ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING PARTS I FIND WHEN DEALING WITH PATIENTS IMPROVING THEIR NUTRITION IS ENSURING THEY GET ENOUGH VEGETABLE AND FRUIT SERVINGS REQUIRED TO BE HEALTHY AND FIT. IF YOU FIND IT HARD TO EAT YOUR GREENS, DRINK THEM.
ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING PARTS I FIND WHEN DEALING WITH PATIENTS IMPROVING THEIR NUTRITION IS ENSURING THEY GET ENOUGH VEGETABLE AND FRUIT SERVINGS REQUIRED TO BE HEALTHY AND FIT. IF YOU FIND IT HARD TO EAT YOUR GREENS, DRINK THEM.
Let’s face it, Doug Larson was totally on point when he said "Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.”
Now, I’m not here to tell you that you're probably not getting the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet; the fact that you’re reading this blog already infers as much.
I'm also not here to tell you that the best way to consume fruits and vegetables is to actually eat them. You already know this, and I know you know this. And you know that I know that you know this. We all know this. And If you didn't, now you do.
What I am here to tell you about, is a popular and less time-consuming way for you to get all those rich nutrients into your body by liquefying your fruits and vegetables. A.K.A Juicing or AKA Blending.
People like to ask: “Hey doc, what form of juicing is better, blend or juice? “
And I’m like: “What’re you doing in my shower?”
So in the hopes of avoiding anymore awkward invasions of my personal space, here’s an easy breakdown of knowing the difference between blending and juicing:
When blending: The pulp and fiber are kept in the drink, as the fruit and vegetables are chopped up and mixed together without any extraction. All of the nutrients in the fruits and veggies remain intact and there will be a frothy, smoothie-like texture that will keep you full until your next meal.
If fiber is something you’re not getting enough of or you find yourself getting hungry throughout the day, it’s probably best to blend your fruits and veggies versus juicing them.
"But doc, when I drink pulp, it feels like I'm drinking hundreds of tiny bug people. I wanna vomit just thinking about it, it's gross."
Hundreds of tiny bug people? With legs?
“No legs, They kind of just float around and I don’t like it”.
I see, Juicing is probably the better option for you then...
When juicing: The machine you use will extract the pulp and much of the insoluble fiber, leaving you with a lighter, smoother, nutrient rich liquid. Juicing also provides a large source of hydration, as it has extracted all of the water and nutrients from the fruits and veggies. If you consume other sources of fiber throughout the day or have sensitive digestive system that requires less fiber in the diet, juicing is probably the best method for you.
Downsides to Juicing
Have you ever tried cleaning a Juice Machine? It's like trying to bathe a Transformer. And not even one of the cool ones, no, this dumb robot in disguise decides it's gonna fight the Decepticon threat with a nutritious beverage instead.
Also, and more importantly, since the sugars are directly absorbed by the body, more juice intake means that you have to be careful of your blood sugar spiking.
Downsides to Blending
I'm not pointing fingers here, but I'm sure there's more than a few of you who'd say: "gee, this spinach/ broccoli/ ginger/ apple/ celery blend could sure use some coconut ice cream."
First off, slow down there, Guy Fieri. Second, depending on what you use to help liquefy your fruits and veggies, it could add a large amount of calories, sugar, or fat to your blended drink (milk, yogurt, coconut milk, etc.) It’s also important to consume blended drinks within 15 minutes, in order to prevent light and air damaging the nutrients.
What Works Best For You?
Both methods are beneficial for consuming fruits and veggies, but it’s important to determine what works best for you, your diet, and your priorities. Getting 9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables might seem overwhelming when cooking or preparing a meal, but it shouldn't be thought of as a chore either: it's an effort towards improving your quality of life. Take better care of yourselves. Get fit. Stay fit.