How do I get Protein During a Juice Fast?
How do I get Protein During a Juice Fast? This is a question that I find being asked a lot lately. I always respond by saying you get protein from the many fruits and vegetables you’re juicing. Most people assume that protein comes only from sources like meat but they don’t realize there are so many healthy fruits and vegetables that have good quality proteins in them such as kale, spinach, or romaine lettuce. Fresh greens don’t have as much protein as meats, but you have to take into consideration that you’re juicing them in greater quantities compared to if you were eating them raw.
So, How do I get Protein During a Juice Fast?
Since you can’t really juice a steak you’ll have to settle for fruits and vegetables to get your protein during a juice fast. Broccoli is a good example of a something you can juice to get protein. One cup of broccoli gives roughly 4-5g of protein. I use a lot of spinach in my juice recipes as spinach contains about 5-6g of protein per cup. Kale, watercress, collard greens and turnip greens are also veggies that have a decent amount of protein in them and should be included in your juice fast.
How do I get protein during a juice fast from fruits? You’ll be interested to know that some fruits also contain proteins. Fruits such as peaches, strawberries and cherries contain protein. Banana’s, papayas, and even kiwi contain proteins. So it’s safe to say you can get protein by using certain fruits in your juices.
Mixing a good variety of protein rich fruits and vegetables in your juices will ensure you get plenty of protein in your juice diet. So if you were wondering how do I get protein during a juice fast, I hope I helped to clarify the answer.
Protein Powder During a Juice Fast?
Even though you get plenty of protein during a juice fast, people who work out or are extremely active may also consider adding a protein powder to their juices. I don’t mean run out and buy the first protein powder that you come across. If you feel the need to add protein to your juices, make sure you are adding only pure unflavored protein isolate. After all, the point of juicing is to cleanse your body, and if you use a flavored Wal-Mart bought protein powder, it’s going to have much more than just protein in it.
How do I get Protein During a Juice Fast?
If you’re still not sure about it or feel you will need more protein in your diet then there’s another option. You can juice throughout the day and add a light meal with a protein for dinner. A good example of this would be to juice throughout the day and have a light salad with a chicken breast for dinner. This is a good way to ease into juicing while still getting the nutritional benefits of it.
I hope this helped answer the question on how do I get protein during a juice fast. Just remember that you don’t NEED meat to get protein. Look at a horse for example. Horses are walking masses of muscle but I’ve never seen a carnivorous horse before. They don’t eat meat and never will, but they take in enough protein to maintain their muscle mass and health. Happy juicing!
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You mentioned bananas are you blending those and adding them to fresh pressed juice?
Monique, I just add them into the juicer. Some juicers specify not to use bananas. In this case, simply don’t use the banana or find a substitute. Cheers!
When you say 1 cup of broccoli do you mean 1 cup of juice or one cup whole vegtables?
I need help to see if I am juicing right. In the morning around 6:30am when I wake up I drink 8 ounces of water with the juice of one lemon. And have one cup of decaffe coffee with 1 tablespoon of Milk and 1 tablespoon of raw sugar. At 9am I do my first juicing. I do 4 cups of spinach, 3 leaves of kale, 1 stalk of celery, 1/4 head of cabbage, 1 tablespoon of flax seeds that i grind myself, and 1 apple. Then for lunch I have a large salad of mixed greans with tomatoes and onions. Afternoon snack I have a Kiwi Fruit and 10 almonds, then for dinner I juice again this time I do a Smoothie – I 1/4 cups of strawberries, 1/4 cup of fresh pineapple chunks, 1 apple, 5 cups of spinach and 1 tablespoon of flax seeds that i grind myself. Then for snack in the evening I eat about 5 cups of homade Kale chips.
Am I juicing right, and am I getting enough protein. I have been on the for two weeks. I feel so much better. I would like to stay on this diet for the rest of my life. I have been a coke aholic for 20 years, I have not had a coke in 2 weeks.
I have lost 7 pounds, like i said I feel so much better and I drink at least 5 bottles of water thru out the day. Elaine Tharp
I am no dietician, but I can make a few suggestions:
1) Your daily calorie intake is very low. Your muscle is likely catabolizing itself for energy, which means you might be loosing weight, but it is muscle. The less muscle you have the less fat your body burns on a minute by minute basis. Juice more greens and greens only because…
2) Your daily sugar intake is high. Suggestion #1… have fruit only once per day. (This is aside from lemon to help cut the “green” and sometimes bitter flavor of the vegetables. Suggestion #2… Slowly cut that tablespoon of sugar down all the way would be ideal… little by little you might be able to handle it.
3) Add protein… throw some nuts on your salad!
4) Yay!!! Stay Coke free!!!!!! Nice work! In time you won’t even miss it.
