So…can juicing help clear acne? This article looks at the benefits of drinking a daily green juice for your skin and health. There’s no doubt about it, adding a fresh juice to your daily routine is one of the easiest ways to kick start a healthier morning but juicing can also play an important role in clearing your acne.

30 years ago, our fruit and veg contained significantly higher nutritional content than the commercially grown fruit and veg we consume today. This is due to the decrease in quality of the soil which is used to nurture and nourish our crops. Modern farming methods which require high volumes of produce on a regular basis means that soil nutrients are decreasing rapidly – this spells bad news for our “5 a day” as each successive generation of fast-growing, pest-resistant vegetable contains less nutrients than the one before.

How can juicing help clear acne?

Fresh juice provides an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and live enzymes – some of which can only be found in fresh, nutritional, raw fruits and vegetables. All these components are essential to maintaining good health. Some of the benefits you may find when incorporating a daily green juice is that you will have increased energy, healthier skin, strengthened immune system and stronger bones.

Did you know? Cheek acne (and sometimes jawline and chin acne too) are usually indicators that your digestive system and liver are struggling to cope with detoxing waste from your body. Read my two post on Face Mapping and Skin Mapping to discover more on what your spots and skin are telling you!

The acid trip

Today’s average diet consists of a huge amount of acidic food (e.g., meat, dairy products, sugars, grains, coffee, soda, alcohol). A highly acidic environment can be toxic and lead to a whole host of health problems. By drinking a delicious green juice every day you can really help bring your acid/alkaline levels back into balance for healthier skin free from acne. The top alkaline-boosting veggies you can juice with are: lemons, chlorella, tangerines, raspberries and pineapple!

To cleanse or not to cleanse?

Although there is no doubt that juicing, as part of a balanced diet, has many health benefits that can help you achieve clearer skin and a healthier body, there is a lot of controversy whether consuming solely vegetable and fruit juices as part of a juice detox or cleanse is actually doing more harm than good. Fruit and vegetables contain high amounts of fibre, which is essential for digestive health but the process of juicing removes the skin and pulp which is where all that important soluble fibre comes from. Be sure to continue eating a healthy whole food diet containing raw fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains in conjunction with juicing to gain the maximum amount of nutritional value from your diet to help heal your acne.

Do it yourself

There are many ready-made, bottled juices available in the supermarkets. The problems with these is that many of their valuable nutrients are lost during the bottling process – they can also contain more fruit and less vegetable making them very high in fructose which can lead to excess acidity in the body. If you make your own juice and drink it fresh, you will have control over the quality/ratio of the fruits and vegetables you are consuming, and in many cases you will save money. Your local Farmer’s Market is a great place to buy fresh, inexpensive and often organic produce.

Is raw juice a must?

Heat breaks down vitamins, minerals, live enzymes, and amino acids (the higher the temperature and longer the cooking time, the greater the nutritional damage) so raw juices are the way to go to ensure you’re getting the most out of your healthy habit!

Are organic fruits and veg important?

It’s simple, less chemicals – more nutrients! In 2007 a study from Newcastle University reported that organic produce boasted up to 40 percent higher levels of some nutrients (including vitamin C, zinc and iron) than its conventional counterparts.

Did you know strawberries are the most heavily contaminated fruit?  Below are the “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables which I recommend buying organic due to their higher levels of pesticide residue:

• carrots
• tomatoes
• lettuce
• apples
• celery
• grapes
• nectarines
• peaches
• pears
• raspberries
• spinach
• strawberries

It’s also important to note that the skins of oranges and grapefruits also contain toxic substances, (plus they also don’t taste very nice!), so it is not wise to juice them. However, the white, pithy part just below the skin contains very valuable bioflavonoids and vitamin C so don’t spend ages picking the white bits off!

Not all juicers are created equal…

Centrifugal juicers

Centrifugal juicers are the most common type of juicer that you will find on the high street. The basic centrifugal juicer processes the fruits and vegetables by contact with the shredder disc at high speed.  The basket holds the pulp inside the juicer or separates the pulp and deposits it into a canister at the back of the juicer. The juice then passes through holes in the stainless steel basket and exits through the spout at the front.

Juice Shelf Life: Not long, spinning and heat causes oxidization so juice will need to be consumed quickly!

Machine Cost: £ – ££

Advantages: Fast speed, machine cost fits all budgets, large chute = less chopping!

Disadvantages: May produce foam, speeds up oxidation, clean up can be time-consuming, does not juice leafy greens very well.

Masticating juicers

This is the type of juicer I have, love and use regularly (a Matstone 6 in 1 Juicer). It operates by using a single auger (drill bit) that rotates at a low speed.  The fruit and vegetables are squeezed and pressed while being pushed forward as the juice flows into a container, and the pulp into a separate container.  The slow speed of these juicers means that the nutrient value is preserved as there is less heat, friction, and oxidation.  This type of juicer is easy to clean and will juice wheatgrass and leafy greens well.

Juice Shelf Life: Up to 48 hours in the fridge

Machine Cost: ££-£££

Advantages: Extracts more juice than centrifugal juicers, quiet to run, juices leafy greens with ease, can make nut butters and pasta, long warranty – usually 10+ years, easy to clean although comes in lots of parts!

Disadvantages: Slower speed, small chute so fruit and veg need to be cut up into small pieces.

Triturating juicers

These types of juicers are the considered to be the highest quality available on the market. They use inter-meshing twin gears to squeeze and press fruits and vegetables. Like the masticating juicers, the twin gear juicer will juice all fruits and vegetables including wheatgrass and leafy greens, plus it can make pasta shapes, nut butters and frozen fruit desserts.  .

Juice Shelf Life: Up to 72 hours in the fridge

Machine Cost: ££££

Advantages:  Extracts more juice than centrifugals and masticating juicers, quiet to run, juices leafy greens with ease, can make nut butters and pasta.

Disadvantages: Expensive, heavier, slower speed, clean up can be time-consuming, tougher vegetables like carrots may need a bit of extra force to push through the twin gears.

Have you recently started juicing for acne? Let me know your favourite juice recipe in the comments below or if you’re looking for some recipes to get you started on your juicing journey, check out my juice shots or supergreen juice for acne!

Peace, Love & Clear Skin