Juices And Smoothies Which Is Most Healthy?

Every few days or so I am asked by either a client or friend, which is best for their health juices or smoothies? I usually reply to them; "Personally I like both, as each has it's own very special place and purpose in helping us to live longer, healthier and more vibrant lives. Listen to your body, does it need to assimilate nutrients as quickly as possible? If so, then juicing is probably exactly "what the doctor ordered", for this moment in time."

I also make sure they understand juices, and smoothies, are not magic health bullets, and drinking them should not be done long term to replace eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables. They are excellent additions to our diets and make it much easier for us to get the adequate number of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics we need to energize to our bodies.

Long before I became a holistic practitioner, I was juicing almost daily on a regular basis. Even though I juiced for twenty plus years, I did not understand the effect that juicing had, except I knew I felt better when I juiced or made a fruit or vegetable drink in the blender. (we didn't call them smoothies back then).

Today, all over the internet you'll find a hundred different juicing and smoothie gurus with different opinions as to which is better, juicing or smoothies. In the past, I have tried to walk more of a middle road, as I always felt that for my clients sake, doing one or the other was better than not doing either. I just didn't want to get into discussions that ended up not solving anything.

Today, I'm going to make a stand, "put my big boy pants on". So, it's my sincere hope, that what I am sharing with you, will not be directly influenced by my personal experiences or biases. I have endeavoured to bring you scientifically proven advantages and disadvantages of both methods of making fruit, vegetable and grass nutrients more easily available to support your health and wellness.

“You’re able to derive nutrients that are unavailable because of our inability to eat things that are indigestible like the rind or the outside armor plate, let’s say, of a pineapple,” ~ Jay “The Juiceman” Kordich

1. Juicing is an incredible and delicious way of making sure we get at least or exceed the US government's minimum daily requirements of fruits and vegetables. In my experience, with my clients, these minimum requirements may keep you alive, but they are not nearly enough to protect you from disease and maintain a healthy body.

2. The digestion process takes energy. When we juice fruits, vegetables and grasses we remove the bulk of the fiber, making it easier and faster for our digestive system to assimilate and absorb the nutrients and feed our cells. If we drink juice on an empty stomach, the nutrients and sugars are in the bloodstream in fifteen to thirty minutes.

3. Here, in America more than 1/3 of our population is affected by a some chronic illness at any moment. For many of the sick it means, their having digestive systems that are not functioning at optimum levels. For these individuals with sensitive or malfunctioning digestive systems, drinking larger quantities of juice, especially green vegetable juices should be most beneficial.

1. Sugar - Those who are having problems managing their blood sugar will want to lean toward juicing fruits and vegetables with lower sugar contents. Juicing delivers nutrients to the body very quickly, along those nutrients sugar is also being distributed in large condensed quantities.

2. Diabetes - Anyone with diabetes, no matter the type should probably abstain from drinking any high glycemic fruit or vegetable juices. It would be prudent to not juice any fruits or vegetables until you have discussed your plans with your health care provider.

3. Calories - Most of the time the fruits you juice will be high in calories. You may want to consider juicing fruits, together with lower calorie vegetables to lower the caloric impact.

As I said earlier, I want to provide you with as much solid scientific evidence as possible, so that you could make the best decision possible. You have a right to know the truth without having to get your information from a guru with a "dog in the fight".

1. Studies recently completed by Harvard researchers found something that most of the Naturopaths and Holistic practitioners have known for and taught our clients for the past seventy-five years. When we eat fruits, they lower our risk of diabetes, but if we just drink the juice, we increase the likelihood of diabetes.

2. Drinking juices do not have a great effect on the lowering of cholesterol unless there is significant fiber in the juice. You should be able to get the cholesterol-lowering effect if you leave the fiber in the juice. Better yet a whole apple or smoothie would ensure you're getting all the health benefits without the adverse side effects.

