The Struggle to Get Your Greens – Juice or Smoothie?
Do you struggle to get your greens? Do you prefer juice or smoothie? These tips will help you get the recommended daily amount of green vegetables into your ever-healthier body.
Collards, Kale, Parsley
Fresh, deep greens can benefit our bodies in amazing ways. But, how to ingest as much as we need on a daily basis? It just not convenient or palatable to have a giant green salad for every meal. So, the question becomes should we juice our greens or make a green smoothie? Both sides of that question engender strong opinions.
While there is a difference between juicing and smoothies, whichever method works for you is the one you should use.
Nutrient-dense greens come packed with powerful vitamins, amino acids, chlorophyll, and minerals.
Let’s start by discussing green smoothies. A green smoothie is a combination of greens and possibly fruit. The entire plant is blended with the others in a high-speed blender and provides a whole food drink. The smoothie is easily digested since the plant cells have been ruptured in the blender and our body benefits from the fiber in the plants as well as the powerful nutrients.
Next, we have the green juice. Green juice is nutrition in concentrated form. The juice is NOT whole food because the plant fiber is discarded in the process of juicing. The juice is digested even more readily than a smoothie as the fiber has been removed. Our body can focus immediately on absorbing the nutrients from the juice rather than first breaking down the plant and digesting. This then speeds up the process of healing, detoxification, and repair.
One challenge with both smoothies and juicing is that depending on the amount of fruit you use; there can be high sugar content. So, as in all things; moderation.
You can determine for yourself when to drink your greens. Whether first thing in the morning or some other time during the day. Pay attention to your body, and you learn quickly what works best for you.
There are myriad options and recipes for both juicing and smoothies. Find what works for you. Experiment. Check out our RECIPES here. Any of the recipes can be juiced or made into a smoothie.
The Point Is –
Get the nutrition into your body in a pleasant-tasting concoction.
Since the act of juicing or blending breaks down the plant cell walls, oxidation begins immediately. So try and drink your greens as soon after preparing as possible. Some people say you can store in a sealed, air-tight container for 24 hours. But, with time the bitterness factor sets in, and your great tasting juice may not taste so great tomorrow.
Key Point –
You’re using large amounts of produce in a concentrated form. Imagine the concentrated pesticides and chemicals you’ll be ingesting if you don’t start with organic produce. ALWAYS USE ORGANIC PRODUCE when juicing or making smoothies.
And we’re drinking our greens in order to get the dense nutrition, right? So then, be sure your produce is FRESH. Locally grown, organic produce is the only way to go.
If you are juicing or making smoothies due to a health condition, PLEASE consult your doctor or dietician before starting any new regimen. The point is, get the nutrition. Experiment with ways that work for you and go for it.
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