Juice Plus and Weight Loss: Does It Really Work? Discover the Truth Now!

Juice Plus is a branded line of dietary supplements distributed through multi-level marketing by National Safety Associates (NSA). Introduced in 1993, these supplements contain powdered juice concentrates from various fruits, vegetables, and berries. While Juice Plus is marketed as a way to bridge the gap between recommended and actual fruit and vegetable intake, its effectiveness, particularly in relation to weight loss, has been a subject of debate and scrutiny. This article examines the evidence surrounding Juice Plus and its potential impact on weight loss, considering both its composition and the available research.

What is Juice Plus?

Juice Plus offers encapsulated powder concentrates made of powdered juice of 30 sorts of fruits, vegetables, and berries. There are three different powder compositions: fruit blend, vegetable blend, and berry blend. The preparation is entirely natural. It is free from gluten, sugar, lactose, artificial aromas, and colors and free from chemical stabilisers. The main ingredients in Juice Plus Orchard Blend and Garden Blend capsules (vegetable and fruit juices) are reduced to powder through a proprietary process by an unrelated supplier, and then blended and encapsulated by NAI, which produces the finished product.

The company, National Safety Associates (NSA), was founded in 1970 by Jay Martin, a schoolteacher-turned-entrepreneur. NSA initially sold home fire-protection equipment via door-to-door salespeople. In the late 1970s, they expanded into water filtration products. In 1993, they launched the Juice Plus+ supplement line.

Regulatory Scrutiny and Marketing Concerns

Juice Plus has faced considerable criticism regarding its marketing practices and unsubstantiated health claims. In 2022, Truth in Advertising, a consumer watchdog group, filed a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau against Juice Plus+ Company, LLC, alleging deceptive and unsubstantiated claims, such as protecting against COVID and cancer. This wasn’t the first time Truth in Advertising complained; year after year, going back to 2016 and continuing into 2023. In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning letter to Juice Plus+ for unlawfully advertising that its products can treat or prevent COVID, and also for misrepresenting that those who join their multi-level marketing scheme would likely earn substantial income.

The company has also faced fines and warnings in multiple countries between 2019 and 2020 for deceptive marketing practices, including fake testimonials, illegal health claims, unauthorized endorsements, and false income promises. In one instance, companies trading under the Juice Plus brand name in Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom were levied a €1 million penalty by Italy's Competition and Market Authority (AGCM) for deceptive marketing practices in breach of European Union advertising law.

Questionable Research Practices

Concerns have been raised about the reliability of studies funded by Juice Plus. On one of its TV infomercials, a doctor referenced one of its studies suggesting Juice Plus+ might help with weight loss or colon cancer--two things the study didn’t even measure. The Better Business Bureau raised concerns about the reliability of the studies in the first place. For example, take the “Family Health Study,” which claimed that more than half of kids were missing less school, taking fewer drugs, and having fewer doctor visits. But that wasn’t a study as much as it was just a survey of people who could profit from selling it. In terms of actual studies they’ve funded, their modus operandi appears to be to measure so many different outcomes that a few will pop up statistically significant, just by chance. Like in that supposed weight-loss colon cancer study. The researchers didn’t track weight loss or cancer, but they did measure 70 other things, and didn’t get a single significant result on any clinical outcome after controlling for multiple testing. The same thing here with gum disease; when you test 54 outcomes, two products, at three different times in nine different ways, one would expect a few random positive outcomes just by chance alone. Or, the Juice Plus+-funded researchers just lie about it. Here they claim, in the abstract, that Juice Plus+ improved metabolic profiles by reducing systemic inflammation and cholesterol. Did they think no one would actually look at the data? No significant change in any of the cholesterol levels compared to placebo, or any of the measures of inflammation, nor blood sugar control. And the only reason their triglycerides looked better wasn’t that they got better in the Juice Plus+ group, but they just got worse in the placebo pill group. And there wasn’t any significant benefit over placebo in weight, body composition, blood pressure, pulse, or physical or mental quality of life.

Nutrient Content and Bioavailability

ConsumerLab tested Juice Plus+ Garden Blend and found it contained only 76.4% of its claimed calcium using a precise ICP-MS method, despite distributor claims otherwise. Concerns have been raised that the nutrients in Juice Plus+ capsules may not be bioavailable or effectively absorbed by the human body, and that some of the nutrients claimed to be in the products may not be present in significant amounts. Studies on nutrient absorption showed that subjects taking Juice Plus had elevated blood levels of folate and β-carotene, but the effects on blood levels of vitamin E and vitamin C were inconsistent. Some studies have shown significant increases in vitamin E and C levels, while other studies have shown much weaker effects on vitamin E and C levels, and that the levels of vitamin E and vitamin C are not significantly increased.

Juice Plus and Weight Loss: What Does the Evidence Say?

Despite claims suggesting Juice Plus might help with weight loss, scientific evidence supporting this claim is lacking. On one of its TV infomercials, a doctor referenced one of its studies suggesting Juice Plus+ might help with weight loss or colon cancer--two things the study didn’t even measure.

A study aimed to evaluate the effect of daily dietary nutritional supplement on somatic, psychological, and urogenital symptoms in postmenopausal women. In this study 28 healthy, symptomatic, peri- and postmenopausal women of 47-67 years of age were allocated to use the nutritional supplement JuicePLUS+®. Treatment with the supplement resulted in a reduction of somatic, psychological, and urogenital symptoms. The overall MRS score showed an average improvement of 44.01%. Most benefits were observed for the psychological symptoms irritability (60.55%) and physical and mental exhaustion (49.08%); modest effects were observed for hot flashes (44.86%) and sleeping problems (35.56%). There was a minor improvement in sexual problems; 6 women reported an increased libido. No statistically significant effect was found in vaginal dryness and proliferation behaviour of vaginal mucosa. No adverse effects were observed.

Potential Benefits and Drawbacks

Advantages

Fruits and Vegetables: One significant advantage of Juice Plus is that it is just fruits and veggies, with no isolated vitamins and minerals.
Impact on the immune system: Vitamins, minerals, and secondary plant substances have an impact on the immune system. JuicePLUS+ reduces the homocysteine as a marker of oxidative stress and increases the blood level of antioxidants.

Disadvantages

Unsupported health claims: Juice Plus is widely criticized for having unsupported health claims, low fruit and vegetable content, excessive cost, and conflicts of interest in its research.
Not a substitute for whole foods: It’s not a substitute for eating fruits or veggies, nor does it claim to be. It doesn’t get you out of the parental responsibility of continuing to offer your child vegetables.
Limited Nutrient Profile: Unlike a more comprehensive multivitamin, you may need to take additional essential nutrients as supplements.
Ordering Requirements: You have to order in 4-month increments. And both the Orchard and Garden Blends. You can’t just order the veggie (Garden) blend if you think you or your child eats plenty of fruit but not enough veggies.
Sugar Content: The kid’s gummy chews are sugary. I worry that although Juice Plus claims to strengthen gums and teeth, the sugar and stickiness of the chews will override this and lead to cavities!

Read also: Juice Cleanse: Benefits and Risks

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