Juicing vs. Smoothies

One of the most common questions that I am often asked is “what is the difference between juicing and smoothies?” My answers always involve counter questions such as “are you making your juice or smoothie fresh or buying it off the shelf?” and “what are you adding to your smoothie or juice?” This is because not all juices and smoothies are made equal, and not everyone is clear about what actually goes into an authentic juice or smoothie.

For the purpose of this article, authentic juices are made from a mixture of fresh juice extracted from greens, vegetables, herbs (such as ginger), and sometimes fruits. Authentic smoothies are made from a mixture of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, grains, and a liquid base.

Juicing vs. Smoothies … the short version.

Juices are loaded with a higher concentration of nutrients, as compared to smoothies. There are a few reasons for this: one, substantially more produce is needed to make an 8oz glass of juice, than is needed to make an 8oz smoothie; two, the process of juicing removes the bulky fibrous portion of the produce leaving behind a more concentrated source of nutrition. Because of the amount of produce needed to make a juice, juicing is more expensive, more time consuming, and requires a lot more clean up. Juices are also better consumed immediately as over time the nutrients become diminished through oxidation.

Although smoothies provide a healthy serving of nutrients, the nutrients are not as concentrated as they are in juices. Smoothies are easier to make, require less produce, are therefore more cost effective, and require less clean up. In addition, any left overs can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. This is because the fiber in the smoothie delays oxidation.

Liquids clear your stomach about four times faster than solid foods. Thus, whether you're juicing or blending you are going to feel hungrier sooner than if you had eaten a solid meal. That being said, the fiber in the smoothies, along with all the added ingredients such as nuts and seeds, oats, nut butters, and the variety of bases such as coconut water, almond or coconut milk, water, etc. bulk up the smoothie, turning it into a “liquid” meal that will sit with you for a longer period of time and thus be more satiating than a juice.

What about the fiber?

Fiber plays an important role in promoting and maintaining gut health, being used by our good bacteria to maintain normal bowel structure and function. This state of gut equilibrium stimulates blood flow up to five-fold, supports an increase in fluid and electrolyte uptake, and prevents or alleviates diarrhea. It also aids in mineral absorption and inhibits growth of bad bacteria in the gut. In addition, fiber helps to stabilize blood sugar levels by slowing down the natural absorption of the sugars, found in the fruits and vegetables, into the blood. When we juice fruits and vegetables not only do we lose the fiber, we also lose a lot of the nutrients that are bound to the fiber, in particular the phytonutrients.

Preparation

As previously mentioned, juicing is time consuming. However, there are no added ingredients in juicing as they are in blending. You simply choose the greens, vegetables, and fruit (or fruits) that you want to juice, run them through the juicer, and collect the pure liquid at the end. There are no added ingredients such as nuts and seeds, base liquids, or even powders. Simply the fresh extracted nutrient-concentrated juice.

Smoothie preparation is different to that of juicing. It requires a fraction of the produce, takes a fraction of the time, and involves added ingredients that serve not only to amp up the nutritional value of the smoothie but also to enhance its taste. Basically, smoothies include three main ingredients: a liquid base (water, milk, tea, etc.), a selection of 1-3 fruits, and a selection of 1-3 vegetables. Additionally protein or smoothie powders, natural sweeteners, herbs, spices, grains, and dairy (yogurt, kefir) can also be added to the mix.

In order to ensure that my smoothies are simple, pure, and unprocessed, I now steer away from using products such as protein powders and smoothie powders. I keep them dairy free by using coconut or almond milk instead of milk and yogurt, and avoid added sugars by using water, organic coconut water, and organic home made green tea, as opposed to fruit juices such as apple or orange juice. I also use nuts (primarily almonds and walnuts) and seeds (primarily chia and flax), as the protein sources. I add dates as a natural sweetener, they not only provide a little added sweeteners but they are also very high in fiber. Finally, I always add at least one herb or spice, often both, to the smoothie to wake up all the flavors and give it a bit of a kick.

Because the fiber in smoothies is intact, they can be made the night before, covered and stored in the refrigerator for breakfast the next day, or used as another meal replacement. You can also sip them throughout the day. And, as a matter of convenience, you can store up to one weeks worth of smoothies by preparing and dividing the ingredients, placing them in freezer bags and placing them in the freezer. Every night, simply take one smoothie bag out of the freezer, place it on a plate, and put it in the refrigerator to thaw. In the morning empty the contents into the blender, add your base and any other extras, and blend. This not only saves time, it is also a great cost saver, as it prevents spoilage and thus reduces waste.

The Takeaway

At a time when less than a third of adults, and children for that matter, are consuming less than the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables in their diets, both juices and smoothies are a convenient way to amp up your daily fruit and vegetable intake, especially if you're the type of person who can't eat your produce, but don't mind drinking it. Packed with nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory agents, both are effective in helping to prevent disease. Juices are more nutrient dense, but fiber poor. Smoothies have their fiber intact. In addition, having the ability to add extra ingredients such as nuts and seeds to smoothies ensures that other important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats can be found in smoothies but not in juices.

As a side note, always opt to make your own smoothies and juices, that way you know exactly what is going into them and can steer clear of any extra added sugars, preservatives, and processed ingredients.

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