Veg/fruit Juicing or smoothies?

[Joy at Home]

I have a good juicer I recently pulled out and plan on using more consistently with me and my kids, especially now that fresh veggies are coming into season. I also have been dying to get a Living Well Healthmaster. Do you prefer making smoothies or juicing? Are there distinct benefits to each? I remember when I was trying to make my own wheat grass juice, it took sooo much wheat grass to get a thimbleful, but with a smoothy I could throw a handful in there and would be much easier.

 

Experiences, anyone?

thanks!!

Lisa

[Peela]

I think both juices and smoothies are wonderful, and each have their place.

I use vegetable juices to alkalise and get a lot of nutrition at once. I would never sit and eat 5 stalks of celery, but I will happily drink them (minus fibre) along with a few carrots, a bunch of parsley, various other greens,a cucumber and an apple. There are a lot of books on the benefits of juicing for all sorts of conditions.

Smoothies are a great way to have a tasty nutritional drink and can incorporate all sorts of things- superfoods, nuts, fruits...some people use dairy.

You can make a smoothie from a handful of berries and a banana and some water. But it takes a lot more than that to make a juice. A juice is a very concentrated food- which is why I dont tend to juice fruits much- more vegetables. Fruits are too high in sugar.

However I did just make a very yummy drink by juicing one pineapple, and one lime (skin and all) and then putting the juice into my blender and blending it with the water and meat of one young Thai coconut. That was sooooooo yummy and there was plenty for everyone (4 of us) plus I got 2nds :).

[Pamela H in Texas]

There ARE distinct benefits to juice vs smoothies. I have a juicer but we almost always do smoothies instead.

 

I want to steer you away from the healthmaster though. If you can't swing a blendtec or vitamix (btw, I know the latter has it where you can pay it over 3 payments), then go to Wal*Mart (or whatever) and get a higher quality cheapy. A friend of mine got a $60 one from Target and it's lasted her for 6 mo so far and she does green smoothies daily, sometimes a couple times a day. My research showed that if you can't get the better one, the high end cheapies ($60, not $30!) are a better choice than the healthmaster. The thing with the healthmaster is that it doesn't have any better chance of lasting AND the customer service if you have any trouble is AWFUL.

 

Hope that helps a little...

Edited April 18, 2010 by 2J5M9K

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I alternate days. I have a green smoothie one day, and fresh juice the next. That works for me.

 

I'm in a carrot/celery/cucumber/ginger juice mode lately!

[1GirlTwinBoys]

We researched the Healthmaser before buying our Blendec and reviews were HORRIBLE.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

However I did just make a very yummy drink by juicing one pineapple, and one lime (skin and all) and then putting the juice into my blender and blending it with the water and meat of one young Thai coconut. That was sooooooo yummy and there was plenty for everyone (4 of us) plus I got 2nds :).

 

:drool:

 

That sounds delicious!

[abbeyej]

I prefer going with whole foods to juices. I don't like missing out on the fiber and other nutrients from the discarded pulp and edible skins. I would agree that this is *particularly* true of fruits, where the sugar concentration is so very high in the juices, but it can be true of veggies as well.

[Joy at Home]

There ARE distinct benefits to juice vs smoothies. I have a juicer but we almost always do smoothies instead.

 

I want to steer you away from the healthmaster though. If you can't swing a blendtec or vitamix (btw, I know the latter has it where you can pay it over 3 payments), then go to Wal*Mart (or whatever) and get a higher quality cheapy. A friend of mine got a $60 one from Target and it's lasted her for 6 mo so far and she does green smoothies daily, sometimes a couple times a day. My research showed that if you can't get the better one, the high end cheapies ($60, not $30!) are a better choice than the healthmaster. The thing with the healthmaster is that it doesn't have any better chance of lasting AND the customer service if you have any trouble is AWFUL.

 

Hope that helps a little...

 

Thanks so much for this info. I hadn't read the reviews yet on the Healthmaster, just looked at their website. I had no idea reviews were so bad - I'll definitely steer clear of that one. The blender you're friend got at Walmart works well for smoothies? Is the main difference between the high-end Walmart type and the top of the line durability and longevity? Is the end product comparable?

 

Thanks so much!!

Lisa

[cillakat]

I want to steer you away from the healthmaster though.

 

2nd that. I looked into it awhile ago.

 

There are distinct benefits to juicing v. smoothies. We do both.

 

Juicing, but removing the fiber allows significantly more absorption and more rapid absorption of the various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants present in the food.

 

I juice only non-starchy veggies and non-sweet fruits. Starting with a cucumber (fruit) and celery (veg) and 1/4 lemon (incl the peel) I then add a small amount of 2-3 of the following: kale, dark lettuce, parsley(or other herbs) green bean, garlic, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, collards, chard etc

 

Sorbet can be made in the higher end juicers by using whole fruit with the 'blank' (instead of the screen): mango with a tiny bit of banana, berries with a tiny bit of banana, frozen cantaloupe.....

 

Occasionally I'll make one of Furman's soups - the one that uses carrot/celery juice as a base instead of water...the kids love it.

 

Best,

Katherine

[AngieW in Texas]

I'm using an Oster beehive blender that I bought at Target for $60. It makes great smoothies. I've been using it for at least one year. It does sound like an airplane is going to take off in our kitchen, but it works well.

http://www.amazon.com/Oster-4096-009-Designer-Beehive-Blender/dp/B001KBY9LO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1271615799&sr=8-2

 

I like making smoothies because you get the whole fruit, not just the juice.

 

For a 2-serving smoothie, I put in 1/2 frozen banana and 8-10 frozen cherries. Then I fill it up to the 3 cup mark with frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries). Then I fill it up to the 3 cup mark with calcium-enriched orange juice.

 

For my 11yo, I make apple-cherry smoothies. I use the oster mini-jar for that. I fill it up to the fill-line with cherries and then put in 2 tsp sugar (have been working her down from 4 tsp) and then fill it up to the fill-line with apple juice.

http://www.amazon.com/Oster-4937-Mini-Jar-Accessory/dp/B000BDBG2M/ref=pd_sim_k_4

[MomLovesClassics]

There ARE distinct benefits to juice vs smoothies. I have a juicer but we almost always do smoothies instead.

 

I want to steer you away from the healthmaster though. If you can't swing a blendtec or vitamix (btw, I know the latter has it where you can pay it over 3 payments), then go to Wal*Mart (or whatever) and get a higher quality cheapy. A friend of mine got a $60 one from Target and it's lasted her for 6 mo so far and she does green smoothies daily, sometimes a couple times a day. My research showed that if you can't get the better one, the high end cheapies ($60, not $30!) are a better choice than the healthmaster. The thing with the healthmaster is that it doesn't have any better chance of lasting AND the customer service if you have any trouble is AWFUL.

 

Hope that helps a little...

 

Does the high end cheapy blender get the greens smooth? smooth enough to where there are not chunks of greens? I am saving for a good blender, but it will take a few months. In the meantime, I would like something besides th hand blender that leaves chunks of greens.

[abbeyej]

Does the high end cheapy blender get the greens smooth? smooth enough to where there are not chunks of greens? I am saving for a good blender, but it will take a few months. In the meantime, I would like something besides th hand blender that leaves chunks of greens.

 

I found my 12yo Osterizer did fine breaking down leafy things (spinach, etc) smooth enough to be palatable. I just had to additional liquids, whereas my VitaMix will just blend down almost any whole (or nearly whole) fruits and veggies I toss in. But if you're adding juice or water, a regular standing blender should do fine blending down spinach and kale, et. (I can see why an immersion blender wouldn't -- just too much chance to miss stuff.)