Juicing and tooth enamel.

MYTHS OF JUICING PUT TO REST

There are many stories in the media advising of the cons of juicing. Here is some advice in how to overcome the negative effects of juicing.

*        Juicing wears away the enamel of teeth. 

When you drink fruit juices that are high in acids, the acids try to dissolve the outer layer of your teeth (the enamel). This is when the saliva of the mouth comes into play. Saliva is naturally super-saturated with extra calcium and phosphate to prevent the acid from demineralising your teeth. This saliva helps your teeth to harden and absorb more calcium, which then acts like a coat of armour. Waiting to brush for at least 30 minutes gives your mouth time to produce enough saliva to neutralize the acidity. If you were to brush your teeth straight away, the enamel is susceptible to being rubbed away by the bristles of a toothbrush. Waiting a while gives saliva a chance to demineralise the teeth so the brushing doesn’t worsen damage.

I always advise clients to give the mouth a good swirl of water straight after drinking juices and waiting at least 30 minutes before brushing their teeth. Another piece of advice is to drink juices through a straw and aim to toward the back of the mouth. It is important in children that they do not direct the stream through their teeth which rather defeats the purpose of drinking through a straw.
Some groups recommend that you swirl your juice in your mouth, for reasons noted above this is something that I do not recommend for juices high in fruits.

*        Avocado are so expensive and difficult to find all year round

I buy my avocado in bulk during the high season and when they are the correct texture (soft to touch, dark in colour) I cut them in half, peel them and then store them in individual plastic wraps to be stored in the freezer. Only 5% of the enzyme activity is lost in an avocado when put into the freezer. It may be a little brown when you defrost it but once mixed into a smoothie it is delicious and no one can tell the difference.

I also cut up fresh ginger and turmeric root and pop into the freezer so I have a plentiful supply and never run out. They both retain all their medicinal properties if snap frozen.

RECIPE FOR THE DAY (and some info behind the ingredients)

CARROT AND GINGER SHOT

Ingredients:

1 carrot

1 apple

Knob ginger

Carrot: contains beta-carotene which converts to Vitamin A (in the correct amounts, many people can easily overdose on Vitamin A if taken as a supplement). Important for health of eyes and skin and great to assist getting the body back on track after alcohol indulgence.

Apple: natural in pectin, a soluble fibre, forming a get in the intestine that eliminates toxins and decreases blood cholesterol

Ginger: Natural antibiotic, decongestant and anti-histamine. Great a easing any inflammation in the body and helps with any flatulence or nausea. Can increase the ginger if suffering flu-like symptoms.

Brushing teeth and Juicing

Many of my clients ask about the hazards of drinking juices and the effect it has on their teeth. Here are a few bits of information for you to ponder over:

1. Dr Peter Alldritt, chairman of the Australian Dental Association's oral health committee,states that  sometimes brushing too soon after drinking juices can damage your teeth.
"Fruits, particularly lemons or pineapples, all have a reasonable level of acidity in them and what they do is soften the enamel," he said. "If you then go and brush your teeth straight away you're going to damage the softened enamel." Waiting to brush for at least 30 minutes gives your mouth time to produce enough saliva to neutralize the acidity, Alldritt says. This saliva helps your teeth to harden and absorb more calcium, which then acts like a coat of armour. "Saliva contains calcium and phosphate ions and teeth also contain these ions, so saliva acts as a reservoir of calcium and phosphate for your teeth," he said. "Saliva also contains enzymes and buffers which neutralize acid and return the pH of your mouth to neutral over time."


It is recommended after you juice you rinse your mouth out with water to allow the natural saliva to do its work in neutralising the acidity and brushing your teeth half an hour later. 

An alternative is to drink through a straw or to drink your juice in a reasonable manner and not let it stay in the mouth for too long.

Do keep in  mind most of the juices on the plan have vegetables included which helps in keeping down the acidity level of the juice. And, although acidic in nature, once broken down by the body the juices are alkaline in the body.

Happy Juicing

Julie