Illustrated Nutrition

As commonly perceived by a lot of people, juicing and blending are not the same. In fact, they are two very different things. The main difference being that juicing only extracts the juice of a fruit or a vegetable while blending makes use of the entire fruit or vegetable with skin and all. The produce created out of juicing is known as juices, while blending produces smoothies.

Whether you decide to blend or juice, each have their own set of pros and cons. While there is no concrete evidence to point out the better one out, both are said to be equally good. It also depends on why someone would choose juicing or blending. In some cases blending is good, and in some cases juicing is the better option.

Pros of Juicing

• It hasn’t been proven scientifically, but some experts believe that this kind of concentrated nutrition form makes it easier for the body to absorb the enzymes, minerals and vitamins that are found in fruits and vegetables. It also helps in lowering the risk of specific chronic diseases.

• Juicing needs minimum digestion. Thus, it helps in giving the digestive system a much-required break.

• Juicing is a great way to consume fruits and vegetables that are normally not eaten by most people in their daily diet.

• People who are sensitive to fiber benefit a lot from juicing. This is because during the juicing process, maximum fiber is removed.

Cons of Juicing

• Most of the fiber is removed.

• Juicing also removes 10% to 20% of antioxidants.

• People who are suffering from diabetes will not benefit from juicing at all. This is because juicing delivers sugars directly to the blood stream. Thus, it immediately affects the blood sugar levels of a diabetic person.

• Unfortunately, juicing is not considered as a fulfilling meal or snack.

• To make juices, one needs to invest in juicers, which are quite expensive. Depending on the brand, the price ranges anywhere between $200 and $500. If you were to consider readymade juices, they cost anything between $6 and $12 for a mere 16 ounce juice.

• Juicing takes up a lot of time, and once done, you’ll need to dedicate a lot of time in cleaning up.

Now, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of blending.

Pros of Blending

• The nutrients are delivered quickly to the blood stream. Due to the high fiber content, there is no significant spike in sugar levels. So, this becomes a safe option for people suffering from diabetes. Most people are known to consume less than 50% of the required fiber content. Hence, the higher consumption of fiber not only enhances LDL and overall cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, and blood glucose, but it also reduces the risk of chronic health disorders like constipation.

• Blending gives the digestive system a well-deserved break as a very minimum amount of digestion is needed.

• Since the entire fruit or vegetable is used to blend and make smoothies, the nutrition content in each smoothie is maximum.

• Blenders are very easily available and only cost about $20 to $120. This includes new blenders available in the market like the NutriBullet.

• Blending doesn’t take up much time, and it also doesn’t take a lot of time to clean up afterwards.

Cons of Blending

• People who are sensitive to fiber or are not used to a fiber-rich diet can suffer from too much gas and/or bloating.

• Certain blenders generate a lot of heat.

• If blending is carried on for longer, it can reduce the enzymes that are essential for the body.

• It’s quite difficult to manipulate the texture and taste while blending.

If you see, both have their pros and cons. However, their cons greatly outweigh their pros, which mean that both, blending and juicing in moderation is beneficial. So, if you decide to alternate between blending and juicing or pick either one, you’ll be improving your overall health to a great extent. While both are good in their own way, there are certain rules that you need to follow to get the maximum benefit.

Blending and Juicing Rules

Rule #1-Never combine fruits and vegetables unless they are apples

While most green leafy vegetables and fruits make great combos, certain vegetables like beetroots, zucchini, carrots and broccoli don’t make good combinations with fruits due to the high content of starch. A prominent doctor explained that foods with high starch content are best eaten alone. This is because starches usually digest differently with enzymes. Combining starchy veggies with fruits can lead to gas and fermentation.

Rule #2-Always drink your veggie and fruity concoction immediately

It’s recommended that as soon as you make your juice or smoothie, it needs to be consumed immediately. After 15 minutes of preparation, the air and light will kill most of the nutrients that is required for the body in the first place. In case, you’re not able to drink it immediately, you can store it in an air-tight container that is opaque. When you’re ready to drink it, empty the juice or smoothie into a glass and then drink it.

While you follow these rules, it’s also very essential that you use the appropriate and the best equipment to make your juices or smoothies. This will ensure that you get the maximum benefit from your juice or smoothie.

Importance of the Right Equipment

Juicers

If you’ve opted for juicing, then it’s essential that you invest in a high-quality juicer. Using cheap and centrifugal juicers will generate oxygen and heat that will destroy the nutrients and enzymes in the fruits and vegetables. Although, the cost of a superior, cold-press juicer is high, it will help in producing good-quality juice. It will also enable you to extract more from your vegetables and fruits, thus, saving you a lot of money in the long-term.

A high-quality juicer will certainly last longer and will be well worth it. So, when you consider buying a juicer, think cold-press or mastication.

Blenders

Similarly, a good-quality blender will ensure that the fibers are not sucked out from the fruits and vegetables. You need to ensure that the blender doesn’t heat up excessively.

People spend a lot of money on luxurious gadgets, clothes and restaurants. If they spend a little bit more on a good blender, they are investing in their own health. Hence, an expensive blender or a juicer is an investment and not an expense!