To Juice or to Blend..That is the Question

I think that there is quite a bit of confusion about what Juicing is versus what Blending is. I post both types of recipes quite often and I always make sure to say the words "Juice" or "Smoothie" in the title of the recipe, yet I still get people asking why their smoothie was so bitter! Well, that's probably because you used a recipe that was intended to be a juice and made it into a smoothie...yuck. So I'm going to clear it up a bit here.

First of all, both juicing and blending have benefits, but they're very different. When you blend, you throw whole fruits and veggies into a machine, and the blades of the machine chop everything up very finely into a puree. The pulp remains in the drink and this is classified as a Smoothie! Blenders, Nutri-bullets, Ninjas, etc. are all machines for making smoothies, not juices. The benefit of blending versus juicing is that the fiber of the blended fruits and veggies is retained in the drink. If you have a hard time getting in enough fiber throughout the day, blending may be a good option for you. HOWEVER, there is such a thing as TOO MUCH FIBER. Crazy, I know. Too much fiber can actually lead to bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea. Additionally, too much fiber can cause food to move too quickly through the digestive tract, blocking the absorption of important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus. Which brings me to Juicing!

When you juice, you run whole fruits and vegetables through a machine that is made specifically for juicing! When you juice, all of the liquid from the fruits and vegetables is extracted, the pulp is separated, and the fiber is removed. Why would you take out the fiber you ask? Well, when you remove the fiber, you're able to absorb all of the nutrients of the fruits and vegetables directly into your bloostream without your body having to expend the energy of digestion. Juices are also very hydrating!

So which one is better? Honestly, I don't think either is necessarily better. As I said, they serve different purposes. Personally, I drink both juices and smoothies. I get plenty of fiber in my everyday diet so I feel comfortable drinking delicious veggie juices and I don't miss the fiber. 

I hope this helped to clear up any confusion about juicing versus blending. Just make sure to note whether I use the word "Juice" or "Smoothie" in the recipe title. If you turn a juice recipe into a smoothie you may get more than you bargained for...don't say I didn't warn you:)