Juice Plus Review: Does it Work?

What is it?

Juice Plus is a meal replacement shake made with whole foods and natural ingredients. There’s a patented form of fiber offered at 8 grams, as well as 13 grams of protein from soy, chickpea, pea, and rice.

It’s meant to be used for many purposes including as a post or pre workout food, a snack, and as a full meal replacement.  It’s currently available in both French Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate. So is this whole food based shake actually healthy? What do customers have to say about the taste and weight loss benefits? You’ll see how Juice Plus performed in this full review.

Do You Know the Best Diet Shakes of 2016?

Juice Plus Ingredients and Side Effects 

Low Processed Soy Protein
Chickpea Powder
Rice Protein
Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar
Stevia

Arabic Gum
Guar Gum
Xanthan Gum
Plant Cellulose Frutooligosaccharides
Plant Cellulose

Soy Fiber
Rice Bran
Pectin
Apple Fiber
Natural Flavor

Broccoli Sprout
Alfalfa Sprout
Radish Sprout
Organic Amaranth
Organic

Organic Quinoa
Organic Millet
Calcium Citrate
Calcium Carbonate
Calcium Ascorbate

Sea Salt
Pumpkin Powder
Pomegranate Powder
Spirulina Powder
Yucca Powder

Mushroom Powder
Natural Enzyme Blend
Niacinamide
Soy and Sunflower Lecithin
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride

Riboflavin
Thiamine Mononitrate
Vitamin B12

 

Low Processed Soy Protein: A processed form of soybean, which has all the essential amino acids.

Studies have shown multiple issues with the use of this ingredient. This is due to its phytates and phytoestrogens.

The Nestlé Research Centre ran a study that showed:

“phytic acid is a major inhibitory factor of iron absorption in soy-protein” 

This compound is known to reduce the absorption of important vitamins and minerals. This can potentially lead to nutritional imbalances.

Soy has also been linked to increased estrogen production. The PhysicianComittee adds:

“Soy products… contain very weak plant estrogens called phytoestrogens that hinder the body’s natural estrogen” 

This ingredient could potentially increase estrogen and reduce testosterone. When estrogen is increased, it can potentially lead to unwanted symptoms. This can cause malfunctioning of hormones that can force mood swings. 

Chickpea Powder: Ground garbanzo beans, this ingredient is high in fiber and carbohydrates. There’s no information on how well rounded the amino acid profile is, so it’s impossible to determine if it’s a healthy protein source. 

Rice Protein: Extract of rice protein that is low in the amino acid lysine. Due to this low amino acid score, it needs to be mixed with other forms of protein to make up for the deficiency.

The body also rapidly absorbs it, and in high amounts it can lead to digestion issues, diarrhea, and stomach problems. 

Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar: Pressed sugarcane that provides both glucose and fructose.  This can lead to an increase in obesity, tooth decay, and metabolism disorders. There’s a total of 11 grams of this sweetener added to Juice Plus shake. 

Arabic Gum: Thickener extracted from the acacia tree.  Possible side effects may include:

Nausea, stomach problems, and bloating. 
Loose stools, diarrhea, and frequent bowel movements. 

Guar Gum: Fiber taken from the seeds of the guar plant. Web MD advises to take this ingredient with at least 8 ounces of water. This is advised in order to avoid possible blockages in the throat and intestines.

Other possible side effects may include:

Nausea, gas, and bloating. 
Diarrhea, loose stools, and sudden bowel movements. 
Choking and difficulty breathing. 

Xanthan Gum: A mixture of bacteria with a fermented sugar. It’s used to help stimulate bowel movements, as well as to thicken ingredients.

It may potentially lead to side effects such as :

Gas, bloating, and stomach problems. 
Loose stools, and diarrhea. 
Throat irritation and flu symptoms. 

Spirulina: A blue-green algae used due to its whole food nutritional profile.

The Oregon Health Division ran a clinical study on this ingredient, and they expressed concern over safety:

“risks from exposure to these toxins in contaminated health food products… have been largely ignored” 

This includes toxic microcystins and microtoxins. Depending on the water it’s sourced from, it can be taken from waters that are full of lead, or heavy minerals. This can potentially lead to organ damage and other severely damaging health effects.