5) Eat more greens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You mentioned one cup of broccoli gives roughly 4-5g of protein. In juicing, you are not consuming the entire plant, in fact it seems a lot of plant matter is shredded and discarded, so how much protein is actually in the juice it self, not the un processed plant? Are the essential amino acids covered in a typical juice diet? Vit b12?
using a nutribullet you keep all the protein. Every part of what you put in the butribullet is drank. Great juicer!!!
Do the fruits and vegetables juiced have to all be organic?
If you can afford it, sure.
Otherwise every year, there’s a list that comes out every year which includes “Dirty Dozen” (although this past year it’s 15; they just kept the catchy name) and “Clean fifteen”.
This is for the latest one:
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/guide.php?key=40150827
Hi there,
I just bought a juicer and today will be my first day.
I went out and bought some veggies and fruit and found it hard
To buy a variety of fruit..it’s so expensive!
Is it possible to use frozen fruit rather than fresh fruit?
I’m assuming fresh is always better, but for money saving reasons is it ok
to use frozen?
Thanks!
Jasmine, it’s not expensive as it’s your entire meal budget for the 3-7+ days you are on the fast. There are no other expenses.
You can however use frozen fruits but I find them just as expensive most of the time. If you go frozen make sure you let them thaw out completely before juicing them. Expect to lose a little juice in the thawing process.
While on the juicing cleanse can you drink herbal tea, decaf coffee, diet soda, seltzer etc? Can you put yogurt in your juices or drink protein smoothies like odwalla
for lunch at work? Which premade juices are best when you are not at home
THanks
Day 2
Mama, tea is fine while on the juice fast but try to keep it decaf if possible. Caffeine is one of those toxins we are trying to rid our body of. Remember, you’re body is only going to get rid of toxins as long as you aren’t putting more toxins back into it.
No yogurt, no smoothies, no bottled juices, and no solids! Just have the juices you make fresh and you’ll do great. Keep me posted Mama.
Hi there
I want to start a juice fast for three days this week as it will be my first time fasting. Some juice companies offer fasts that are all juices and others included a 16 ounce raw almond milk (almonds, dates, vanilla bean) and that is very high protein. Is that good to have with 5 juices? Should I just juice (greens with fruit) and not have the protein almond milk drink? My goal for juicing is to cleanse and gain greater mental clarity more than lose weight although a couple of pounds would be fine to lose. Thank you for your feedback!!!
Hi Donnie,
I was very happy learning that juicing can give you protein from the vegetables. But I wondering-I’m a rower and we have weight training a few times a week, and although you said we probably wouldn’t build muscle, might we lose some?
And if so, how much? I want to juice to get rid of some fat and for other health reasons, but I don’t want to lose all the weight from muscle.
Hey Donnie, I am waiting on my juicer and i am so excited. I do not want to do diet pills and other energy pills to kick start my weight lost goal so i opted to juice. Now should i eat any regular meals doing this 7 day juicing???
Christina
Christina, no solids means no solids. Stick to your juice while on the juice fast and you’ll do great! I’m glad you opted to juice, it’s going to do amazing things for you! Keep me posted. I’m here if you have any questions Christina.
Is a plant based protein powder ok to add to the juice?
I don’t see a problem adding plant based nutrients to your juices, but you don’t have to as it’s not necessary. Keep me posted Aimee.
I use hemp powder in my juices. Only a little but it goes a long way.
I don’t see a problem with hemp powder occasionally and in moderation Sarah.
I was diagnosed with systemic lupus a month ago. I decided that I needed to change my eating habits to increase a better quality of life. I was also aware that I was not getting the proper amount of fruits, vegetables or protein in my diet. So I started researching the affects of juicing and decided to do it. I am 10 days into my juice fast and I also add pure unflavored isolate protein to my juice which give me 60 grams of protein a day, so that coupled with the protein I am getting from the vegetable and fruits are adequate. Before starting the juice fast, my joints were aching due to lupus. Lupus cause inflammation in the joints,lupus had started to affect my kidney and liver function. I went to the doctor yesterday for a follow-up and within this two week period my kidney function has improved and my liver enzymes were almost back within normal range. I feel great and I have so much more energy then I have in the past. Before starting the juice fast it was a job just to get up out of bed for work. My goal is to continue the juice fast for 30 days and after monitoring where I stand at that point, I will decide whether to continue another 30 days or start easing solids back into my diet. I also have increased my water intake daily. I may have lupus but Lupus clearly does not have me.
Dr. Miller JD, Ph.D
Dr. Miller, welcome to JOJ and congrats on your juice fast! It seems to be doing amazing things for you! Juicing will do wonderful things for you and your body. Please keep me posted on your status and know that I’m here if you have any questions. My thoughts are with you and I wish you all the best Dr. Miller!
