There is so much talk about smoothies and juices, but it seems that the majority of the people don’t really know what is the difference between the two.  Very often I am being asked what is the difference between juice and a smoothie (juicing vs blending). Is one better than the other one? Which one I prefer? It might not seem like it, but there are actually major differences between the two:

• the main one being that when you prepare a smoothie, you blend it. This means that you are consuming whole food (whatever you put in the blender, stays in the blender). While juicing is only extracting the liquid part of the vegetable or fruit that you put in the juicing machine, discarding the fiber
• fiber slows down the sugar absorption. As smoothies are full of fiber from the veggies and fruits, the sugar absorption is kept to a healthy level in comparison to a juice
• smoothie can actually substitute a meal, while juice leaves you hungry. When drinking a smoothie, you are consuming whole food, and this allows you to substitute your breakfast or lunch with a smoothie. You will feel energized and filled up until your next meal
• juices oxidize faster then smoothies – this is why it is always advised that juices are consumed right away
• smoothies are much faster to make and the equipment is much easier to clean afterwards

I personally prefer smoothies, and have implemented a green smoothie in my daily routine as a breakfast substitute (more info here). When I first made that transition, I was very surprised to see how much better and more energized I felt the rest of the morning.

But obviously we are all different – some prefer smoothies, other prefer juices. I would love to hear what is your preferred choice – juice or a smoothie. Also share what is your favourite recipe.

Stay healthy

Anna

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