(besides “Where did you get those cute pleather leggings?”) is “Do you juice?” And my answer is….
rarely.
Now, I’m not knocking juicing. We all need to be getting more fresh produce in our bodies. I say do what you like, whether it’s juicing, smoothies, serving an extra veggie with dinner, or just having raw carrots for lunch like Pheobe Cates in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Hey, whatever works!
But if you want to drink your veggies, I prefer smoothies made in a blender to juicing. Here’s why:
First of all, juicing is a pain in the ass. You use up a lot of produce for a tiny glass of juice, and it makes a huge mess. You will be wiping sticky stuff off your counter, and it seems like there are a million pieces to clean. When I make a smoothie in my Vitamix, clean up is simple. I rinse the lid and the canister, and put them right in the dishwasher. No little screens to scrub with a brush.
Second, I think there is something to be said for consuming your foods in as whole a state as possible. With a smoothie you are getting the goodness of the naturally occurring fiber. When you juice, that fiber is left in the little do-hickey on the side. Another piece to clean. And they say you can use that left over vegetable fiber in some way, but let’s get real…that’s probably not happening. Not in my house, anyway.
Third, there’s the whole sugar thing. Blending or juicing can both be great ways to get more fresh produce in your diet. Either way, you don’t want to use too much fruit, or the drink could turn into a big sugar bomb. With smoothies, the fiber helps to keep the sugar in the fruit from being absorbed too quickly.
So here’s what I do…every now and then I break out the juicer, if I’m in the mood. But I’m much more likely to use my Vitamix to whip up a green smoothie of some sort. If you’re looking for ideas, check out my posts I’m not into heavy metal and When you hear the words “Talk dirty to me”
And some days, when I’m feeling the need for extra veggies, I just grab a carrot from the fridge.
I’d love to hear from you…what makes you feel happy, healthy and hot? Do you juice or make green smoothies?
I agree with you all the way! I love my smoothies. My device of choice however is the Nutri-bullet just cause I don’t have a good blender. About three times a year though, I haul out my juicer and juice away for a few days. Like you said, when in comes to increasing veg intake, it’s all good 🙂
I know people who love their Nutri bullet. I’ve never tried one. But you’re right…whatever it takes!
I’m a smoothie girl myself too. I love that I can mix whatever I want in it. I can make it a meal and feel completely full until my next meal. My favorite smoothie is frozen strawberries, banana, Greek yogurt, fresh honey, and oatmeal!!
Oh wow, other than the banana that sounds amazing! I am the one person in the world who doesn’t like bananas!