Fiber also inhibits the absorption of nutrients. According to Normal Walker, D.Sc., in Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices, eliminating the fiber from fruits and vegetables means that valuable nutrients get to you faster. Although this may at times seem insignificant "hey, I can wait an hour" in other situations it may be important. For many, there is a need to receive benefits of juicing as quickly as possible. Walker gives the example of using celery to combat extreme heat. If you eat celery, and then wait a few hours for it to be digested and absorbed, it may be too late. However, if you drink celery juice, you receive the relief you need immediately. What is Norman Walker's expertise? Although Dr. Walker does have credentials and devoted his life to the study of a healthy diet, perhaps more impressive is the effect juicing had on him. Dr. Walker was an early advocate of natural health, and wrote his first book in 1936. However, he became seriously ill in his early 50s. He began juicing and using raw fruits and vegetables, and lived to the ripe old age of 119 (reports of his age vary from 109 to 130). Of course, personal validation, such as Dr. Walker's and many others' is not always taken seriously. There are, however, facts behind the stories. A USA Today magazine story (October 1996; vol. 125, no. 2617) reported a study done at the University of Wisconsin on drinking grape juice. Researchers reported that drinking multiple glasses of grape juice may have anti-clogging effects on the arteries. This is probably due to naturally occurring components known as flavonoids, that, in this case, reduce the "stickiness" of platelets, the cells that "stick" together to enable blood to clot.
WHY A JUICER?
The best reason to ask "why a juicer" is to look closely at the label of most fruit juices. What comes first? Corn syrup? Sugar? How much fruit (or vegetable) is actually in the juice? Unfortunately, most of the easy-to-buy, right-off-the-shelf juices available in the grocery stores are not so much the juice from raw fruits and vegetables as they are sugar water with a bit of fruit or vegetable juice. These juices also generally contain a number of preservatives, coloring agents, and other unnecessary and possibly detrimental additives.
That brings us to juicing your own fruits and vegetables. This can be done by hand of course, but see how many eight-ounce glasses of orange juice you cans squeeze before getting tired. Or, for a greater challenge, try juicing vegetables or grasses. That's why a juicer.
