JUICE bar owner Kris Talikowski has defended the drinks against warnings from health experts that juice can cause weight gain, diabetes and dental problems.

The juicing craze has soared in recent months with juicers and blenders flying off the shelves, and advocates of the cult claiming it is an exceptionally healthy way to lose weight fast while packing your body with micronutrients including vitamins, minerals and cancer-preventing antioxidants.

But health experts are so concerned about the dangers, with some saying it is as bad as Coca-Cola in terms of sugar content, that there are calls to ban juice from the list of suitable five-a-day foods.

The reason for this, nutritionist Jackie Lynch explained to the Daily Mail last week, is because juicing extracts the fibre from fruit that is so essential for a healthy gut.

It also bypasses the complex digestive process to break the fruit down into sugars, meaning fewer calories are burned and drinkers are actually consuming more sugar this way.

“The mechanism of consuming a whole piece of fruit is undoubtedly better for you on every level; weight loss, fibre absorption and nutrients,” said Jackie.

“When you eat fruit and vegetables, saliva starts to break them down and they pass through the digestive process.

“If you simply decant five pieces into your stomach in liquid form, you are by-passing this necessary and complex process.

“First, you won’t activate the satiety mechanism, which is released by the action of enzymes produced by saliva as you chew the food and helps the body recognise that it’s full, so you may end up eating more.

“Second, you are actually burning fewer calories because your body isn’t using any energy to break down the food. This means that calories from the natural sugars in the juice aren’t offset by those usually used in digestion.

“By consuming juice, you’re basically losing the opportunity to burn up to 200 calories.

“If it’s the only way to get one of your five a day, then drink a small glass of fruit juice — around 125ml — but no more than that.

“Otherwise, simply eat a healthy diet full of fruit and vegetables. There’s no need to embrace this fad.”

But Kris, who spent eight years working with the self-styled juice-master and author of several recipe books, Jason Vale, before opening The Core in Devizes Road in March 2013, said that warnings about the dangers of juicing were misleading.

The 31-year-old said that starting a juice diet helped him to kick glandular fever, and last month ran a 30-day juice and raw food trial with six people with a range of different conditions ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to psoriasis in a bid to improve their symptoms.

Since opening The Core he has also used the business as a centre for leading his own workshops and sharing his own experiences on the effects of juciing.

He said: "The article from the Daily Mail last week is misleading, inaccurate, and just scaremongering people.  Clearly juicing works otherwise we wouldn’t have had hundreds of people who have started to juice with us or learning to juice at home from a workshop, feeling better, improving health conditions and yes even losing weight too.  It’s in fact most people’s primary reason to start juicing because they’ve seen other people lose weight and feel better from juicing, seen celebrities reporting their success stories and have been inspired by friends and families who have got into it.  Once they start juicing, friends and family see the change in them, and word spreads.  But we certainly didn’t start this, juicing has been around for over 100 years with one of the first pioneers of juicing Dr Norman Walker (who lived till he was 99 years old) helping people realise the health benefits of raw nutrition. 

"It’s not surprising though, this scepticism has been around from people that just don’t understand the difference between pasteurised juice from the shops (which is where the vast majority of the “studies” are done on juice) and freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juice made fresh.  Juicing allows the body to get nutrients into the system in a raw form that is packed with soluble fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients all designed to feed and nourish.  Bottled juices from the shops (which are all fruit based) have been all been pasteurised (cooked), they have no soluble fibre and are similar in effect to soft drinks, and therefore are nothing like the juices that we make here.

"We follow a simple principle to greater health, cut down on the toxic foods going into the body namely caffeine, dairy, refined sugar, refined carbs and alcohol and replace the mineral and nutrient deficiency that many people have as a result of not consuming enough raw fruits and vegetables.  If we ate 10+ portions of raw veggies a day, then we wouldn’t need to juice, but most people just don’t, so is there another way to get those vital nutrients in? Yes through juicing and blending them.  The proof is out there, you just need to ask someone that’s followed a juice plan and carried on juicing daily and you’ll hear the benefits.

"But don’t take our word for it, just look at some of the hundreds of stories on our Facebook page we feature of people that have transformed their health as a result of juicing. 

"If you still need further proof look at Jason Vale, the Juice Master, who has spent the last 15 years helping hundreds of thousands of people switch their diet and start to juice and feel the benefits.  Jason himself lost 4 stone and got rid of his eczema, psoriasis, asthma and hayfever too.  He has also replied to this article as nonsense and has had hundreds of people share their amazing health transformation stories in reply.  Worth checking out before you believe this rubbish from the Daily Mail."

One of the people who swear by the juicing phenomena is Matt Barnes, who works for Swindon Borough Council.

He said: “I lost 28lbs (2 stone) in 20 days on The Core juice programme and I feel incredible.

“I thought not eating would be a struggle and tiring but my lethargy and mid afternoon caffeine binges all just stopped. I went to Kris' juice workshop whilst on the plan and now have a juicer and have carried on with two a day. I feel incredibly good, I think I look different, and importantly feel so much healthier.”