Is vegetable juice an effective replacement for vegetables in the daily diet?

We all know that vegetables are an important part of our diet but do we eat as many as we should each day?  Apparently not.  According to a study that followed food trends by state, only 26.3 percent of American adults eat 3 servings of vegetables on a daily basis – the minimum recommended amount.  Adults should eat 3-5 servings of vegetables each day to maintain a healthy body. 

Study on Benefits of Adding Vegetable Juice to the Diet

With this in mind, researchers from the University of California in Davis decided to look into whether drinking vegetable juice is an effective way to increase vegetables in the diet and if it had the same effects as eating fresh vegetables.  Following the recommendations of vegetable servings from both the 2005 Dietary Guidelines and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, the researchers conducted a test on healthy adult volunteers.  A secondary aim of their study was to see if increasing vegetables to the diet through juice would positively affect cardiovascular health.

After a 12-week study in which 3 groups of adults received 0, 8 or 16 ounces of vegetable juice each day, it was found that the consumption of the vegetable juice help most participants reach the daily recommended amount of vegetables.  It was also found that participants who were pre-hypertensive (had a blood pressure reading between 120/80 and 139/89) at the beginning of the study experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure at the end of the study.  Therefore, the increase in vegetables through servings of vegetable juice had a positive effect on the participants’ health.

Adding Vegetable Juice to Your Diet

The study found that adding 1 to 2 cups of vegetable juice to the daily diet is an effective way to increase vegetable intake and enjoy the health benefits of vegetables.  Eating more vegetables helps in weight control, lowers risk of heart disease and lowers the risk of many chronic and life-threatening diseases like some cancers.  When choosing a vegetable juice, try to choose one that has a low amount of sugar added.  Or, make your own with a blender or juice maker. 

Adding vegetables to the diet through drinking vegetable juice is an effective way to increase your consumption of vegetables.  Try drinking 1 to 2 cups each day and enjoy the health benefits vegetable juice serves up.

Sources:

Nutrition Journal “The use of commercial vegetable juice as a practical means to increase vegetable intake: a randomized controlled trial”

Food Consumer “State-Specific Trends in Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults --- United States, 2000—2009”