Starting the day with a glass of fruit juice is common practice around the world. While for most people, it may seem like a healthy choice early in the morning, it is not! In the morning, drinking juice on an empty stomach can cause problems like acidity, stomach pain, and constipation. This is because our stomach remains empty between dinner and breakfast, which is a long period, and that’s why sour food items, like lemon or orange, and their juices should not be consumed in the morning.
Why You Shouldn’t Drink Juices in the Morning
There are many benefits of taking fresh juice in the morning, but so are the disadvantages. Let’s take a look at some of them.
1. Increase Blood Sugar Level
Juicing every morning is not a bad morning routine, but these juices can increase your blood sugar levels. Diabetic patients should not consume juice first thing in the morning. However, if you accidentally drank juice on an empty stomach in the morning, make sure to not eat anything for an hour after it, because that can result in several health problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
2. Promotes Fat Storage
Most people work out in the morning, be it light jogging or a hardcore routine and go for a glass of chilled juice after it. However, medical experts suggest not consuming sugary drinks after the workout, as it can lead to serious health problems. It adversely promotes fat storage – by demining fat burning effects of a high-intensity workout. If necessary, they should be consumed after half an hour.
3. Bad Digestive System
Consuming extremely acidic juices in the morning can directly affect your digestive system – by killing the stomach’s digestive enzymes. If taken cold, these juices can cause throat rashes or throat pain. More consumption of juices can also cause probiotics to cause frequent bowel movements.
4. Cause Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
GERD and acid reflux can cause stomach acid to travel into the esophagus which results in symptoms like acid regurgitation and heartburn. If you have this health condition, you shouldn’t drink some juices in the morning, as they can make the symptoms worse.
Juices to Avoid in the Morning
Juices are good but at the correct time! Some juices must be avoided in the morning, for you to have a worry-less and a healthy day ahead. They are as follows.
1. Prune Juice
Topping the list of juices to avoid in the morning, Prune juice serves as a laxative, and consuming it early in the morning can alleviate constipation. It is beneficial to drink 4-8 ounces of Prune juice, as standard medication for constipation.
However, if you work out in the morning, it is advised to not consume Prune juice after that, because of the same laxative properties. That’s because strenuous exercises already have this effect on your body, and this fruit juice will only aggravate this uncomfortable situation.
2. Tomato Juice
Although tomatoes benefit the skin and are enriched with essential nutrients, including Vitamin C, they should be avoided on an empty stomach – as a whole or in the form of juice, in the morning. The Tannic Acid present in them increases acidity in the stomach and may cause gastric problems. Additionally, it also worsens the symptoms of GERD, so people with this health condition should avoid tomato juice at all costs.
3. Pineapple Juice
Pineapple juice contains a lot of nutritious benefits – from treating acne and preventing hypertension to aiding in digestion. However, it is ideal to avoid it in the morning on an empty stomach, as it can result in acidity. You can have a glass of Pineapple juice after completing breakfast.
Read more about some benefits of Pineapple juice.
4. Mango Juice
You may have heard about the many benefits of Mango juice, but there are some downsides too. According to medical experts, it is not recommended to drink Mango juice first thing in the morning. It is high in natural sugar and can cause sudden changes in blood sugar levels. Therefore, people with diabetes must be extra careful with its consumption.
5. Grape Fruit Juice
Citrus fruits, like Grapefruit, are loaded with fruit acids. Drinking Grapefruit juice on an empty stomach in the morning can increase the risk of gastric ulcers, gastritis, and heartburn. Additionally, when eaten on an empty stomach, too much fructose and fiber in Grapefruit can also slow down your digestive system.
However, the fruit is not all bad, and also contains a lot of health benefits. To know more about its nutritious side, take a look at some benefits of Grapefruit juice.
6. Cucumber Juice
Can you juice Cucumbers? Absolutely Yes! But you can’t drink Cucumber juice in the morning. That’s because Cucumber juice is rich in amino acids that can lead to abdominal pain, flatulence, and heartburn.
If you want to reap the benefits of this fresh vegetable, it is best to consume it alone, about 30 minutes after other foods and drinks. For example, you can drink it after half an hour of your Celery juice in the morning, or half an hour before the dinner.
Read more about the benefits of Cucumber.
7. Juice of Black Dates
Black dates are filled with Pectin and Tannic acid, both of which can combine with gastric acid and produce insoluble lumps in the stomach. For that reason, the juice of black Dates should not be consumed on an empty stomach in the morning. It is also not beneficial for people with chronic gastrointestinal disease.
8. Pear Juice
Pears contain crude fiber and consuming them in the morning can affect your delicate mucous membranes. Although there are many benefits of Pear juice, it might not be a good idea for people with Fructose sensitivity. Additionally, Pears also contain Sorbitol, a non-digestible form of sugar alcohol that can disturb your digestive system, and cause quick bowel movements, abdominal pain, and gas.
9. Banana Juice
The Banana juice is high in Magnesium. When consumed early in the morning, it disrupts the balance between Calcium and Magnesium in the blood. This imbalance can negatively affect your heart health and digestive system. The sugars in bananas combine with their moderately acidic nature and can give you a quick sugar boost – making you feel more tired and hungry, and not the other way around.
10. Litchi Juice
Litchi drink, when taken early in the morning, can increase the sugar level drastically. Resultantly it may also stimulate the gastric mucous, resulting in stomach pain. Some people also experience certain allergic reactions to Litchi that include shortness of breath, itchy red skin, etc.
Go Juicing Every Morning – with the Right Fruits and Vegetables!
Drinking juice of different fruits and vegetables in the morning is not a BAD practice, but there are some juices, that you must stay away from. For example, the juice of a particular fruit might be bad to consume on an empty stomach but act as a perfect post-dinner drink. Therefore, only drink those juices in the morning that benefit your health, help you stay active, and make your day, not break it!