Take Your Health To the Next Level With Smoothies + Juices Part 1: Blending Vs. Juicing
Smoothies vs. Juices
Hey guys! Today's post is the beginning of a five part series on blending and juicing! I'll be giving you the low-down on how to make a smooth transition into liquifying your diet and how to make the juice worth the squeeze!
Part 1 will cover the differences between Blending vs. Juicing
Part 2 is where I share What's in My Kitchen, and how to invest in a quality blender and/or juicer
Part 3 will include my go-to 'Morning Buzz' smoothie recipe
Part 4 will be my favorite 'Green Machine' detox juice recipe
Part 5 will be packed full of Supercharged Superfoods that you can add to you smoothies and juices for added health benefits!
Enjoy Part 1 & stay tuned for Part 2!
Drink up!
A lot of people wonder which is the better route to take, between smoothies and juices. It's kind of like comparing apples and oranges. I believe that both have their place, and it shouldn't be one or the other! On a spectrum, whole foods take the longest to digest, followed by smoothies, and juices take the least amount of time. You might be wondering, well doesn't it make sense to eat something that will keep me fuller longer?
The idea is, that the easier it is for your body to digest food, the less hard it has to work, allowing it more time to heal and repair. While you can't live on fresh, cold-pressed juice or smoothies alone, you can make them a part of your daily life for improved digestion—and it's the easiest way to deliver a powerhouse full of superfoods to your body on-the-go!
My advice to you is, if you're looking to take your health to the next level, I would start by investing in a great blender, and start making smoothies a part of your daily routine! Juicing is the next level. Don't worry, I've gotcha covered in Part 2, when it comes to buying quality appliances!
Smooth Sailing: Smoothies
The older I get, the more busy and jam-packed my mornings seem to be! A common thread I hear among people wanting to get healthier is that they know eating breakfast is important, but they A) aren't a breakfast person, and B) don't have the time to sit down. Enter the blender!
I will confess, it took me a whole year to unbox the blender that my husband and I got for our wedding! I had this preconceived notion that blending up a bunch of produce was just going to be expensive and time consuming. But, I liked the idea of a "drinkable" breakfast that I could take on the go. I had been drinking powdered protein and meal replace shakes pretty regularly in the mornings, but it just felt like something was missing. I wanted to transition away from as much processed food as possible, and shift towards a more whole foods, plant-based diet. Fast forward to now, and my husband and I are making one, sometimes two smoothies a day!
A morning smoothie is one of the best ways to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet, and they can really pack a powerful punch without leaving you feeling weighed down and tired. Besides fruits and vegetables, you can also add in nuts, seeds, superfoods such as maca and spirulina, healthy nut milks, and coconut water.
My number one rule is, always try to add some type of leafy green to your smoothies! Spinach, kale, romaine, arugula, chard, the options are endless!
Many Americans are constantly concerned with protein intake, but, what we are really lacking in our diet is FIBER! Less than 3% of the population is protein deficient, while more than 97% of people are not getting enough fiber, according to renowned physician and plant-based advocate, Dr. Garth Davis, in his interview with my favorite podcast host, Rich Roll. Insoluble fiber keeps our digestive system moving along, and helps to efficiently remove waste from our bodies. Soluble fiber helps dampen the effect of sugar entering the body, that could otherwise lead to insulin spikes and crashes, and can also improve cholesterol levels! Fruit and vegetable smoothies are packed full of both soluble and insoluble fiber, and both are crucial to our health and wellbeing.
The Juice is Worth The Squeeze: Juices
After becoming a religious smoothie-holic, I started to wonder what's next?! Juicing is the next level of health—the cherry on top! The main difference between a juice and a smoothie is that the fiber is eliminated. The better quality juicer you get, the more clean and viable your juice will be (more on this in Part 2).
Smoothies are a great meal replacement, but juices are not. When you juice a fruit or vegetable, your are getting a lower calorie, high water content, nutrient-dense drink. This can be extremely beneficial when trying to cleanse, detox, or replenish the body. When the fiber and pulp is removed from produce, then vitamins and minerals are better able to absorb directly into the bloodstream. Talk about insta-feel-good!
The Breakdown
Blending
Liquifies food by chopping it up
Main Benefits - NUTRIENTS + FIBER
Highly Digestible
Insoluble and Soluble Fiber Intact
Sustained Release (due to insoluble fiber)
Nutrient Dense
About 35% Nutrient Absorption
Higher Calorie - can be a meal replacement
Juicing
Extracts juice by separating from fiber/pulp
Main Benefits - NUTRIENTS + HEALING
Even More Highly Digestible
Soluble Fiber Intact, Insoluble Fiber Eliminated
Quick Release (due to elimination of insoluble fiber)
More Nutrient Dense
As Much As 99% Nutrient Absorption
Lower Calorie - should not be a meal replacement
Food For Thought
If you're even remotely interested in buying a blender and/or juicer, it's probably for health reasons, right? I say invest in a quality one that will last a lifetime! Think of it this way, would you rather be paying for things that are going to improve your health and well-being, or paying medical bills when you get sick?! Just some food for thought, er...juice for thought!
Stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll go over What's in My Kitchen, and how to make the investment in quality appliances for optimal health!
Designed For Your Lifestyle,
Erin
