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Juicing
Blending
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Health Wise with Crystal Han

To Juice or Blend ? That is the Question

We can all agree that fruits and vegetables are good for you , but getting enough of them can be tricky . The average American only consumes about one serving of fruit and one serving of vegetables per day , instead of the five to thirteen servings they should actually be getting . Considering this , juicing and blending seems like the perfect solution . But which one should you do ? Is one healthier than the other ? Here are the pros and cons to both :

Juicing

Pros The idea behind juicing is that , since the bulk of the vitamins and minerals come from the juice of fruits and vegetables , why not just drink that and not fuss with the pulp and fiber ? Many juice enthusiasts claim that by eliminating the pulp and fiber , you ’ re giving your body a break from the hard work of digestion , thereby helping your body cleanse itself . Although these claims aren ’ t backed up by science , it is true that the absence of fiber allows for faster nutrient absorption into the bloodstream . This is especially helpful for people who have cancer and have just gone through chemotherapy , surgery , or radiation therapy , and need to rebuild their immune systems . One of the many unfortunate side effects of cancer therapy is little to no appetite . Juicing provides a way to get the maximum amount of nutrients without having to eat a lot . It ’ s also a great alternative for people who need to be on a low fiber diet , or for those who simply can ’ t stand the taste of vegetables . By juicing some fruit in with your vegetables , you can mask the vegetable taste , meaning you get all the benefits of vegetables without the unpleasant gagging .
Cons Removing all of that fiber comes with its share of costs . Fiber is responsible for making you feel full for longer . Without it , you can consume the same or more fruits and veggies as you would in a smoothie and still feel hungry , making you more likely to eat more . Since fiber also helps slow the absorption of sugars into your bloodstream , this means that you ’ re more susceptible to spikes in blood sugar when you juice . Not only that , but since you need to juice more fruits and vegetables to get a sufficient amount of liquid , that means juices can contain a lot more sugar than their smoothie counterparts . In fact , some commercial juices have the same or more sugar than sodas . So if weight loss is your primary goal , juicing might not be the best method . And if you do decide to give juicing a try , make sure you don ’ t drink the same amount as you would a smoothie . Juices are meant to be consumed in small portions .

Blending

Pros With blending , you get everything fruits and vegetables have to offer . Keeping the fiber in your smoothies helps maintain even blood sugar levels and curb your appetite . Fiber also serves as “ nature ’ s scrub brushes ” for your digestive tract . It keeps your insides clean and in working order . The fibrous membranes of fruits and vegetables also contain antioxidant compounds , such as Naringin , which have been shown to have cancer fighting properties and strong anti-inflammatory activity . While these antioxidants are present in juices too , research has shown that blended fruits and vegetables contained higher concentrations of them . It ’ s also easier to digest these antioxidants in blended form because of how the plant cell walls are broken down .
The other benefit of blending is that you can add other things , like nuts , seeds , and yogurts , to increase your intake of healthy proteins and fats . If you ’ re extremely busy or have a hectic schedule , blending can provide a quick and easy meal replacement whenever you need it .
Cons The texture of smoothies might be a hard thing for some people to stomach . All of that fiber results in a drink with a thicker consistency . Some people simply get used to the texture , while others tone it down by adding more liquids . In general , you ’ ll be getting less liquids than the juice counterpart unless , again , you add more in . The presence of fiber also means it ’ s going to take longer to digest all of the nutrients into a form that can be absorbed into your bloodstream .
Including the whole plant means that it can also be harder to make smoothie combinations that taste good . This can lead to adding more fruit , sugars , and fats to mask the taste of vegetables , which can quickly lead to a calorie overload if you ’ re not careful .
Unless you have a medical problem that prevents you from doing so , blending is typically better for your overall health . However , consuming more fruits and vegetables is good no matter which way you choose to do it . Regardless of which one you ’ re fond of , just be sure to stick to low glycemic fruits like blueberries , apples , and cherries . Citrus fruits are especially good for cutting the bitter taste of any vegetables you decide to add . And if you ’ re looking for greens that don ’ t have a strong taste , spinach , kale , parsley , and cabbage are surprisingly mild when blended . Happy blending / juicing !

Learn More

Montalto , Melissa , “ Juicing vs . Blending : What ’ s the Difference ,” The Whole U , https :// www . washington . edu / wholeu / 2015 / 03 / 11 / juicing-vs-blending /
Veronique , Desaulniers , “ Juicing vs . Blending : What ’ s the Best Way to Drink Your Greens ?” The Truth About Cancer , https :// thetruthaboutcancer . com / juicing-vs-blending /
Schaefer , Anna , “ Juicing vs . Blending : Which is Better for Me ?” Healthline , https :// www . healthline . com / health / food-nutrition / juicing-vsblending # 1
CRYSTAL HAN is a freelance writer and artist . She graduated from San José State University with a BFA in Animation / Illustration and is an aspiring novelist , currently working on two books .
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN APRIL / MAY 2018 gmhtoday . com
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