It’s hard to put the TV on without hearing about the latest smoothie recipes on The Doctors, or be educated on the benefits of juicing on your favorite daytime talk show. As wonderful as both smoothies and juicing are, it can get confusing and when it comes down to it, do you actually know the difference?
Both smoothies and juices can be described as an instant ‘nutrient kick in a glass’. Both provide the body with an array of essential minerals and vitamins that keep our insides healthy and functioning as they should. The differences lie in how each is prepared.
Delicious Smoothies
Smoothies are generally easier to prepare than juicing as all ingredients are added into a blender and blended till smooth before being transferred to a glass for your enjoyment. This means that the fiber from the vegetables or fruits that you add are included and will fill you up more than a juice will. Because the fiber is included, the nutrients will be released slower into your bloodstream as your body first has to break down the fiber before any nutrients can be absorbed. Smoothies are therefore better enjoyed as a substitute for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, because they will keep you full for a few hours.
Freshly Squeezed Juices
Juicing has quickly gained a positive reputation among health circles everywhere. It is a fantastic way to get your daily vegetable content in without having to munch on greens all day. Juicing is more time consuming than preparing a smoothie and involves putting vegetables or fruits into a juicer which extracts the juice while discarding the indigestible fiber (this is not the same as buying juice in the store!), meaning that the juice is absorbed into your bloodstream instantly as your body does not have to break down the fiber first. Juicing involves placing fruits and vegetables whole with their skins on in the juicer as the juicer does the work for you. Juicing is fantastic when undergoing a cleanse or detox or as a drink to be enjoyed with meals during the day. Juices will not fill you as a smoothie will and when doing a cleanse make sure to do so under strict supervision by a health care professional.
Hopefully you will now have a better understanding of the differences between juicing and smoothies. The fun part is that you can really play around with the different fruits and vegetables until you find your perfect combination. One rule you should always keep in mind though, is that the only fruits that should be combined with vegetables when juicing are apples and that just fruit juices are not recommended as they can cause a spike in blood sugar due to the fact that they are instantly absorbed into the blood. Also, be sure to use organic fruits and veggies to avoid harmful chemicals and to obtain more nutrients!
