Back in the days when I learned a lot about nutrition and fiber and dieting for weight loss, I found out that drinking food instead of eating (e.g. cleanses)  was not a great idea. Orange juice vs an orange: too much sugar and not enough fiber (not to mention chewing power). So when “smoothies” were all the rage, I was baffled. Even with wheat grass (ugh) and yogurt, it was still mostly fructose (a.k.a. sugar). And why would we drink it instead of chew it up and eat it? Very confusing (unless you have a condition like gastroparesis which requires soft food).

I tried smoothies, even green ones with chia seeds (which looked revolting but tasted OK). I tried to get with the program, but I still harbored secret doubts. And when some friends went on juice “cleanses,” I just couldn’t go with them. They lost weight. They said they felt great. But I need FOOD. Not a can of juice.

So it was with a little smugness that I found this all-too-sensible blog post that disputes the power of cleanses and all that juice. It’s a lot to read but I went all the way to the end. Because if a cleanse can put you in the emergency room, is it really all that healthy? Nope.

See what you think: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/are-detox-diets-good-for-you

I know nothing about the website but the few blog posts I read made pretty good sense. And that’s rare on the internet these days. Very rare. Everybody has their own agenda and this one probably does too. But at least I got a little validation for my long-held doubts.

What’s your experience? Do you cleanse? Do you juice?