Blending vs. Juicing: Key Similarities and Differences

Blending vs. juicing sounds like a fight between superheroes – Blendo and Juiceforce.

Blendo possesses the power of fiber, harnessing its strength to decelerate the absorption of sugars and increase satiety. On the other hand, Juiceforce wields the ability to extract pure liquid goodness, offering a refreshing burst of vitamins and minerals.

This article analyzes the science behind all those benefits.

We’ll discover how juicing can turn some apparent disadvantages into opportunities and explore whether Blendo and Juiceforce can eventually work together.

Let’s dive in.

1. Nutrient Content

Blending crushes your fruits and veggies in a mouth-watering mixture.

This process also entails releasing more key nutrients into your smoothie because the cell walls of the fruits and veggies are broken down.

Juicing does that same thing with a twist.

Studies show that juicing concentrates the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in your morning glass of energy because it removes the fibers.

That means you can absorb the nutrient-dense juices faster without much digestion.

Pro tip: A high-quality cold-press juicer will concentrate even more vitamins and minerals in your glass. 

But wait; isn’t fiber pretty important for your health? Let’s see what the science says.

2. Fiber Content

One of the major benefits of that smoothie is that it retains more natural fiber.

And fiber can facilitate digestion and contribute to overall digestive health, which is shown to play an essential part in your immune system. Besides, fiber can regulate blood sugar levels, which may keep symptoms of pre-diabetes and even diabetes at bay.

Having enough fiber is also linked to a decreased risk of other health conditions, such as:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Breast cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Constipation
• Diverticular disease

On the other hand, juicing extracts the liquid from fruits and vegetables, which translates into a lack of fiber.

Pro tip: You don’t need smoothies to get enough fiber.

If increasing your fiber intake is your goal, meals like vegan jambalaya will help you achieve it fast.

Side note: If you have specific conditions, like IBS, or are simply bloated or recovering from an episode of acute vomiting, a juice cleanse might help you recover faster.

That brings us to the next point:

3. Digestion

Juicing gives you the delicious, vitamin-rich liquid from fruits and vegetables without fiber.

That means your digestion becomes significantly easier. Your body doesn’t need to break down the food as much, eluding a slew of digestive processes.

This is a huge help if:

• You have short-term digestive problems or a chronic condition that makes metabolizing solid foods a problem.
• You need a quick energy fix.
• You have digestive reactions to smoothies, such as bloating, stomach pain, or diarrhea.

Why do smoothies trigger those reactions?

Let’s explain the science. First, there are two categories of fibers:

• Soluble fibers: Meant to be absorbed slowly by your small intestine during digestion.
• Insoluble fibers: Meant to pass through your intestine without being digested to prevent constipation.

Blending the fruits and veggies breaks down those soluble and insoluble fibers. Therefore, smoothies force your body to digest the fibrous material faster, which triggers bloating, diarrhea, and other unpleasant symptoms.

However, if you have chronic constipation, that fast fiber intake might be exactly what you need in your healthy drink.

Pro tips:

• Green juices are easier on your digestive system compared to apple juices.
• Listen to your body before choosing the method that works for you. If you have specific digestive concerns, a nutritionist or healthcare professional will help.

4. Satiety and Weight Management

Blending might take the metaphorical cake when it comes to satiety and weight management because:

• You get more fiber, which has been proven to promote fullness because your body takes longer to digest this fiber and because fiber also stabilizes your blood sugar levels.
• You can blend more items, such as avocados, nuts, chia seeds, or Greek yogurt. The added healthy fats and proteins curb your hunger even more. Plus, you can prepare a low-calorie, filling smoothie to replace a meal per day. Many people gave a smoothie for breakfast as a healthy meal replacement. 

All this means smoothies can reduce the likelihood of overeating, thus helping you achieve your weight loss or management goals.

But juicing can turn those apparent disadvantages into opportunities.

Fruit juices have fewer calories than smoothies because they have less fiber and rely on fewer, less-caloric items. That makes them a better snack between meals.

And while fiberless juices are less filling because your body quickly absorbs them, you can always pair them with a few almonds or Greek yogurt. Which will also keep your caloric intake low.

5. Sugar Intake

Another key factor that typically comes up when analyzing blending vs. juicing is the sugar content.

** We’ll return to fibers for a second (again), so bear with us. **

Blending may decrease your sugar content because smoothies have:

• More fibers: Fiber intake is shown to regulate blood sugar levels and prevent blood sugar spikes because they take longer to be digested.
• Fewer servings of fruits: It takes fewer fruits to make a smoothie than juice because all the extra pulp adds to the volume. And the typical smoothie contains more than just fruit; most people add kale, spinach, yogurt, nuts, seeds, protein powders, and other items required for a healthy diet.

By contrast, juices, specifically fruit juices:

• Can trigger spikes in blood sugar: That’s because fresh juices lack the dietary fibers that would otherwise buffer this absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.
• Have more sugar: For example, a glass of orange juice requires approximately three oranges, which boast 36 grams of natural sugar. That delicious, fresh-squeezed juice may surpass the recommended daily intake of sugar for a lot of people.

Here’s the catch:

The specific sugar content depends on the ingredients you use and the quantities you consume. For example, a smoothie of sweet fruit, including bananas, pears, and mangoes, will have more sugar than leafy greens or vegetable juices.

So, pick the right juice recipe according to your needs.

Remember: Commercial juice, even from green vegetables, has more sugar than the raw juice from fruits or veggies you prepare at home.

6. Waste Generation

Your morning smoothie uses whole fruits and vegetables, so you generate less food waste.

You probably only throw some stems, peels, and fruit seeds or stones.

Juicing leads to more waste generation because you discard the pulp.

Pro tip: High-quality slow juicers will suck the juice out of your fruits and vegetables better, so you will end up with less pulp.

And you can always incorporate that leftover pulp in recipes like soups, muffins, or homemade veggie burgers. You can even consider composting it if you have a few plants or a vegetable garden around your home.

Source

7. Personal Preferences

Ultimately, personal preferences play a massive role when assessing blending vs. juicing.

While blended smoothies require less cleaning, they may require more preparation. And while the taste of smoothies can be arguably improved by adding more ingredients, you might not like the texture.

Or you might want that quick kick of energy that fresh juices give you.

And you don’t have to make a definitive, life-long choice between smoothies and juices.

You can incorporate both options in your diet to maximize health benefits. Just remember to use fresh produce and pick the right blender or juicer to obtain those advantages.