3. As we know, when we juice we remove almost all of the fiber. We now know that fiber plays a larger role than just helping us to have more regular bowel movements. The bacteria in our large and small intestines digest parts of the fiber to make short chain fatty acids. These fatty acids inhibit the growth of unhealthy bacteria and help to maximize mineral absorption in the colon.

4. We now know that most of the anti-cancer fighting phytonutrients and polyphenols are bound up in the fiber, and thy are not released until they have reached the colon.

5. When we juice, we lose most of the good bacteria, that resided in the fiber. There are healthy bacteria in the fiber. They help to maintain bowel strength and structure, as they create butyrate, which fuels the cells that line the colon. The whole process also stimulates and increases blood flow to the colon, keeping it healthy and freer from all disease, not just diseases of the colon.

As you can see, when we juice we are removing more than just the fiber. We are also many eliminating essential nutrients and polyphenols and phytonutrients. Losing all these benefits, does not mean we should not include juicing in a healthy balanced diet. The key words here are healthy and balanced. Juicing has its place in helping many very sick people restore themselves to health.

"You’re likely to notice your craving for bad food decrease, your desire to exercise increase, your emotional stability improve, your skin and hair look prettier, and your sex drive increase!

I once weighed over 200 pounds and had more than 20 diagnosed, chronic health problems.

At 25 years old, I was having mini-strokes and migraines; slept 10 hours a day but was always tired; took heavy drugs to manage my anxiety and depression; and couldn’t run a city block."~ Robyn Openshaw AKA The Green Smoothie Girl

Called by many different names depending on the guru who is pushing their version, smoothies are beginning to play a significant role in our quest for optimum health.

It seems that everyone has their favorite mixed smoothie concoction. Some smoothies consist of fruits only; others blend fruit and vegetable in various percentages depending on how much sugar they want while others use only vegetables. Yes, it true some of us the whole kitchen sink and include nuts, seed algaes, grasses and exotic super foods. (I will share my power smoothie recipe with you at the end of this article) The variations and additions of healthy ingredients that meet our individual health requirements make smoothies one of the most versatile health foods of the 21st century. So on to the advantages. Some major advantages are:

1. Smoothies leave in the fiber, most of the time, for most of us; fiber plays a crucial role in sustaining our health. The healthiest smoothie includes the skin of the fruits and vegetables, thereby providing the body with the maximum numbers of the vitamins, minerals, enzymes, micronutrients, polyphenols, phytonutrients.

2. Smoothies support a healthy digestive system. Unless we are very sick and unable to digest and assimilate food, smoothies are at the top of the list for giving the body what it needs, when it needs it. Because the much of the plant's cell walls have been broken down, the nutrients from smoothies can be assimilated into the bloodstream in as little as thirty minutes.

3. Since smoothies contain the complete fiber, they help balance our bodies electrolytes. The bacteria in our large and small intestines, digest parts of the fiber from the smoothies to make short chain fatty acids. These fatty acids inhibit the growth of unhealthy bacteria and help to maximize mineral absorption in the colon.

4. Smoothies preserve all the fiber, so you're fuller for longer and don't experience high and low energy swings or wild sugar cravings. Studies recently completed by Harvard researchers eating fruits and vegetables or drink them in blended forms (smoothies) lowers our risk of diabetes, Fruit and vegetable smoothies also have a cholesterol-lowering effects.

5. We now know that most of the anti-cancer fighting phytonutrients and polyphenols are bound up in the fiber, and thy are not released until they have reached the colon. Once again with smoothies we get the highest return on our investment in healthy foods.

6. When we drink our smoothies, we help the body support the good bacteria, which resided in the fiber. There are the healthy bacteria in the fiber, which help maintain bowel strength and structure, and create butyrate, which fuels the cells that line the colon. The whole process also stimulates and increases blood flow to the colon, keeping it healthy and freer from all disease, not just diseases of the colon.

1. Since smoothies contain the full complement of fiber found in the original vegetable or fruit, those people suffering from intestinal related illnesses may want to start off slowly, only drink a small amount of the smoothie mixture. They may wish to incorporate juicing into their diet, at least until their intestinal problems subside.
2. The new blenders are very powerful especially the Vitamix, Blendtec and Nutri bullet brands. These blenders as well as the smaller less expensive kitchen models can produce heat if they are left on for extended periods of time. The heat combined with the continual aerating of the blades creates oxidation and decreases the enzyme activity.

