Let me preface this blog by stating: Juice Plus+ is not a substitute for fresh, raw, whole food fruits and vegetables. There should never be anyone claiming such, or even claiming that Juice Plus+® can "do" anything - other than provide nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables. Now that that has been said, let's look at why we have always supported supplementing your diet with a whole food nutritional supplement that includes more than just 1 or a few vitamins. Of course, if you will eat 7-13 servings of raw whole food fruits and vegetables a day (eat them raw, and get them ripe), then you don't need to supplement your diet.
There is new research that shows too much of an apparently good thing is not such a good thing anymore. Seems to be the American way, though. If a little is good then more must be better right? Ever heard someone say they feel smothered by your love? Ok, don't stop being a loving and kind person, but you know what is being referred to here. Apparently, you can overdo it when it comes to vitamins that you may be adding in your diet. Yes, Vitamin C is good. Yes, Vitamin B3 is good... and so on. But don't take this to mean that you should go buy a 2 gram / dose supplement of Vitamin C! We need to eat more fruits and vegetables and grapes and berries and overall, a plant-based diet. Those foods have the balance of nutrients that exist in a way that Mother Nature intended for their optimal benefit to our body. Take a look at the latest on Vitamins and your health --
Scientists accidentally discovered that mega doses of antioxidants such as vitamins C and E can increase the occurrence of genetic abnormalities in cells, which may lead to cancer. The researchers from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute were quick to point out that the risk of cancer is associated with antioxidant supplements and not the antioxidants found naturally in foods.
Research results regarding the impact of antioxidants on cancer have been mixed. Some have indicated that antioxidants may help prevent or treat cancer while others have shown no benefit. In a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, for example, scientists could not find strong support for widespread use of high-dose antioxidant supplementation to prevent prostate cancer, but did note that vitamin E supplements in male smokers and beta-carotene supplements in men who had low dietary beta-carotene were associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
A meta-analysis published in 2009 consisted of 22 randomized controlled trials that included 161,045 participants. The conclusion of the investigators was that there was “no clinical evidence to support an overall primary and secondary preventive effect of antioxidant supplements on cancer.” The scientists also emphasized that the effects of antioxidant supplements “should not be overemphasized because the use of those might be harmful for some cancer.” there's more...
Bottom Line: You won't have to worry about taking too much of anything if you stick to a diet that consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables. These megadose vitamins that are being consumed, honestly end up in the toilet (a large percentage, anyway). Your body craves plant-based foods - they contain the balance of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (phyto-chemicals) that exist in the form that is most beneficial to the body.
So, if you must use a supplement in your diet, use one that contains nutrients from a variety of whole food fruits and vegetables, instead of megadoses of individual vitamins and/or minerals. Juice Plus+® is just one good example that fits that criteria.
The Health & Wellness Institute, PC
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