Do you see a problem with juicing for a person of my type? Or any other problems with juicing for that matter? My husband wants to get into juicing not only to better our health, but in hopes that it may help me with my diabetes. I will be 7 years with T2 Diabetes, oral med (metformin) at the end of this year. I am fairly healthy, weigh 148 lbs and have a very supportive husband who is always trying to find a way to help me with my diabetes.

Amy Campbell


Juicing has become a popular way for people (including many celebrities) to lose weight, lower the risk for cancer and heart disease, remove toxins from the body and help improve digestion. The premise behind juicing is that juices are more concentrated in nutrients than whole fruits and vegetables, and that nutrients in liquid form are more easily absorbed. However, there isn’t scientific evidence that getting your fruits and vegetables in juice form is any better than eating your fruits and vegetables. There are a few drawbacks to juicing, especially for people with diabetes. First, juicing with fruit may lead to spikes (increases) in blood glucose levels. This makes sense, as juice (actually, any liquid) is more quickly digested than whole fruit. And fruit juice is quite high in carbohydrate. Vegetables contain less carbohydrate than fruit, so a juice made of just vegetables is unlikely to cause spikes. Another drawback is that juices can be fairly high in calories. On average, an 8-ounce glass of fruit juice contains about 120 calories and 30 grams of carbohydrate. Chances are, though, your glasses at home hold at least 12 or 16 ounces, which means, obviously, that you’d get more calories and carbs. A third, and very important, concern is that if you consume only juice, (little or no other foods) you won’t get a balance of nutrients. Your body requires carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fiber. No one food or food product can provide you with all of that. On the other hand, juicing can be healthful if it helps you consume more fruits and vegetables than you might otherwise, and if you are able to safely fit juicing into your eating plan. My advice is to sit down with a dietitian who can work with you to safely incorporate juicing into your treatment plan. I’d also advise you to discuss this with your healthcare provider.

January 6, 2013 at 3:57 pm

3 replies

Grandma Jenny
Grandma Jenny 2013-03-27 16:31:42 -0500 Report

One of the problems also is the machines take the fiber out and that could cause constipation for someone who is not eating enough fiber to start with. Also the fiber helps slow down how fast food is absorbed.

lanykins 2013-03-25 23:18:54 -0500 Report

My blood sugar goes way up if I have orange juice. I always keep in my fridge for times when my glucouse count is low and I need to get it up quickly. I love OJ but can't afford to just drink it as a beverage. I call it my "liquid gold" because it can save me from passing out from low blood sugar. Thinking of it in that way makes it easier for me to avoid drinking it when I really want some but don't need it.

Lakeland 2013-03-23 19:04:58 -0500 Report

i have a big problem with fruit & my sugar numbesr spiking. if I took an orange & turn it into a glass of orange juice, I'd hate to see how high my numbers would go.