should you juice fast - green juice It seems as if there’s always someone talking about how much better they feel, or how much weight they’ve lost, by doing a juice fast.

And indeed, a juice fast may be beneficial.

So, should you do a juice fast if you want more energy, or if you want to lose some weight?

Supporters of juice fasts say this type of fast is healthy, it gives your digestive system a break (because fresh juices don’t need much work, they are easily absorbed), and it’s also a great way to detox from all the additives and toxins from modern living.

Those against juice fasts feel that the human body is a wonderfully well adapted, and detoxes itself, particularly if you regularly eat healthy food.

Here’s what I think.

I’m not a nutritionist, I’m not a medical practitioner. My opinion is based on what I consider to be common sense as well as my own personal experience – and everyone has their own experiences.

I firmly believe that eating more fresh vegetables and fruits is good for you. (It’s also good for the planet – miles better than eating meat, dairy and poultry).

Eating (well, drinking) nothing but fresh juices for a couple of days would probably be good for most people – if you prepare correctly (see “Ultimate Juices and Smoothies for Fun and Health” on how to prepare for a juice fast).

juice fast - don't eat even cucumber! It’s not easy – you might find you want to munch on something solid, even just a slice of cucumber! But that would defeat the whole object, which is to give your digestion a holiday.

But I don’t believe that juice fasts which last a week or even a month are necessarily good for the majority of people.

Substituting one meal or snack each day with a fresh juice, however, is a very good idea.

And a short juice fast, for example over a weekend, is also good for most people (again, if you prepare properly).

What about people with special needs – the elderly, athletes, kids….. There are special circumstances that need to be taken into consideration with special groups of people, and you’ll find all the details in “Ultimate Juices and Smoothies for Fun and Health“.

I believe moderation is key to most things in life, and a juice fast is no exception.

Substituting a juice for a meal or snack – great! A short juice fast – also great! Make sure you’ve got a good recipe book with lots and lots of juices to choose from, because it’s important to get lots of variety into your juices.

Enjoy juices and juice fasts – sensibly.