Juicing and Diabetes: Pros and Cons

November is National Diabetes month. Diabetes affects 26 million Americans, with 19 million people diagnosed and 7 million undiagnosed. Another 79 million adults have pre-diabetes, which puts them at high risk for developing the disease.

This November ask yourself if you are at risk for diabetes and what you can do to help lower your risk, including reading this helpful post from one of our Certified Diabetes Educators.

By Donna Moodie, RD, CDN, CDE

“Juicing,” as per Wikipedia is described as the process of extracting juice from vegetable or plant tissues.  Juicing has become very popular and proponents of juicing have made claims that this practice can miraculously cure and prevent many diseases. However, in reality, there is no scientific evidence that juicing is better for you than eating whole fruits and vegetables,  and  in some instances it might be harmful. For example, if the sugar content of the juice you have prepared is too high, it can make your blood sugar go up too high.  Also, people prone to kidney problems and kidney stones might be negatively affected by the high potassium and potentially high content of oxalates (chemical that can lead to kidney stones) in fruits and vegetables. Most fruits and vegetables are high in potassium and some examples of high oxalate foods would be; collards, spinach, swiss chard, almonds, soy, rhubarb, beets and sesame. If you are taking a blood thinner like Coumadin (warfarin), you should probably avoid juicing due to the high vitamin K content of many vegetables. Inconsistent or excess intake of vitamin K can interfere with the action of this drug.

So now you are asking, “can juicing be good for me at all?” Juicing, in moderation can be a healthful addition to your meal plan. Many of us eat on the run and don’t get all the vitamins and minerals we need from fruits and vegetables. Having a small amount of freshly prepared juice several times a week can help us fill in the nutritional gaps created by our busy lifestyles.

Many of the patients I work with have diabetes and have found ways to incorporate small amounts of fresh juice into their meal plan with no negative affect on their blood sugars. I have created the following recipe with the help of my patients. I chose kale as the primary ingredient, which is low in oxalates and rich in many vitamins and minerals. Kale is also a cruciferous vegetable. The whole family of cruciferous vegetables (ex. Broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, watercress etc. ) has been linked to possible lower risk of certain cancers. Remember to keep the serving size to around 4 ounces otherwise you might be getting too much vitamin A which can be toxic in amounts greater than 10,000 i.u.

 Diabetes Friendly Kale/Apple/Carrot Juice

Equipment Needed: Good quality blender and fine mesh strainer (or juicer if you have one)
Recipe makes 2/ 4oz servings

3 cups chopped kale
1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
1 small apple
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 cups water

Place all ingredients in blender and pour through strainer, pushing all liquid out. Drink and enjoy. Do not save juice as it is not pasteurized and can grow harmful bacteria.

** Helpful hint: the pulp is full of beneficial fiber can add to soups, stews, etc.

Estimated Nutrient Analysis per 4 oz serving
116 kcal
17.5 grams total carbohydrate
157 mg calcium
.8 mg iron
40 mg magnesium
699 mg potassium
99 mg phosphorus
24 mg vitamin C
143 mcg folate
620 i.u. vitamin A
708 mg vitamin K

*usda nutrient database (estimate)
**Juicing provides a concentrated amount of nutrients, please check with your doctor or pharmacist for any potential allergic or food/drug interactions.

Donna Moodie is a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program.