I’ll admit that I have had a struggle with trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Especially when it comes to sticking to a healthy eating regime.
I decided to start and commit to small steps that will eventually improve my lifestyle.
My challenge when it comes to preparing fruit and vegetable juice is the dilemma between juicing vs blending.
Check out: The Best Blender for Juicing Fruits and Vegetables here
Juicing is a trend that has become a favorite of many people. Juicing with a juicer and blender have one thing in common that is making your vegetables or fruits drinkable but they are different from how they get to that solution.
Difference between Juicing and Blending
Juicing is the process of extracting the liquid from a fruit or vegetable resulting in a drink that contains no pulp.
Blending, on the other hand, breaks the whole fruit or vegetable resulting in a high-fiber drink that may contain the pulpy residue from the ingredients used. Continue reading to find out the pros and cons of juicing and blending.
How Does Juicing Work?
Juicing will extract the juice for you. This process will provide you with all the nutrients needed however it will discard the tough fiber during the process. Juicers work differently.
A centrifugal juicer is cheaper compared to other juicers. It is not the best option because it heats up your produce during the process as it chops and spins the fruits and vegetables rapidly.
This process will destroy some of the essential nutrients that you require from the juicing process. The cold-pressed juicer is a bit more expensive but they are slower.
It presses the fruits and vegetables to extract the juice. The cold-pressed is better for preserving the needed enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. The juicer comes with a chute, this is where you place the fruits and vegetables.
There are two separate outlets on the juicer, one for the juice and one for the dry pulp that comes from the produce.
It is important to note that there are alternative methods to juice if you cannot afford the above or it is not in your budget.
Pros and Cons of Juicing
- Digestion of nutrients is easier.
- The juice has a higher nutrient concentration.
- You can be able to place fruits and vegetables within the juice easily. By combining apples or other fruits with spinach, kale, cucumber, or carrots, you end up with a sweet drink that offers the health benefits of veggies.
- If you have a sensitive digestive system juicing ensures that you have an easier time processing the fiber produced by the fruits or vegetables.
- Juices Are Calorie-Controlled. This is because the juices are made using only fruits and vegetables. You are not able to add other things like milk or yoghurt to the recipe like you do whilst blending.
Cons
- The clean-up time can be hectic. The different parts of the juicer need to be cleaned up
- Fiber that is not soluble gets soluble.
- For people with problems with blood sugar, the end of product of the juice can be a problem because the concentrated fruit sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream.
- You cannot store the juices for long in order to avoid oxidation of nutrients.
- Juicers can be a bit pricey hence making it a more expensive activity compared to blending. You will need more products for your juicer.
- It cannot be used as a meal replacement. The juices are essentially water, fructose, and the nutrients present in the produce. It will not keep you full this is just an alternative way for you to get your fruits and vegetables.
How Does Blending Work?
Using a blender for juicing will be a bit more aggressive comparing it to an average juicer. It grinds the produce you throw in it until it becomes a thick liquid.
The blender has some sort of pitcher depending on the model it can be plastic or glass. It also has a housing where the jug will sit, this housing has a motor and electronics that run the blender.
There is a blade inside the glass pitcher which grinds the produce.
The procedure is easy all you need to do is place your product inside the glass or plastic jug the put the lid on. Do not forget to cover the jug or you will create a mess in the kitchen.
You can also cover the lid with a cloth just for extra precaution then turn the machine on.
The blade inside the jug rotates in a circular motion at a speed you are able to control and it will chop whatever ingredients you placed inside it into tiny little pieces.
A hand blender also is known as an immersion blender can work for you in the same way. It is a hand-held kitchen appliance that you can lower into a container or a beaker to mix your ingredients.
This is a matter of preference you will select the blender that works for you whether it is a countertop one or a handheld one.
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Pros and Cons of Blending
Pros
- It is easy to blend and clean up because it does not have so many parts.
- Blenders are relatively inexpensive depending on the brand you get. Chances are you have a blender at hand but if you do not it is not as expensive as a juicer would cost.
- The process of blending your juice is better for people with blood sugar problems. It has slower absorption which may reduce blood sugar spikes.
- The product of the blending is high in fiber and nutrients this means you will feel fuller longer. The fiber content keeps the digestive system working as it should be this will ensure that the toxins are at bay. It will take a bit longer for it to be absorbed into your body system.
- You do not need a lot of produce to make your juices which means you are able to get larger volumes of the liquid needed.
Cons
- Since the end product is a bit bulky, it will take a bit longer to consume. The juice is a bit pulpy as compared to the thin juice produced by the juicer.
- The pulp may not be your cup of tea but you can be able to strain it using a mesh or a cheesecloth.
- The nutrients you get may be fewer compared to the nutrients you would get per serving that you would get from juicing.
- As you blend it is important to note that although the fruits and vegetables produce juice that tastes great but the pulp can be bitter and ruin the taste of the juice in general.
- Risk of calorie overload when you opt to add other ingredients to your juices such as Greek yoghurt, oats.
Does Blending Destroy Nutrients?
No. blending fruits or vegetables will not destroy the necessary nutrients in your fruits or vegetables.
The process of blending will make the nutrients readily available to be processed by your body easily. It is recommended that you drink your blended juice immediately so that you can get the benefits.
Storing the blended juice for long is likely to diminish the nutrient content which you would otherwise benefit from if you drink it immediately.
A factor that may be a point of concern is the heat produced as you blend.
Heat may destroy certain nutrients but blenders work in around thirty seconds which is not considered too long hence the damage is not as detrimental.
Does Juicing Remove Fiber?
Yes. Using a juicer to make your juice means that you lose fiber. Most of the insoluble fiber in your fruits and vegetables.
The soluble fiber is however still present in the juice. Insoluble fiber is essential for healthy bowel movements and it will help you stay satisfied.
Soluble fiber is essential because it ensures that your blood sugar is regulated, it also slows down the process of the digestive tract, and helps in ensuring that your digestive health is top-notch.
It is not black and white but yes juicing can remove essential dietary fiber that your body requires to remain healthy. However, if you eat a balanced diet this should not be a problem.
Juice or Blend which one is the best?
Blending is best as it retains fiber making it more nutritious. However, If you want to enjoy a smooth drink, you should consider juicing your fruits or vegetables.
Both options work differently for different people. Juicing gives you a product that can be easily absorbed by your body.
It gets into your bloodstream quicker because it is thinner and it gets to your vital body parts faster. Blending is high in nutrients which ensures that you get what is essential for your body such as fibers which help immensely in ensuring that your bowel movements stay consistent.
Juicing makes the end product highly concentrated which in turn can spike your blood sugar levels; with this in play, you may experience mood swings, memory problems, or energy loss.
Blending however ensures that you stay satisfied longer but it is not a substitute for a meal because it contains both the soluble and insoluble fibers that are present in the fruits or vegetables.
You can only select the option that works for you but one important thing to note is that you should not store your juices for too long, it is advisable to make them fresh as often as you can.
