Opinions on Juicing & Smoothies?

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peachfigs
peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Yesterday I was gifted a soup maker that also juices and makes smoothies. I've read a lot about how juicing is supposed to be amazing for your health but I can't help but think it's all hype - what about the extremely high sugar content in the juice/smoothie when you're mainly using fruit?

Maybe the vegetable juices aren't so bad, but I'm not sure if I'm convinced fruit juices/smoothies are that healthy. What do y'all think?
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Replies

  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    Juicing mostly takes out the fiber in fruits and veggies, leaving a very concentrated amount of sugar. IMO, it is much better to just eat the whole food.
  • IamBorg
    IamBorg Posts: 49 Member
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    I think juicing is good if one is on a liquid diet or wants to ingest fruits or veggies that don't taste good whole. Juicing is how my sister is able to eat veggies that she doesn't like (which is most veggies, really).

    Otherwise I agree with you- lots of hype. I think I get a lot more out of eating whole foods, and I'm too lazy to clean a juicer anyway!

    Juicing for fun? Yep. Juicing to save money or get better nutrition over store-bought prepared fruit juices? Of course. Juicing as a miracle cure for health/medical problems or weight loss? Not so much.

    IMO
  • Querian
    Querian Posts: 419 Member
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    I juice daily and I love it. Watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. I also make smoothies quite often, usually green smoothies.

    I seriously don't care about the sugar content from fruits and veggies. I think the more fruits and veggies, the better. But a lot of people disagree with me. Personally I want to eat as many plants as possible. :flowerforyou:
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
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    kind of a PITA to juice up all those fruits and veggies and then clean the machine when you could just eat whole fruits and veggies instead.
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    I juice daily and I love it. Watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. I also make smoothies quite often, usually green smoothies.

    I seriously don't care about the sugar content from fruits and veggies. I think the more fruits and veggies, the better. But a lot of people disagree with me. Personally I want to eat as many plants as possible. :flowerforyou:

    I would like to watch that! Thanks for reminding me. :smile:

    Juicing mostly takes out the fiber in fruits and veggies, leaving a very concentrated amount of sugar. IMO, it is much better to just eat the whole food.

    I've been thinking this too. I wonder if it could play havoc with your digestive system? Mine isn't very good, and fruit sugar sometimes makes me feel bloated.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    It is all hype but if you like to drink juice go for it. Just eat whole food also.

    As far as the sugar content goes I wouldn't worry about it unless you have a medical reason to keep your sugar low. Otherwise just track your total carb intake.
  • dnish53
    dnish53 Posts: 162 Member
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    Not so wild about juicing since you take out things like fiber. However I am in love with smoothies. I keep all of the vitamins and fiber and it makes it easier for me to get in extra servings of vegtables and fruits.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    I like a juice occasional and sometimes a smoothie - I think they are both fine occasionally but not as a permanent meal replacement. Though at least you keep the fibre with a smoothie.
  • kerricolby
    kerricolby Posts: 232 Member
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    I have a regular blender and make smoothies almost every morning. I use whole fruit and veggies so it's just a way for me to get a lot of nutrition in the morning. I also add things like chia seeds.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    JUICY
    SMOOTHY!
  • Grumpy2208
    Grumpy2208 Posts: 63
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    I have a blender sort of thing - I throw in spinach, grapes and carrots with water; fill it up in my bottle, bring it to work, leave it in the fridge the whole day and drink it right now ;-)

    I love it. I don't snack so I consider this as a snack.
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
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    Juicing mostly takes out the fiber in fruits and veggies, leaving a very concentrated amount of sugar. IMO, it is much better to just eat the whole food.

    This For the win.... This is exactly correct. Unless you need the concentrated sugar.
  • leighann881
    leighann881 Posts: 371
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    No on the smoothies and straight fruit juice.

    Yes on vegetable juice.
  • dsendre
    dsendre Posts: 173 Member
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    I picked up a juicer 2 months ago and, honestly, I could not imagine starting my day without my morning juice anymore. I have a juice for breakfast and then eat real food for lunch and dinner. My daily juice is more about consuming large quantities of vegetables (and some fruits) that I would otherwise not eat instead of a magical-fix-everything-and-make-me-awesome wish of a solution.

