To Juice or to Blend?

by Williams-Sonoma Editors January 16, 2012November 12, 2012

This post comes to us courtesy of Joe Cross, founder of Reboot Your Life.

People often ask me what’s the difference between juicing with a juicer and making fruit and veggie-based drinks with a blender – which is really the difference between juices and smoothies. Both are amazing additions to any diet. Juice allows us to work with the freshest fruits, vegetables and herbs to create drinks that are deliciously vibrant, deliver an amazing nutritional punch and are incredibly easy to digest. But smoothies have their place in a daily menu as well – they can offer fiber, good fats and opportunities for adding more protein into your diet all while tasting deliciously decadent.

So what’s the difference?

JUICING

When you juice you push clean produce through the chute of a juicer. This process removes the insoluble fiber (but the soluble fiber remains in the juice). Important micronutrients typically more difficult to absorb become accessible to the human body. These nutrients include digestive enzymes and certain phytonutrients. Also, by creating an all liquid product, the body and consume more of these phytonutrients at once.

It amazes new Rebooters sometimes how small the juice yield is from vegetables like kale, and makes it clear that it’s a lot easier to drink a head of kale than to eat it!

BLENDING

When you make smoothies, you load up a blender with clean, fresh or frozen fruits, and green leafy veggies (swiss chard or spinach, for example) and liquid like coconut water, juice or almond milk. You can also add ingredients like almonds, hemp or soy milk, cacao nibs or chia seed for fun.

When you drink smoothies, your body benefits from the phytonutrients found in the skin and flesh of fruits and veggies. You also benefit from the large amounts of fiber found in whole fruits and vegetables. Fiber is important for regulating blood sugar, keeping bowels regular, aiding in hunger control, and it may help prevent certain types of cancers.

Remember: some juices and smoothies are meant to serve as full meals, while others are supplements. It’s important to look at your entire diet each day to ensure you are meeting your body’s nutritional needs while keeping your caloric intake in check.

Both smoothies and fresh juice can be a healthy and delicious way to boost the amount of micronutrients in your diet. Last week I gave you five of my favorite juice recipes, so here are two of my favorite smoothie recipes to add to your recipe box.

Blackberry Kiwi Blend

1/4 large pineapple, core removed and roughly cubed

1 cup blackberries

1 kiwifruit

1 banana

1/2 Comice pear

1/2 cup coconut water

30 mint leaves

1 Tbs. flax seed oil (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and liquefy. Serves 1.

Great Green Fruit Blend

2 cups beet greens, red Swiss chard, kale, spinach or a combination, roughly chopped and packed into measuring cup

1 banana

1 Golden Delicious apple

1/2 Comice pear

10 strawberries, green tops cut off

1 cup coconut water

Make sure to set the blender on the liquefy setting for this recipe. Add all ingredients to blender and liquefy. Serves 1.

About the author: Founder of Reboot Your Life – a health and wellness company that provides tools and information to support diets rich in fruits and vegetables (www.jointhereboot.com).

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53 comments

Tom Karon November 10, 2020 -

hey this is really amazing. thanks for sharing this.

Sam June 11, 2020 -

Juice do it

I can’t be bothered to use a blender every morning since I could just squeeze a lemon, add some water & sugar, and voila, I have a fresh, healthy drink.

Artie June 10, 2020 -

I personally prefer to blend my drinks! I prefer frozen fruits since I can just go through all the prep needed in one day then store the fruits all in the freezer for a whole week’s worth of shakes.

vladbest March 18, 2020 -

Food is a cool way to fat loss for veggies my girlfriend advised me and it is very cool, thank you for making such articles. Sport eo is a very important part of our life and make people more healthy.

Sattler February 7, 2019 -

I would blend anytime I don’t want to lose the fiber in my drinks. Although I juice occasionally, I have realized that I lose much of the fruits’ content unlike smoothie making which I get to consume almost everything. Nonetheless, it all boils down to personal preference and time when you want to juice/blend.

Andrew@BlenderVersus.com April 6, 2018 -

This is never ending topic. Both have plus-minus in my honest opinion. For me do the combination of drink juice and smoothie is the way. They key keep it balance 🙂

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Anna December 29, 2016 -

i prefer blending but I juice on occassion(I use your green juice recipe from your movie). loved your movie(Sick Fat and Nearly Dead)

diet tips November 9, 2016 -

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Your Article solve my problem..so informative.

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I’ve book marked it for later!

Lashunda March 5, 2016 -

Este sillón relax con ocho motores y mas de cinco funciones
de masaje esta libre en múltiples colores: beige, negro
y chocolate.

Ben June 12, 2015 -

Thank you for being so clear in your article, really clear on the differences between the two and some great advice, if you or anyone else would like some additional reading on blending and juicing check out http://bit.ly/1cOr5Al

Ms Reese August 31, 2014 -

Just catching on to this Juicing that everyone is swearing by. I must say that over the years, I’ve allowed myself to enjoy every single food that I like without any guilt….and the pounds have slowly added up. Whelp….I found an affordable juicer and will began a new path…I really need to get healthy, as I have a 9 year old that I want to enjoy fun activities with for years to come and I also want her to stay fit and eat healthy as well…..what better way to incorporate this other than by example.

Lola July 18, 2014 -

Blending is what I prefer but I believe juicing is much healthier than the other one as it focuses basically on the fruit and you take the juice out of it.

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If blending, the taste of the ingredients will remain but juicing is more healthy.

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Both are good, But when it comes on preparing it, i may say that both are different.

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