1. We forget to chew our food. The first green smoothies were invented by Dr. Ann Wigmore. She called them Energy Soup. Our instructions were to take the soup into our mouths and to chew on it 30 times before swallowing it. The chewing motion setups up all the other steps in the digestion process. We must chew the smoothies to get the salivary enzymes, secreting. This chewing action the pancreas to release pancreatic enzymes because the food is coming.

2. If you don't chew your smoothie, the chemical digestive juices are not unleashed, and you will not be able to assimilate all the nutrients. The undigested food ferments, which could lead to bad fungal, and bacterial overgrowth that will contribute to a host of health disorders.

3. I have observed friends and clients who become very ill, because they have overconsumed large quantities of sugary fruits, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels and metabolic imbalance.

Avoided these problems is easy and with just a little common sense, you can make smoothies make an excellent addition to your healthy lifestyle.

Bobby's Bomber - This smoothie is a powerhouse.

In the order and the amounts, I put the ingredients into my Vitamix blender.

• 2 cups of nut milk - I like to switch it up and mix it up, Almond, cashew, pumpkin, sunflower, coconut, etc.
  
• 2 cups of organic baby spinach.
• 2 cups organic baby kale.
• 1 cup sunflower microgreens.
• 1 apple - organic seeds left in and skin left on,
• 1 banana - we keep frozen, no peels.
• 1/2 cup papaya - chunks we keep frozen.
• 1/2 cup mixed berries
• 1 tablespoon of Amala - Indian Gooseberries have an incredible amount of antioxidants.
  
• 1/2 avocado - If no avocado I will put in two tablespoons of coconut oil. You must have oil in the ALL your smoothies so you can assimilate the fat-soluble nutrients.
  
• 2 tablespoons of maca - Men and women, you have to try this. Amazing for balancing the hormone
• 2 tablespoons ground flax - Think Omega
• 3 tablespoons hemp seeds - Protein and Omega
• 1 scoop Vegan protein powder - More protein.
• 1 tablespoon organic blackstrap molasses - Optional. some weeks I use it when I feel I'm short on iron.
• 1/2 lemon I usually don't do the peels. Stops oxidation.
  

Blend till smooth. Usually just a few seconds. Pour the smoothie into two 1 quart jars. Drink one for breakfast. Tightly cap and drink the second one for a mid-morning or after lunch snack. If the smoothie has gotten too thick, just pour off some of the smoothie into a glass and stir in water or nut milk until the smoothie is at the consistency you like.

Be creative, get in touch with what your body is needing. Make a smoothie that feeds your cells not yourself. Blessings, Bobby

I hope you have garnered enough information to help you decide whether juices or smoothies will best provide you with the nutrition you need to live a vibrant, healthy life. Which ever you choose my sincere hope is that you will start to drink more of them every day as part of your healthy lifestyle. My passion as a Holistic Practioner is to see the people I can reach live a full and healthy life. Thanks for reading this article and I sincerely hope it has enlightened you. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments section, or email them to me, and I will answer them ASAP.

Robert "Bobby" Morgan, Certified Naturopath and Holistic Practioner.

Any medicinal references mentioned here are strictly for educational purposes based on my research through study, empirical evidence, personal use and herbal lore but not intended as medical advice of any kind. Herbs can be helpful allies in creating and maintaining good health but they can also be powerful medications that should be treated with respect. Used improperly, they can cause adverse reactions or interfere with pharmaceuticals.

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The medical information on this website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied. Robert Morgan nor Sue Meisheri makes no representations or warranties in relation to the medical information on this website.

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph, Robert Morgan or Sue Meisheri does not warrant that the medical information on this website will be constantly available, or available at all; or the medical information on this website is complete, true, accurate, up-to-date, or non-misleading.

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