Juicing vs Blending. Which one is best for you?
Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. Benefits are numerous, including lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, protecting against cancer, lowering high blood pressure, keeping your eyes healthy, supporting bone and dental health, and helping with weight loss.
The WHO recommends at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, excl. starchy vegetables. Juices and smoothies are a great way to take much of those into your diet. But, do you know which one is a good option for you?
Juicing
Juicers separate the pulp from the juice, leaving the soluble fiber, which is more easily digested and passed into the bloodstream.
Since there’s no fiber in juices to slow down the absorption process, all the nutrients and antioxidants go directly into the bloodstream.
The nutrients are highly concentrated in juices, allowing for quick and easy absorption. Faster nutrient release may be helpful to give you a quick boost of energy before or after exercise or to quickly replenish nutrients when you’re not feeling well.
A large volume of produce can go into one glass of juice, allowing you to pack in the produce more easily.
Blending
Blenders combine all ingredients. When making a smoothie, whole fruits and vegetables are blended, so all the fiber goes into your body. The insoluble fiber helps slow digestion, which keeps you full longer.
The insoluble fibers in smoothies allow for a slower, more sustained energy release. This may be helpful when you’re looking to curb your appetite between meals or keep your blood sugar balanced.
Some of the nutrients in smoothies attach to the indigestible fiber and are shuttled out of the body, leaving fewer nutrients to be absorbed.
Certain produce, like avocados, bananas, and figs, can’t be juiced but can be blended easily.
Cost might be a factor to consider, as blenders are usually a more affordable option and they require less produce. However, many people seek the benefits from juicing and they choose to invest in their health this way.
Finally, sugar might be an element to consider, as both juices and smoothies can raise blood sugar, with faster and more dramatic effect deriving from the former. Yet, with caution and with more greens than fruits, one can create delicious combinations and achieve his health goals and nutritional needs. It’s fun experimenting, so see what works best for you!