Whole Food Nutrition: Smoothies vs Juicing

There is a big push for juicing and juicing has it's place for extreme cases of illness but for most people, I suggest whole food nutrition.   In general, that means:  raw foods.  Personally, I don't eat a diet of entirely raw foods but I do know that these are the foods that God designed and he designed our digestive systems to break down and use the vitamins, minerals and the fibers from raw fruits and vegetables.  Therefore, I make it my goal to eat a diet of predominately raw foods and I would like to encourage you to do the same.

So, what's the difference between smoothies and juice?

Smoothies are drinks composed of blended whole foods (minus the peels on most).  Generally speaking, smoothies are intended as a health promoting drink.  There are some that add ice cream , yogurt or other processed foods to the mix.  I would encourage you to avoid these drinks.  

Smoothies are prepared in a blender.  The foods are broken down to a liquid form when they are combined with a liquid and mixed together to a smooth consistency.  Smoothies retain all the fiber of the produce allowing you to consume a larger quantity and variety without as much work in breaking down the whole foods themselves.   Smoothies take a large burden off of the digestive system.  The pulp or fiber in the smoothies as well as proteins are not completely broken down or removed as they are in juicing. 

Dark leafy green vegetables are the most important aspect of the human diet and most of us don't get the volume we need.  By consuming smoothies, we can cover up the taste of the greens with other more palatable produce like fruits.

Moving on to the comparison of juice. Juice is the liquid of the plant, with all of the plants fiber removed. Juices are considered healing drinks and can be just that as they are loaded with vitamins and minerals.  BUT WAIT!  NOT THE JUICE YOU BUY IN THE STORE THAT IS PROCESSED AND PASTEURIZED!  These drinks have little to no nutritional value.

The juice I am talking about is fresh squeezed or freshly juiced in a juicing machine using fresh fruits and vegetables (the fresher, the better and of course organic whenever possible).  That goes for making smoothies or fresh juices.

Juicing removes the fiber from the produce and often removes some of the protein along with it.  Juicing is the easiest and most readily available form of nutrition for your digestive system.  Proteins can be very hard for your digestive system to break down, particularly if your digestive system is already on the sluggish side.  Juicing is also most beneficial for anyone who has a moderate to severe illness and is looking for optimal nutrition in it's most dense form.

If you are looking to implement foods for a more healthy lifestyle into your 2013 regiment, consider adding smoothies or fresh juices to your menu.  Both are excellent health boosters and should be consumed on an empty stomach.  Remember rich, dark leafy greens are the produce of choice and you can find several smoothie recipes right here!  Just go to the search box and key in "smoothie"

Cheers to your good health in 2013! 

Small warning:  If you are starting to add juicing or smoothies to your diet.  Your body will probably go through a detox period.  During detoxification, you may see and feel a whole host of short term side effects.  They may be as mild as seeing tar and debris removed from your body to nausea, headaches, flu like symptoms and diarrhea.  These symptoms can sometimes be extreme.  I would encourage you to keep on your program to allow enough time for your body to purge.  If you have questions and or comments regarding this article or how your body is responding to dietary changes, you are welcome to give me a call at 308-254-5373