Hi I am starting my juice cleanse tomorrow! I want to know if I can still go to my bootcamps and workout 5-6 days a week. I have lost 20 lbs in a month recently and I workout daily. Do I need to slow down my workouts while fasting?? If you can see my post I posted on here that would be excellent if you could answer some of my questions! 😀
Sesarena, congrats on starting your juice fast! It’s best to rest and relax during the first few days of your juice fast while your body goes through detox. The detox period usually lasts between 3-5 days so do your best to try and get as much rest as you can. If you do decide to workout while on the fast, just make sure you listen to your body. If the workout is too much for you, then stop and rest. I wish you the best Sesarena! Let me know if you have any questions.
Very nice article but the comparison to horses not needing protein to maintain their muscle is a big stretch. Humans are not horses and are not born with genes to produce solid muscle and less than 1% body fat. It’s apples & oranges, no pun intended
If you are weight training, you probably shouldn’t expect to consume enough protein to build muscle during a juice cleanse.
Thanks Brian, but I never said horses do not need protein. You may want to re-read that part of the article. Horses need protein to build and maintain muscle just as humans do. Horses have low body fat because of their diet. If you overfeed your horse and don’t work it, it will build fat. It’s only apples and oranges depending on how you compare apples to oranges. I’m looking at it as they are both fruits and taste delicious.
If you’re weight training, you’re goals are most likely different from someone who is strictly trying to lose weight and reset their eating habits. I’ve always said you probably won’t build muscle during a juice fast. But it is a great way to lose that weight and get in a healthy routine before you start weight training. Thanks again for your comment Brian. I’m here if you have any questions.
I’m on day 4 of my juice fast and it’s going awesome! I was curious if I am doing it right-
I drink 3x a day, the morning is a 32oz, the evening is a 32 oz, and the afternoon snack is 16oz (sweet potatoes and apples-with cinnamon…YUM!)
I am having trouble drinking that much and getting full, as I assume my stomach is shrinking. Is it ok if we drink less? If I can keep doing what I’m doing I can, I just have to drink it slower. I’m also going to Cedar Point on Saturday (I’ll be on day 7) so I am going to bring a bag of my juices. I’d assume I’d need to bring extra since I will be walking a ton?
Jen, you should be drinking between 4-6 juices per day with each being about 16-20 ounces. 32 ounces is a lot to consume considering you should be drinking water afterwards. The best thing to do is to have a juice whenever you start to feel hungry. Just listen to your body and you’ll do great!
Some juicers will make more juice than others so you may have to adjust the quantities a bit. But other than that you seem to be doing great! Congrats on day 4! I’m here if you have any questions Jen.
I am on my 6th day of juice fast. Yesterday and today I have been struggling. I am thinking about food a lot more and it seems my mind is playing tricks on me (Doubt). Sometimes I feel fine and sometimes I feel horrible. I committed to 30 days, But I want to know is this normal and is there a hump to get over that I haven’t got to yet?
Phil, sometimes the cravings and addictions to food will be strong. It’s all in how you think about it and how you focus your determination. It will get easier over time, but know that you will eventually go back to eating solids. You have to look at it as I can eat this, but I don’t want to as opposed to I want to eat this, but I can’t. When you start to think that way, it will get much easier for you.
Donnie I love your comment about the large muscled animals like horses etc in regard to a response to people that are uneducated about protein. I know that I have some friends that think I am crazy for juice fasting and the main thing I hear is what about the protein!! I try to explain that veggies have plenty of protein but they do not think so and wont take the time to actually look into it at all…very frustrating. I went vegetarian 3 weeks before my fast began to start to get rid of all the meat out of my diet hoping that would make the detox phase easier. Man did I hear it from my friend’s husband about that with the protein. My husband said to him, “Where do you think those huge Silver-back Gorillas get all of their protein?” I never thought of it like that and that pretty much shut him up after that cause there is just no denying that there are many different species of animals that are vegetarian that maintain a huge muscle mass. Thanks for all of your support.
Yeah, it’s very interesting to know animals like elephants and rhinos don’t eat meat and still get enough protein. A lot of people associate protein as only coming from meats. People think you need tons of protein throughout the day to sustain yourself. The truth is you don’t. While you do need protein, you don’t need to get it from meat. There are plenty of plants out there that have protein and will sustain you. Good job to your husband for setting him straight. I’m always here if you need me Alethadan. Keep me posted on your status throughout your juice fast.
Thank you so much for getting back to me. So I guess what i’m experiencing is normal. Other than not having a bowel movement, I do feel terrific. I ‘ve been feeling very tired for the longest time. But since i’ve been juicing I seem to have more energy. I really do like juicing. I think this is something I will continue to do. I also what to say I love your site It’s full of so much information. Thanks again.
