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Fruits and vegetables are essential for a healthy diet. But what about a juice cleanse? This popular trend promises a concentrated dose of vitamins and minerals, and has been touted by many as a weight loss tool. But is it actually good for you?

Inside the Lab

For this research, scientists studied three groups of healthy adults with different diets over the course of three days.

• Group one drank only juice.
• Group two had juice plus whole foods.
• Group three ate only whole plant-based foods.

The scientists used gene-sequencing techniques to track bacterial changes through cheek swabs and stool samples taken before, during and after meals.

The Surprising Findings

Scientists found:

• Group one, which had only juice for three days, had significant increases in the type of bacteria linked to inflammation and gut permeability (how well your gut absorbs nutrients and blocks toxins).
• Group two that had juice plus whole foods experienced some adverse bacterial changes but less severe than the juice-only group.  
• Group three, the one that ate plant-based whole foods, had beneficial bacterial changes.

The study suggests that juicing, which strips the dietary fiber from whole foods, may have a negative impact on your microbiome. Your microbiome is the community of bacteria, fungi and viruses that naturally live in and on your body. It can contribute both positively and negatively to your overall health and wellness.

“Most people think of juicing as a healthy cleanse, but this study offers a reality check,” says Melinda R. Ring, MD, director of and one of the study’s authors. “Consuming large amounts of juice with little fiber may lead to microbiome imbalances that could have negative consequences, such as inflammation and reduced gut health.”

About Fiber and Sugar

One of the biggest issues with juicing is the removal of fiber and its nutritional content. Fiber is important for your digestive health, helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol, and contributes to feelings of fullness. Fiber also fuels good gut bacteria that fight inflammation. Chronic inflammation increases your risk of developing several diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer.

A balance of fiber and sugar is important to your health. Without fiber, sugar-loving bacteria can multiply, and juice has a high concentration of sugar per serving. For example, one medium-sized naval orange has about 66 calories and 12 grams of sugar. One serving (8 ounces) of fresh-squeezed orange juice has roughly 112 calories and 21 grams of sugar. The high sugar content in juice fuels harmful bacteria, disrupting your gut and mouth microbiome.

It’s OK to have juice, but in moderation. According to the , at least half of the recommended amount of fruit you eat should come from whole fruit rather than 100% fruit juice.

“The nutritional composition of juice diets â€� specifically their sugar and carbohydrate levels â€� plays a key role in shaping microbial dynamics in both the gut and oral cavity and should be carefully considered,” says , one of the study’s authors, who is a research associate in the Amato Lab at the Department of Anthropology at Northwestern University and a professor of Food Microbiology at San Raffaele University in Rome. 

10 High-Fiber Fruits and Vegetables

If you are looking for high-fiber foods, whole fruits and vegetables are among the highest. Good choices for increasing fiber in your diet include:

• Pears
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Apples
• Raspberries
• Bananas
• Carrots
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Kale

Is Blending Better Than Juicing?

The short answer is yes. When you blend fruits and vegetables, you break down the whole fruit into a drinkable format. When you “juice” fruits and vegetables, you squeeze out the liquid, separating it from the pulp or fiber.

“If you love juicing, consider blending instead to keep the fiber intact, or pair juices with whole foods to balance the impact on your microbiome,” says Dr. Ring.

Learn more about nutrition and your health.