If you love fruits, nutritionists say blending or juicing both offer great benefits. David Rukerabigwi, a dietician and nutritionist, says juicing and blending are both great but are different and provide different benefits. He says that although blending is always recommended more than juicing, it still has its own benefits. He says that most of the polyphenol phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables appear to be bound to the fibre and are only liberated for absorption by friendly flora in your gut, and that this can be achieved through blending. Nutritionists say juicing is the process of extracting water and nutrients from fruits or vegetables while disregarding the indigestible fibre. With blending, it is transforming the entire fruit or vegetable, including the skin and fibre, into liquid form which results in a thicker consistency. Juicing Rukerabigwi says when it comes to juicing a fruit or vegetable, it will extract higher levels of nutrients and the digestive system is not required to work as hard in digesting the nutrients without the fibre. Fruits and vegetables that undergo blending maintain a lower level of sugar content, and they also digest more slowly and effectively, making a person feel fuller. Net photos This, he says, makes the nutrients readily available for the body’s absorption. Besides, he says, juicing can be very beneficial for people who have sensitive digestive systems that inhibit them from processing fibre. Also, he notes that if one needs to really boost their intake of micronutrients from fruits and vegetables, then juicing is great for that. Studies show that drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juice (or blended powder concentrate) helps improve important vitamin and mineral levels. For some juicing diets, nutritionists use juicing as a form of low-calorie meal replacement to their patients/clients for them to get the essential nutrition without the full fibre. In addition to this, Rukerabigwi says the exclusion of fibre makes the juice less filling and one will feel hungry sooner. Still on juicing, he says it makes vitamins and minerals easier to absorb. Also, when juicing, one can get more nutrients per fluid ounce than blending. “It is easier to consume larger qualities of fruits and vegetables per drink when it comes to juicing. Also, juicing helps the digestive system,” he adds. On top of this, juicing is a great way to increase fruit and vegetable intake. Blending Blending includes the fibre of the fruit or vegetable, powerful blenders help break them apart and make them easier to drink. Many studies have proved that one gets better nutritional benefits from eating the whole fruit rather than drinking the juice from it. “Including the whole fruit and vegetable in your drink will make it more filling,” says Rukerabigwi. For instance, he says, blending is the perfect choice for breakfast because it keeps one energised with readily absorbed vitamins and minerals, but it will also keep you feeling full for a longer period of time because of the fibre. Also, he adds that breakfast smoothies are delicious. Nutritionists say juicing and blending can both be beneficial in their own way and one should look at juicing and blending as a part of their overall health plan.
