Patients Say Citrus & Juice Are Helpful
My patients have found additional information on citrus and juice to be helpful. Even though citrus is acidic by pH, it does not give the bloodstream an acidic load. In fact, the fiber and vitamins make whole citrus alkalinizing in keeping with other fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately fruit juices are highly processed and sweetened so that they are acid-forming sugar water. Those who drink fruits and vegetables should consider using a blender instead of a juicer. Here’s why:
- Juicing keeps the fruit sugar and removes the fruit fiber, whereas blending keeps the fiber. Fiber slows down the rate at which fruit sugar enters the bloodstream, improves the glycemic index, and reduces the acid load. Get pHiber!
- It’s easier to over-drink juice than blended fruits and vegetables. A juice glass is 6 ounces, the equivalent of 1-2 fruits. More than the juice of 2 fruits is too much sugar for anyone. The high glycemic load can negate fruit’s alkalinizing effect.
- Many of the vitamins in fruits and vegetables are fat-soluble such as carotene in carrots and lycopene in tomatoes. Juices generally don’t have enough dietary fat to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins. Blends generally have the needed fat if milk, yogurt, nuts, flax, or fish oil is added.
Please see the Health Topic link above entitled: “Alkaline Diet” for more information on this subject.
Best wishes for good health,
Ingrid Kohlstadt, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.N