Have you been eyeing that new juicer on sale at the kitchen store? If so, you may have a new reason to buy it. A recent study shows that drinking vegetable juice can help promote weight loss. Although this study was funded by the Campbell Soup Company, makers of V8 juice, which might raise the question of experimenter bias, the results are still compelling.

Drinking Vegetable Juice for Weight Loss – The Study

Conducted by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, this study involved eight-one participants who had been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The participants were divided into two groups. One group was given an eight ounce glass of vegetable juice each day along with a standard DASH eating plan consisting of a low salt, low fat diet with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables. The other group was given the same DASH diet, but without the daily glass of vegetable juice.

Study Results – Does Drinking Vegetable Juice for Weight Loss Work?

Over a three month period, the group who drank the daily glass of vegetable juice along with the DASH diet lost four pounds during the twelve week period, whereas the group receiving only the diet lost an average of one pound. The researchers hope that the weight loss experienced by the group who drank the vegetable juice will help to lower their risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.

What This Means to You: Should You Drink Vegetable Juice?

If you have a few extra pounds to lose, should you drink vegetable juice? Vegetable juice is a real caloric bargain at only forty-six calories for an eight ounce glass. It’s also a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, including potassium which helps to regulate blood pressure. Unfortunately, the benefits of the potassium can be offset by the sodium content in many commercial vegetable juices. The best way to avoid this is to drink low sodium vegetable juices which are easy to find at most supermarkets.

A Korean study also showed that drinking vegetable juice can have positive benefits on lipids and boost antioxidant levels in the blood which play a role in reducing the risk of chronic disease. Plus, most people don’t get the five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables that are recommended. Drinking vegetable juice can be an easy way to get the benefits of vegetables when you don’t have time to sit down to a full meal.

On the downside, drinking vegetable juice deprives of you of the fiber naturally found in whole vegetables, so it shouldn’t serve as a vegetable substitute.

The Bottom Line?

Drinking vegetable juice is a healthy practice that may help you lose weight. This isn’t surprising since it’s low in calories and somewhat filling which can reduce overall calorie consumption. If you drink vegetable juice, don’t use it as your only source of vegetables. Whole vegetables are high in fiber and should be a daily part of any healthy diet.