    We (my girlfriend and I) pretty much stick to mostly-vegetable juices but our juices do usually contain at least 1 apple and/or 1 lemon. The rest is kale, spinach, cucumber, carrots, celery, parsley/cilantro. The vegetable juices don't have too much sugar in them.

    The movie that actually got me interested in juicing was Hungry for Change. However, I do not see myself going on an all-juice diet any time soon.

    I do believe that there have been some benefits from having a juice each day plus eating clean for my meals (feel free to check out my diary - yes, I still drink beer a couple times a week):

    1) My girlfriend swears that she has noticed a significant improvement in our skin. I don't know about mine, but I definitely notice a difference with hers.

    2) There is no doubt in my mind that the "Palate Reset" phenomenon is real. I really do crave my juices every day and have found myself hungering for fresh vegetables more so than any point in my life. Also, junk/processed/unhealthy foods really don't taste as good anymore and are very unappealing to me now. Seriously, i'm not making that up.

    3) I feel more alert and energetic in the morning after consuming my juice. However, I feel that I can't give my juices all of that credit since I'm also working out and losing weight. However, the first week of drinking juices in the morning there was a very noticeable change in my alertness.


    I'm hooked and don't see that changing any time soon. If you choose to give it a try, this website is a great resource for recipes as well as estimating the nutritional values of your homemade juices: http://myphytos.com/
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    I have a green juice once a day. I don't replace meals with it, but it's a supplement to help get in more nutrients. It has kale, spinach, celery, cucumbers, one apple, lemon and ginger.
  • ericahassinistermotives
    ericahassinistermotives Posts: 92
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    Juicing and smoothies are really helpful if you don't like vegetables, because you can cover the veggie taste up with fruits.

    I don't like to clean though, and I'm not that picky, so I just eat the food.
  • kellijauch
    kellijauch Posts: 379 Member
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    It's definitley NOT hype. Juicing keeps the foods raw, and extracts almost all the nutrients from them. It is GREAT for you, especially the veggie juices (carrot apple is a tried and true combo and doesn't taste too green). It is high in sugar, but it's natural sugar, and as long as you exercise regularly that isn't a problem at all. If you are on here, i assume you exercise at least moderately. Think about Jack Lalane. He juiced daily and when he was in his 90s he was super healthy and looked like he was 50. Fruit smoothies are nutritious as well, don't count them out, just the veggie juices are more nutritious. If you don't like the veggies, even the fruit smoothies will do you well. Think about adding in something to amp up the benefits if you are staying strictly with fruit, such as Maca Powder, or Spirilina. Totally worth it and beneficial for sure.
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    Yesterday I was gifted a soup maker that also juices and makes smoothies. I've read a lot about how juicing is supposed to be amazing for your health but I can't help but think it's all hype - what about the extremely high sugar content in the juice/smoothie when you're mainly using fruit?

    Maybe the vegetable juices aren't so bad, but I'm not sure if I'm convinced fruit juices/smoothies are that healthy. What do y'all think?

    A "smoothie maker" doesn't make juices. It kind of sounds like you're talking about a vitamix, but those are expensive so i doubt it.

    A smoothie has all the fiber in the juice, a juicer takes out all the fiber. Health wise, juicers are usually used with vegetables, smoothies have all the fiber in them...so it takes longer to digest than pure fruit juice, slowing down the rate absorption of the sugar.

    Nope, it is a juicer with a smoothie maker. You can make soup in it too.
  • jabadahut
    jabadahut Posts: 16
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    I prefer green smoothies because I just wasnt getting any fiber in my diet.(you still get soluable fiber when juicing, although most blenders will tell you juicers are throwing the fiber away) I have one 2 hours after breakfast, lunch and dinner. They keep me full all day so I dont crave the junk food anymore and my blood sugar has dropped dramaticly.
  • riley711
    riley711 Posts: 298 Member
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    I like juicing because I get veggies that I wouldn't normally eat. But I HATE cleaning that darn juicer!!! Also don't like that you can't like make a whole pitcher of juice and store it.

    I do like smoothies, but just don't do it as often. :ohwell:

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