Organic vs Conventional Juice Cleanse

BY APRIL PASCARELLI

Spring has officially sprung! You know what that means - time for some annual and much-needed spring cleaning. And clearing toxins from your body is the best way to clean up. Daily we come into contact with thousands of toxins - from the air we breathe to the food and water we drink to the products we use in and around our homes. And this is just the shortlist (yikes)! So, sipping on a cleanse for a few days (or more) can be super beneficial to your body, your entire endocrine system, and its functionality. We know that when a cleanse is done right, it can be advantageous to our skin, sleep habits, mental clarity, energy levels, and overall health habits, in general. But there are lots of juice cleanses being marketed out there. How on earth do we know which one is the right one? Price point can be a driving factor, but you should consider what exactly you get for your money because not all juice cleanses are created equal. Read on to find out why.

Conventional Cleanse

There is no denying that juicing is superb for your health. A cleanse will provide you with a slew of vitamins and minerals that can be more easily absorbed than if you tried to eat that amount of produce alone. Not to mention, eating pounds and pounds of kale, spinach, or carrots could prove to be tough. So, in essence, when cleansing even with conventional, you are doing your body a favor. But the disservice comes in with the heavy use of those pesky and overly-used pesticides. If you are still considering a conventional cleanse, be sure to do your research. The rinds of the fruit and veggies harbor the highest levels of pesticides. They also contain the most concentrated amounts of micronutrients. So consider if they are removing the rinds before juicing. Whether they are or are not, you miss a crucial piece of the puzzle. If they juice everything, including peels and skins, you will gain an abundance of healing phytonutrients. But on the flip side, you will flood your cells and system with excessive amounts of harmful toxins. However, if they juice the whole food minus the rinds and peels, it will decrease the amount of pesticide you ingest, but unfortunately, it will also reduce the number of nutrients consumed. In addition, many chemicals from pesticides stay stored within the fibers of fruits and veggies as the pesticide problem is systemic - meaning they can be transported through the soil and throughout the tissues of the crops. Therefore, it can be impossible to remove the bulk of the bad. How’s that food for thought?

Organic Cleanse

Will an organic juice cleanse cost you more? Maybe, but consider what your health is worth. And then consider this: produce such as spinach, kale, cucumbers, celery, and apples are some of the most contaminated fruits and veggies - yet they are some of the most popular used in juicing. Most thin-skinned fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens are commonly contaminated with pesticides - unless you choose organic! Organic fruits and veggies are pure next to their conventional counterparts. Not only are they not doused in defoliants (Agent Orange was a defoliant), insecticides, and weed killers, but they also did not start their lives out genetically modified in a lab. Some studies even suggest that organic produce tastes better. But that aside, taking in pesticides can be toxic to our nervous system and reproductive system and disrupt our endocrine system. Additionally, they can cause immunotoxicity and more than a handful of other health issues, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and several types of cancer, to name a few. So cleaning up and clearing out your system with an organic, cold-pressed juice cleanse is the best way to avoid more unnecessary environmental pollutants.

The long and short of it

Juicing will 100% help to improve your health! And adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is always a simple, no-brainer way to enhance your nutrition. But the bottom line is that to maximize your nutritional boost and make the most out of your detox, sticking with organic will lead to fewer harmful chemicals and toxins in your body. Otherwise, a cleanse can feel kind of - well, counterintuitive. If a reset is what you want, contemplate the effects of a conventional cleanse. Do you want to negate all your hard work, time, and money on a cleanse that isn't organic? Think about the amount you are willing to spend on your daily cup of fancy, designer coffee, dinner out, drinks with friends, takeout, or material items that add no benefit to your health. And without your health, really, none of those things even matter. So do yourself a favor and fuel your body the way nature intended. Pick a pure, organic cold pressed cleanse, even if it means a little more out of pocket upfront. It could save you from spending a lot more on your doctor bills down the road. Ask yourself this, and then sit with it for a while. What is your health worth?