There are many, many documented benefits of juicing as related to a healthy diet and a healthy body.  The cells in our bodies are constantly replenishing themselves.  In order to give our bodies the optimal opportunity for cellular growth and repair and a strong immune system, we must provide the vital nutrients, vitmains, minerals, enzymes and anti-oxidants that our cells need during this regeneration process.

In addition, our bodies can also store up quantities of toxins and other chemicals that we are either exposed to, or that we ingest through an unhealthy diet.  There have been numerous studies regarding optimal diet and the connection between disease and poor diet.  More and more Americans resort to fast foods and processed convenience foods.  Indeed, our nation suffers from obesity and rising cases of diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer, to name a few.

The recent trend towards organic foods underscores the fact that people are wanting pure foods that are free of pesticides, hormones and other chemicals.

We've been brought up to learn about the traditional "food pyramid".  However, food can also be classified as:

• Life Giving - live/living raw foods loaded with living enzymes, vitamins, minerals
• Life Sustaining - foods with some nutritional and caloric value (anything cooked!)
• Life Depleating - foods that decrease wellness and provide little nutritional value
• Dead Foods - little to no nutritional value

Juicing works to unlock the live, vital nutrients and enzymes found in raw foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables and grains.  Many of the nutrients are actuallly locked into the fibres of the fruits and vegetables.  While it's great to include raw fruits and vegetables as part of your healthy diet (for the raw fibre if nothing else), many of the best nutrients remain undigested by the body because the nutrients are locked into the fibre.  Juicing serves to release the nutrients and juices from the fruit and vegetable fibres.

Additionally, many fruits and vegetables have large concentrations of their vital nutrients in the skins, seeds and rinds, which we typically do not eat.  A good juicer will extract juice from the entire fruit or vegetable including the skins, seeds, stems, and rinds, releasing concentrations of enzymes, vitamins and minerals that you just cannot get any other way.

Any time food is heated or cooked, most of the live enzymes are killed during the cooking process.  Good juicers will keep heat to a minimum, thereby preserving the maximum amount of live enzymes.

(You may be wondering about food dehydrators at this point - don't they heat foods?  The answer is yes, but usually not as high as commercially dehydrated foods.  The home units usually take longer to dehydrate foods because they operate at lower temperatures.  Plus, dehydrated fruits and vegetables are still a good snack choice).

Also, juicers that produce a lot of foam will cause the juice to oxidize, thereby reducing the anti-oxidant benefits.  Again, good juicers will keep the foam to a minimum.

Juicing also is a great way to have a filling snack or meal replacement.  Many people report that juicing helps them lose weight without feeling hungry.

Finally, juicing is a great way to detoxify your body.  By eliminating processed foods that are loaded with preservatives, chemicals and fat, your body can get rid of stored toxins.  Bowel function can become more regular.  And since your body will be getting more life-giving nutrients, you may experience renewed feelings of energy and emotional uplift, which can then cascade into other areas of your life!

We hope you discover the benefits of juicing for yourself.

Please see the Juicer Buying Guide page to learn more about the different types of juicers and their respective features and benefits.