Green juices have taken the media by storm. However, they contain high thallium, goitrogen, and oxalate content. These can cause kidney stones.
Store-bought juices such as Naked and Bolthouse contain a whopping 33 grams of sugar and upwards of 270 calories.
While many of these green juices are packaged and marketed to look “healthy,” what’s fashionable is not always scientific.
“Fiber is the main component that helps our body’s digestion. In juice, we’re missing the fiber, but we’re also concentrating the sugar in the sodium,” said Dr. Cheryl Cavaliere, a professor of Health Sciences at UCF.
Experts say that green juices can also contain high levels of thallium, a toxic heavy metal. Many leafy greens like kale, spinach and collards also contain high oxalate levels, which can cause inflammation when juiced down and consumed in large amounts.
Another thing to watch out for when buying green juices is the packaging.
“When we are looking at store-bought or commercially made juices, we need to consider the labeling. Anything that’s marketed to be a juice, but isn’t so, such as a sports drink,” Cavaliere said.
It is best to ignore the claims on the front of the bottle and study the ingredients list on the back. To ensure your safety, only buy juices that state “100% juice” on the label and only contain whole foods.
“The majority of our fruit and vegetable intake really should be coming from whole fruits and vegetables,” Cavaliere said.
Doctors recommend that if you are going to drink juice, stick to the recommended amount of intake. For adults, that is no more than eight ounces, and no more than four to six ounces for children.