Since their introduction in the 1930s, juicing and blending have had periods of wax and wane in popularity with the health conscious. While there are health benefits to both, I thought I would try and shed some light on the advantages and disadvantages of each.
For those who aren’t clear on the difference between the two, let’s take a quick look. Juicing is a process which extracts water and nutrients from produce and discards all the fiber, including the pulp and skins. Blending finely chops the entire fruit or vegetable to produce a smooth consistency. Make sense? Good. Here are a few benefits of each:
Juicing Benefits:
- More nutrients per serving. Without the bulk of fiber your body can absorb the nutrients more quickly and efficiently. Fiber is also filling, so removing it allows you to drink more juice than you would a smoothie.
- Healthier than store bought juice. If you drink juice regularly, then home juicing is much healthier. Store bought juices are heat treated to kill germs, which make them last longer in storage but lowers their nutritional value.
- More variety for picky eaters. It may be easier for some people to add some fruit or veggie juice (ex. beets) in small doses rather than in the bulk of a smoothie.
Blending benefits:
- A slow steady release into the bloodstream. With juicing much of the fiber in fruit and most in vegetables is removed. Without the fiber to slow absorption, juice absorbs quickly. This leads to spikes in blood sugar, followed by an energy crash, increased hunger, and spikes in insulin. This may be a problem in diabetics or others watching their blood sugar. With blending, this fiber is left in, allowing for a longer release, leading to less pronounced swings in blood sugar and energy.
- Cost. By using the fiber and skin in whole fruits and veggies, blending adds bulk easily, requiring less ingredients for the same output. Anyone who has juiced can attest, it takes an amazing amount of fruit to get one glass of juice.
Both are great options for increasing your daily servings of fruit and vegetables. My personal opinion is that juicing is a better option as a daily supplementation of micronutrients, almost like a multivitamin. Blending is a better option for meal replacement.
Remember, no individual food is the magic cure for health. The best approach is a balanced diet of high quality, minimally processed ingredients from a range of sources and types.
Dr. Spencer Cruttenden, DC, CSCS
Chiropractic Physician
References
Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods. Berkeley, CA: Atlantic Books; 1993.
Weil, Andrew. Eating Well for Optimum Health. New York: Random House; 2000.
Weil, A. Is Juicing Really Good For You? Dr. Andrew Weil Website. 2007. Found at: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400198. Accessed October 2012.
Willet, Walter C. Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy. The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating. New York: Free Press; 2001.
