Smoothie (Chew or Swallow)

GenXFab
GenXFab Posts: 1 Member
edited December 2023 in Food and Nutrition
I’ve taken to making “smoothies” (chunkies?) rather than juicing. I make my smoothies chunky rather than completely liquified. Does anyone else prefer a chunkier smoothie? I like the fiber content and the fact that I’m consuming whole food nutrition.

I have also read research that chewing helps with digestion and fuels a feeling of satiety.
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Replies

  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 14,372 Member
    As long as you consume the whole fruit or vegetable, it doesn't matter if it's fully liquefied or chunky. The process of puree doesn't reduce the amount of fiber. It's still a "whole food." If you use a juicer, you remove a lot of fiber. If you use a blender to puree, you keep it all there.

    There are enzymes in your saliva that begin to digest starches while they are still in your mouth. It's the same enzymes that convert starch to sugar during the malting process.

    I can imagine that chewing might send a signal to your brain that you're eating and could aid with satiety where just sipping a liquid with the same contents might not. If that's the case, why puree at all? Why not just eat the whole thing and chew, chew, chew?

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