It’s also not known where this ingredient is sourced. Each bag of this shake comes with a warning that there’s a possibility for birth defects. This is likely due to the added spirulina.

EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this supplement with a proven meal replacement such as 18Shake for better results.

Juice Plus Quality Of Ingredients 

The company adds many cheap fiber sources, a high amount of sugar at 11 grams, and whole food ingredients that don’t add much nutritional value.

There’s a good amount of vitamins and minerals, but it’s unknown how much of it comes from the superfoods.

The amount of protein added is good, but since it comes from plant based protein, it’s unknown how well rounded the amino acid profile is. Without seeing this score, it’s hard to judge if it’s a good source of protein.

There are also many possible side effects from the thickeners, evaporated cane juice, and even spirulina.

The Price and Quality of Juice Plus 

A 15 serving pouch sells for $30.75. At 2 shakes a day, the daily price would be $4.10.  

This is pricy for what’s a mixture of plant-based protein. Though there’s a total of 13 grams, the reason why so many protein sources are added is because it’s not a well-rounded amino acid profile, then if the ingredients were added on their own.

This shake also has a total of 11 grams of sugar, so it’s exceptionally higher than other shakes. Limiting sugar is important in order to reduce the risk for obesity.

There’s also a lot of thickeners added which may promote side effects. And they’re not very high quality fiber sources.

It does have a low amount of calories at 120, but it’s not a well rounded enough shake to help satisfy as a meal.

There’s also a warning on these shakes:

“product contains chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects” 

It’s because of the cheap fiber, high sugar, low quality protein, and possible birth defect issues that make this a poor choice. 

Business of Juice Plus 

The company also goes by the name of Juice Plus, they can be reached below: 

Phone Number: (901) 850-3000 

Address: 140 Crescent Dr.

Collierville, Tennessee 38017

They operate a multilevel marketing company, which means that regular people can begin distributing and marketing these products for a commission. These types of businesses are controversial, since sellers can exaggerate claims.

The company also has total of 21 complaints on their Better Business Bureau page:

“charges were not authorized and they are making me pay to return the product” 

“cancelled the subscription a year ago, they continue o bill me” 

“called on numerous occasions to have billing stop” 

There was concern that the company will continue to charge, even when customers have tried to cancel. There were also problems with customer service, as many tried to reach the company to no success.

The company has also been criticized for publishing self-funded and biased studies. Though some clinical studies have shown side effects from the use of their products.

The University Of Texas performed a study and showed that one of their brands had:

“unforeseen side effects. including liver damage” 

Quackwatch.com also studied the companies products, and they concluded it was a:

“colossal waste of money” 

There’s many issues listed about this company in terms of customer service, lack of usable clinical studies, and potentially serious side effects.

EDITOR’S TIP: For the best results with meal replacement shakes diet our experts recommend to use it at least 5 months. Save your money buying a few bags of meal replacement product.

Customer Opinions of Juice Plus 

As with any multilevel marketing company, it’s important to watch out for exaggerated and fake reviews from salesmen.

Here are a few verified customer reviews:

“This is a total rip off” 

“shake seems to create horrible gas” 

“Horrible gas and stomach upset” 

“Couldn’t finish it! Nasty!!” 

Side effects related to stomach health are often listed. People mention it left them bloated, full of gas, and very uncomfortable.

There was concern over the price. People felt for what’s offered, it’s much too overpriced.

Conclusion – Does Juice Plus Work?

Before you make a final decision on whether or no Juice Plus is for you, it’s important to keep in mind the customer reviews, and quality of ingredients. Users have mentioned how they experienced side effects such as gas. There’s also a high amount of sugar added to this meal replacement, with several cheap thickeners.  It even comes with a warning that it may cause birth defects.

When looking to lose weight healthy, it’s important to use a meal replacement that’s made with nutritious ingredients and a low amount of sugar. The very best option in 2016 is called 18Shake.

There’s a combination of whey protein added for a high quality amino acid profile. It also has just one gram of sugar, high quality fiber, and an all-natural ingredient blend. That’s why customers mention the quality is great. People have left many positive reviews due to its taste, easy of blending, lack of side effects, and potent weight loss effects.

18Shake is even backed by a full 30-day money back guarantee. So you can try this shake risk free.