My opinion piece on celery juice (!) published on NBC news: “Miracle in glass? Not so fast…”

Celery juice is the latest in a series of “miracle ingredients” — those solitary foods promoted as a health cure-all and a sure way to lose weight. This particular craze requires drinking a tall glass of fresh celery juice first thing every morning on an empty stomach. It is just the latest example of this wellness wishful thinking. Because of its rise in popularity and the miraculous wellness benefits it promotes, I was invited by NBCnews.com to write THIS opinion piece. I hope you enjoy it.

Here are 6 simple takeaways from the piece.

1. Diet fads and miracle ingredients come and go but are difficult to sustain. More than anything, they are distractions and based on wishful thinking of a quick fix. Few studies exist to substantiate the claims made.
2. When it comes to celery, I write it is a perfectly fine vegetable–rich in vitamins, minerals, and water. But there’s no evidence to suggest that its juice is a panacea for your ailments.
3. To maximize your nutrition, it’s best to eat a mixture of colorful fruits and vegetables which contain a variety different nutrients and water. Color in vegetables is about more than aesthetics. It’s about getting a variety of vitamins and minerals. When you overemphasize one vegetable in your diet, you are likely missing out on health benefits of others.
4. Chewing celery (and any other fruit or veggie) is generally better than drinking it. In solid form, fruits and veggies contain more fiber and the act of chewing helps us feel more full. In my piece, I’m not picking on celery juice per se. My battle is really with diet fads that promote miracle ingredients. There really are none.
5. Here’s one reason drinking celery juice first thing in the morning might help you. In addition to the vitamins and minerals it contains, it may also be replacing the Mountain Dew or sugary cinnamon caramel roll you used to eat on a regular basis and raising your awareness about what you’re putting in your body which is a good thing.
6. True, sustainable, long-lasting wellness (including weight loss) is best approached by following methods that have withstood the test of time–eat a variety of mostly whole foods in reasonable portions, exercise, drink lots of water, while enjoying the moment and your dining companions.