Fruit/Vegetable Juice During Undereating

[Calbert]

Hi.  I've actually read a couple of Ori's books but am just now starting the WD (I know I'm a slacker, lol).  My question is in regards to drinking juiced fruits and veggies during the day.  I know that the original WD book says that juiced fruits and veggies are ok during the undereating phase.  However, in "Maximum Muscle Minimum Fat" Ori says that frequent meals during the day and/or overconsumption of carbs during the day can chronically activate cGMP activity and therefore suppress cAMP.  I emailed Ori about this and he said,

"As for your question - fresh fruits (not their juices) and vegetables are generally low glycemic and have a minimum insulin spiking impact when following the WD instructions – one fruit every few hours during the undereating phase.  Vegetables have virtually zero impact on blood sugar."

I didn't want to bother Ori again so I didn't follow up on my confusion, but am I to take this to mean that I should not be drinking the juices of raw fruits and veggies during the  undereating phase if my main goal is to loose fat and gain muscle (I often use my juicer to make apple, carrot, beet, and spinach juice)?  Also, does this mean I should give up foods like bananas while undereating which have a higher g.i. rating than other fruits?  The fat loss book listed bananas as an acceptable fruit during undereating, but they do have a higher g.i. rating and may spike insulin too much, right?

C.J.

[Hunter]

I think you will be ok consuming bananas during the undereating phase as long as they are a part of your initial recovery meal after exercise.  Regarding fresh juices, in my opinion those are fine as well - as long you are not drinking a whole lot all at once.

[chico]

juice veggies, not fruit. juicing fruit removes the fiber wich keep fructose from rappidly entering your system. veggies are less glycemic so you can juice them.

[The Saint]

Ori recommends low glycemic fruits for juicing, eg grapefruit, but in small doses.  I asked the question about bananas during the undereating phase before and was told they are ok in the afternoon, but if you're using them as a recovery meal after working out in the morning that's ok.

[Renegade]

I wanted to ask a question about juicing veggies such as broccoli. Ori says that brocolli and other cruciferous vegetables need to be cooked "in order to potentiate nutrient assimilation". However, we're also told that it's best not to consume cooked vegetables during the undereating phase. If I want to gain the benefits of eating cruciferous vegetables, is it okay to steam them and make juice during the day, or should I just wait and eat them whole during the overeating phase?

[DN Moderator]

I'd eat them raw during the day and save the cooked ones for night time. You can still benefit from eating them raw during the day.

[optimumhealth]

Just a personal note, I use a good blender to make my juices, so as not to lose the fiber that a standard juicer will remove.  I use a cup or more of water and then add things like carrots, celery, ginger, little apple, berries etc....but not all together.  Sometimes onions and garlic make it in..........yummy.

[Parisrose]

That's a great idea - using a blender with added water - when juicing.  I have both a good juicer and a Vita Mix blender.  I hate losing good fiber when I use the juicer though I could scoop some of that fiber back into the juice before drinking it.  I like plain juice for the quick absorption of the juices into the body without the body having to break down the veggies or fruit first.  But, I always have that thought in the back of my head about the missing fibers even though there is some fiber in my juices that make it through with the juice.  I have found that my juicer doesn't juice spinach very well at all.  Maybe that's where I could really get use out of my blender.

[Renegade]

I thought the idea of juicing in the first place was to put the veggies in a state that isn't taxing on the digestive system. Doesn't extra fibre just make your digestive system have to work harder? Ori does say that a blender is also OK in chapter 4, so I've probably got it wrong!

[optimumhealth]

It is not extra fiber, but the fiber that is normally removed by a standard juicer.  Using a blender keeps everything in the same state as when it was whole, only the consistency has change to a form that is easier to get the nutrients out of.

[Renegade]

I'd better change the setting on my juicer! At the moment it's set to take out as much of the fibre as possible.