Juicing vs Smoothies: Which is healthier?

Juicing has become a popular way to get more fruits and vegetables into your body on a daily basis while supposedly cleansing your digestive tract. Juicing cleanses are said to help with weight loss while keeping you healthy. But is this true? In this article, we explore the truth about juicing and give some healthier options to truly support your body and gut health.

Article at a glance:

• Why do people juice? People juice often with the goals of weight management and improving their health. 

• Is juicing really healthy? While juicing is a quick and easy way to get more fruits and veggies into your diet, it isn’t the best option. You don’t get much fiber and other nutrients like you would by eating the whole fruit. Juicing is also higher in sugar than eating fruit alone. And juicing can be quite expensive.

1. 1. Are smoothies better than juicing? In short, yes. Smoothies still contain the fiber and other nutrients that juicing can leave out. These are really important for cleaning your digestive tract and providing your body with the nutrition it needs. Because of the fiber, it can keep you feeling full for a longer amount of time and actually feeds your gut bacteria something more than just sugar which is better for your gut and health in the long run.
   2. What should I include in homemade juice or smoothies? include fruits and veggies that are packed with polyphenols. Some of the best fruits to include in either are oranges, blueberries, papaya, mango, blackberries, kiwis, pineapple, pomegranate, avocado, lemon, and flax seed.

• Recipes shared by Dr. Ken Brown for gut-healthy juices and smoothies. “Dr. Brown’s Gut-Friendly Juice Blend” and “Dr. Brown’s Go-To Papaya Blackberry Avocado Smoothie” (See below)

Benefits of Juicing and Blending

When it comes to being healthy at the top of the list of things we know we need to do are exercise and eat right. And sometimes adding fruits and vegetables to our diet can seem like a bigger task than we want it to be. Some of the best benefits of juicing and blending include:

• Quick and easy way to get your fruits and veggies
• You can drink them while on the go
• You don’t have to worry about getting sticky
• You don’t have to worry about throwing away the peels or pits of fruits
• They’re full of polyphenols, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
• The lower amounts of fiber make them more appealing to people who struggle to digest fiber
• You’re able to use up more fruits and vegetables all at once so they don’t get wasted

We treat nutrition much like a task on our to-do list. And getting in the good stuff is just another box to tick. So by drinking juice or smoothies you quickly get your daily dose of produce and then you get to eat as you normally would. 

But is juicing and blending the best way to get it? 

Problems with Juicing

Juicing can be a convenient way to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, but there are a few reasons why it might not be the ideal way to consume these foods. 

• Loss of Fiber: Juicing removes most of the fiber from fruits and vegetables, which is an essential part of a healthy diet. Fiber helps with digestion, weight management, blood sugar control, and feeding your gut’s healthy bacteria.
• High in Sugar: Juices made from 100% fruit are often high in sugar and calories, even though they have no fiber. Without the fiber to slow digestion, these sugars are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, leading to blood sugar spikes. This can be an issue for people with diabetes or those trying to manage their weight.
• Loss of Some Nutrients: Juicing can lead to the loss of some vitamins and beneficial polyphenols.
• Limited Diversity: When people juice, they tend to consume a narrower range of fruits and vegetables than they would if they were blending whole fruit or vegetable.
• Cost: Juicing requires more fruits and vegetables to make a single serving of juice than simply eating or blending the fruit or vegetable. This can be costly and less sustainable than using the whole fruit. 

Dr. Ken Browns Juicing and Smoothie Suggestions

If I were to make my most gut-friendly Juice (knowing, I would still prefer to make a whole fruit smoothie) then these 5 ingredients would be my go-to recipe:

• Blueberries: Blueberries are high in polyphenols and antioxidants, but highest in the skin, not the juice.  They are a good source of vitamins C,E,and K and minerals like manganese. 
• Pomegranates: Pomegranates are packed with polyphenols like ellagitannins anthocyanins, which are known to have anti-inflammatory effects. 
• Kiwis: Kiwis are rich in vitamin C, potassium as well as natural enzymes which aid in digestion. 
• Oranges: Oranges are a good source of vitamin C and folate which help support the immune system and heart health. 
• Pineapple: Pineapple is rich in vitamins as well but has an enzyme called bromelain which can aid digestion, reduce inflammation and may have anticancer properties.

Here is a quick and easy juicing recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of fresh blueberries
• 2 ripe kiwis, peeled
• 2 medium-sized oranges, peeled
• 1/2 of a medium-sized pineapple, peeled and cored
• 1 medium-sized pomegranate

Instructions:

• Start by preparing all your fruits. Rinse your blueberries under cold water and drain them well. Peel your kiwis and oranges. For the pineapple, cut off the skin, remove the core, and chop it into pieces. Finally, cut your pomegranate in half and remove the juicy seeds, known as arils.
• Start juicing according to your juicer’s instructions. It’s generally best to juice the softest fruits first, so begin with the oranges, followed by the kiwis and blueberries.
• Next, juice the pineapple pieces. Pineapple is quite juicy, so it should help push through any lingering bits from the softer fruits.
• Now, juice the pomegranate arils. This might require a bit more force, as pomegranate can be a bit tricky to juice.
• Once you’ve juiced all the fruits, stir the juice well to combine.
• Pour your fresh juice into two glasses. If desired, you can chill the juice in the refrigerator for a bit or simply serve it over ice.

It’s true that juices can be part of a healthy diet, but if you rely on them to get your daily fruit and vegetable intake, you may wind up consuming too much sugar and calories.

 It’s healthier to eat whole fruits or vegetables–or consume them in a form that retains their natural fiber, like smoothies–instead of relying on juice alone.

Here is a smoothie recipe I sometimes make with the nutritional benefits:

Papaya Blackberry Avocado Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ripe papaya, cubed (If papaya is not available, mango is a great alternative for a similar tropical flavor and is also rich in vitamins A and C.  The papaya has a digestive enzyme called papain which helps digest the other ingredients)
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt (choose unsweetened to limit added sugars)
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds
• Juice of half a lemon

Instructions:

• If your flax seeds are whole, start by grinding them in a coffee grinder or blender to ensure you get their full nutritional benefits.
• Add the papaya, blackberries, avocado, Greek yogurt, ground flax seeds, and lemon juice to a blender.
• Blend on high until all the ingredients are well combined and the smoothie is creamy.
• Taste the smoothie. If it is not sweet enough for your taste, then add some honey. 
• Pour the smoothie into a glass and enjoy immediately. The lemon juice should help keep the avocado from oxidizing, but this smoothie is best enjoyed fresh.

This smoothie provides an excellent source of fiber and protein, healthy fats, Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C. The total caloric content is roughly 370 calories.

• Total fiber: ~15.5g
• Total sugar: ~18.4g
• Total protein: ~21.9g
• Total omegas: Flax seeds are the primary source of Omega-3 in this smoothie with about 1.6g.
• Total fats: ~23.2g
• Total Vitamin C: ~119.9mg

Are you juicing or drinking smoothies? What are your favorite ingredients to include? Let us know in the comments and let us know what you think about Dr. Brown’s recipes!