Juicing and Blending: A Primer

To blend or to juice fresh fruits and veggies? That is the question. The short answer: Juicing and blending are both good. The key is to use fresh, good-for-you, whole food and to enjoy juices and smoothies within a balanced eating plan.

Juicing and blending use separate appliances to offer somewhat different benefits. Let’s take a closer look.

Juicing appliances extract fiber-containing pulp from fresh fruits and vegetables. The finished product lets your body absorb nutrients quickly without having to digest the dense bulk of the plant. One benefit of juicing is that you can extract nutrients from dense root veggies like carrots, beets and parsnips that wouldn’t work well in a blended smoothie.

Fresh, cold-pressed juice (not bottled or canned juice) provides the best nutritional value because it maintains all the enzymes, proteins and minerals from the vegetables and fruit. For those who must restrict dietary fiber due to digestive health conditions or recentsurgery, juicing can be helpful. But juicing may not be appropriate for some patients in treatment for compromised immune systems. Check with your physician.

Don’t rely on juicing for all your fruits and veggies, because fiber is an important part of your daily diet. Enjoying fiber-rich food has numerous benefits--including adding years to your life. Researchers associated higher dietary fiber intake with a reduced risk of death from all causes in a recent meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Furthermore, dietary fiber makes you feel full faster, which aids weight control, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Blending takes advantage of whole vegetables and fruits, including their fiber. A good blender pulverizes fresh produce, which aids digestion. The fiber in the blended drink (smoothie) also helps to control blood sugar.

Blending lets you have fun and experiment with a variety of ingredients. Try a protein boost with ground flax seeds, chia seeds, soy or almond milk, or low-fat/nonfat yogurt for extra protein. It also uses less fresh produce compared to juicing, because whole fruits or vegetables provide more volume.

Advice for Juicing and Blending Newbies

It takes a lot of power to turn high-fiber fruits and vegetables into a smooth drink, so choose a juicer or blender with a minimum 500-watt rating and a warranty of least two years. Make sure your kitchen has adequate counter and cabinet space. Also consider whether the juicer or blender is too tall to fit between the countertop and the bottom of your cabinets.

For maximum enjoyment and benefit:

• Use a 3-to-1, veggies-to-fruits serving ratio to control calories and sugar in smoothies and juice. The same proportions will boost fiber content in smoothies.
• Enjoy your drink within 24 hours of making it.
• Avoid juice “cleanses,” which provide inadequate calories and protein. Juice should be part of a balanced diet.

What are your favorite smoothie or juice recipes? Tell us in the comments.

This post was written by Danielle Staub, RD, CDN, of the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

For more North Shore-LIJ Health Blog posts, go to http://blog.northshorelij.com/

Contents of the health blog are the property of North Shore-LIJ Health System and are provided as a health resource for consumers, health care professionals and members of the media. The medical content on the North Shore-LIJ Health Blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for consultation with your physician regarding diagnosis, treatment or any other form of specific medical advice. These materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. “North Shore-LIJ Health System,” “North Shore-LIJ,” “northshorelij.com,” “VivoHealth,” their related entities and logos are trademarks of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Copyright © 2011 North Shore-LIJ Health System. All rights reserved.