The Kaufmann Diet And Juicing

On Kaufmann 1 of the Kaufmann Diet, most beverages are eliminated, with the exclusion of some herbal teas and filtered water. Really, humans do not need anything other than water to drink, and there are many benefits to drinking clean, filtered water, exclusively.

This is, of course, in stark contrast to what many people drink on a daily basis. Sodas, sports drinks, or any other number of processed, chemical and sugar-laden beverages often comprise the majority of “hydration” many receive on a daily basis. When you take this into account, it is no wonder that Americans notoriously consume over 100 pounds of sugar per person, annually.

In light of such statistics, it starts to make sense why Americans are typically overweight, and why so many are either diabetic or pre-diabetic (as many as 80 million people are estimated to be pre-diabetic, whether they know it or not).

Not that diet sodas are any better; many of the artificial sweeteners used in diet beverages are linked to a variety of health problems. Many people drink the diet beverages assuming they are making a healthier choice, but unfortunately, these are not much better options.

So, we are left with clean, filtered water on the Kaufmann Diet, and some herbal teas. However, as you move forward on the diet, some fresh vegetable juice is permitted, even encouraged.

Juicing is an excellent way to concentrate raw phytonutrients inherent in many fruits and vegetables. Its popularity has grown in recent years, and juicers are readily available at affordable prices.

Fresh juice, of course, stands in stark contrast to the “juice” that is often available at a supermarket or convenience store. Some of these pre-packaged juices often contain little or no juice at all. They are typically loaded with added sugar, coloring agents or preservatives.

With the popularity of juicing, many healthier varieties are now available in pre-packaged form, usually at health food stores or stores catering to health-conscious shoppers. While these constitute a better option, it might be best to enjoy this kind of juice in extreme moderation. One of the benefits of fresh juice is that the nutrients remain intact; the longer many of the delicate phytonutrients are left out, the more likely it is that some of the nutrients therein will oxidize, losing some of their value. This is one reason why you are encouraged to drink any fresh juice immediately after it is extracted; this keeps the nutrient value of the juice as high as possible.

There are a wide variety of vegetables and some fruits that are permissible to juice on the Kaufmann Diet. Vegetables include carrots, kale, romaine, spinach, broccoli stalks, and any other vegetable from which juice can be extracted. Adding fresh cloves of garlic, ginger root, or turmeric can also provide numerous health benefits. Fruits such as lemons, limes green apples, or grapefruit are good options as well.

While juicing is a beneficial practice, some moderation should be observed. While juicing concentrates many nutrients, including powerful anti-fungal nutrients (such as falcarinol in carrots), juicing also concentrates natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables. Knowing this, it is just important to be mindful of how much fresh juice you are enjoying.

One other tip is to enjoy your juice with a bit of some kind of oil or high fat food, such as almond butter, a slice of avocado, or some coconut oil. Some nutrients absorb better in the presence of fat, something fresh juice in low in. Enjoying your juice with some fat-containing food will assist in nutrient absorption, maximizing the health benefits of the juice.