Thank you for the comment Antonet! I’m glad you’re doing great on your fast! Keep it up and you’ll feel even better as time progresses.
Hi Donnie
It is now six days of juicing and I still haven’t had a bowel movement. I’m losing wieght, I don’t know how because I feel like I’m about to explode. I had some herbal organic smooth move tea, but that doesn’t seem to help. Maybe you can suggest something. ( I thought we were suppose to release the toxins not store them) just a joke.
Antonet, when you juice you aren’t giving your body anything to warrant a bowel movement. You probably don’t have anything in there. The majority of toxins will get passed through your urine. If you feel like there is something in there than needs to come out, try taking a laxative and see if that helps. But after six days I’m pretty sure you’re empty. You have to understand that juice is absorbed into your system and not digested. Keep me posted on what happens Antonet. Other than that, how are you feeling on day 6?
I recommend a salt water flush when starting a juice fast. 32 oz lukewarm water and 2 teaspoons of salt that has no iodine added (plain salt, sea salt, etc.). Lukewarm water is less of a shock to the stomach than cold water. Hold it as long as you can but generally it will have passed through your system in 1-2 hours. From what I understand, the salt changes the specific gravity of the water to a point that it does not get absorbed by the body. We also use this very successfully when our kids have constipation problems.
Sounds interesting Walter. I’ll have to do some research into that.
Hi Donnie
This is my first time ever juicing. I am going on my fourth day of juicing, and the problem is I haven’t been about to
go to the bathroom yet. Is there something I should be doing. I’m drinking plenty of water, and pure cocconut water
everyday. Hope you can help. I’m starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.
When was the last time you had any sort of bowel movement?
It was Monday morning.
Hi there
I am on a juice fast but I am only drinking fruit juice (apples, oranges, pineapple and carrots) I have tried the green juices but really cant do them. I am on to day 25. My family are worried about the lack of protein I am getting and are concerned about muscle wastage. I wouold really like to do this for 60 days. I have read that carrots give you 2g per cup and Im problaby drikning about 2 cups of carrot juice therefore 4g of protein per day. I have noticed that when i go up the stairs that my legs really ache. Can you suggest anything? I am mainly on this for weight loss and still need to lose another 28pounds to look “nomral”
Karen, it’s important that you include veggies into your juices. As much as you don’t like them, they are the main focus of the fast. By juicing only fruits you are giving yourself way too much sugar and not enough protein and other nutrients. You will lose muscle mass with only fruits. Try adding just a few veggies into your juices at first until you get the right flavor combinations. Carrots have a little protein but also a lot of sugar. The quantity of sugar you are taking in with the lack of protein would explain why your legs are aching.
It’s very important that you start adding greens to your diet. Try adding a cucumber and a few handfuls of spinach to your juices. That might help get you used to the veggies without affecting the flavors too much. Try it out and let me know if it gets the job done. I’ll be here if you have questions.
My organic spinach only claims 2g of protein for three cups?? You state 5-6g per cup? Are there different kinds of spinach w more protein?
Jules, spinach will vary in protein levels. If you have to, double up, or triple up on the amount of spinach you are using.
Thank you for that information. Keep posting very informative site.
Ok I found where you get your proteins I guess people freak out and don’t know that veggies have protein. More homework too do for those who are scared. I have to say I am still a bit hungry should I do it every two or three hours so I feel full I between water intake. Let me know I don’t want too make my sugar go higher.
Yeah, many people don’t understand proteins at all. People assume you need meat for protein. I always ask them how muscle packed animals such as horses, cows, and rhinos survive and maintain their muscle mass without eating meats. Protein is abundant in veggies. If you have a good mix of veggies you’ll get all the protein you need.
There’s a difference between hunger and cravings Shirley. Hunger is when your body is telling you it NEEDS nutrients. Cravings are when your mind is telling you to eat out of habit or to eat a certain food for the sheer flavor and taste enjoyment. Once you can differentiate the two you’ll learn that 90% of what you are experiencing are cravings. Learn to push those cravings aside and only eat or have a juice when you are experiencing real hunger.
It’s best to have between 4-6 juices per day each being around 16-20 ounces. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and always drink water directly after you have a juice. Also, make sure you have juicing when you are hungry, don’t set any specific times or time frames to juice, just make a juice when you are hungry. This will greatly help you during your fast.
I’ll be here if you have any questions!
Thank you for that information. I do have the congestion though I posted on another part here but can’t find if you wrote back. Anyways is that from all the toxins.
It’s possible it could be from your detox Shirley. Stick with it and see if the congestion goes away or gets worse. Do let me know. Thanks