I wouldn’t be polishing that halo too much.

Surely this is true only of shop bought juice?

If you stick some fruit in a glorified blender and then drink it, it's the same as just eating the fruit?

You’re losing the fiber and basically drinking yummy sugar water, according to a nutritionist I know, although I’m not entirely convinced by this… I witnessed this debate fairly recently but as I’m more of a smoothie kind of gal I didn’t really care to get involved.

No, because you’re removing the pulp which is the fiber. Apparently.

Doing your bit for the planet? Where do you think mangoes, lycees, mangosteens come from?

Juice is the worst form of fruit, you might as well drink a coke every morning.

No, if you think of the electric energy it takes to break the fruit down to a smoothie in a blender, that is energy that your body is not using to break the food down itself. It doesn't matter if the shop does it or you do it in a blender. Fine in moderation but it will be easier to put on weight than eating the equivalent amount in actual fruit.

No juice alone is not healthy
It can be part of a balanced diet but you are literally getting rid of the fibre and drinking the sugar.

All the vitamins also degrade quickly once juiced.

Maybe stick to 1 small glass a day and eat some whole fruit to supplement

You’re not unreasonable. You’re an adult and can eat and drink whatever you want. Personally I’d be concerned about the high sugar content of juice, from both a blood glucose and dental health perspective. Especially as the fruits you mention are quite high in sugar.

🤦🏽‍♀️

Fruit juice only counts towards one of your five a day, no matter how much of it you actually drink as the act of "blending" gets rid of the fibre and releases the sugars.

It's actually not that good for you in large quantities.

Juicers and Blenders are different.

Juicers extract the juice and leave all the pulp behind. Blenders, smoothie makers, nutribullets etc leave the pulp in but purée it.

But even blenders do a lot of the body’s job, as explained by a PP.

Theres an awful lot of sugar in juice even if it's naturally occurring. Better to eat the real thing. Plus you need to balance it out veg.

How is it better for the planet? Are you growing them yourself?

I mean don't want to assume you're UK based.

This is why you shouldn’t come to MN for any sort advice with food.

loads of exotic flavors, mangoes, lycees, mangosteens
and it’s not meat so I’m doing my bit for the planet so that’s good

This is total contradiction. Local free range meat will have a far lower carbon footprint than flying exotic fruit around the world. Juicing really isn't good for you, assuming you remove the skin / pulp etc. Fruit is good but veg is much better, and both better eaten whole

Yes, it matters whether you consume whole fruit or juice.

Where do you live that you can get mangosteen?

They don't travel well, so I think it may be somewhere that so-called 'exotic fruit' is local!

Try fruit salad