Green smoothies vs juicing

Differentiating green smoothies vs juicing: Are you new-school, old-school or just starting school?

What color is your drink? Chances are if it’s green, it makes you feel:

• Fit.
• Focused.
• Energized.

Green beer, notwithstanding.

Making green smoothies and juicing are both very popular. Both are ways to get fruits and veggies into your diet. And if made right, both can be delicious. In fact, some don’t taste “green” at all.

Fans of green smoothies and juices are a similar crowd. But what does your preference say about you?

A Video Version of this Post (12:02)

The Blender Babe was in town and she stopped by to help me answer the question, “What do you think of juicing?” In the followign video, she does a great job of explaining, plus, shares an awesome recipe for a green juice called “I am spicy hot”.

Juicing 101

History of juicing

People have been juicing fruits for ages. Pick the fruit, squeeze it, and drink. Good caveman.

But with the advent of juice extractors, vegetables could now be juiced, too. Carrot juice anyone?

In the mid 70’s, Jack LaLanne, the godfather of modern fitness, helped bring juicing to the mainstream. I wonder what he’d think about today’s juice cleanse craze, though? Hopefully, it’s not making him roll over in his grave.

How juicing works

Juicers are self-descriptive: They extract juice.

Fruits and vegetables are passed through a blade and pressor. Then, the liquid component passes through a fine filter. All that’s left is juice. No pulp. No pith. Just juice.

Green smoothies 101

History green smoothies

Recently, green smoothies have become popular, too. Why weren’t they popular until now? Simply, the technology didn’t exist. Now that, green smoothies are easier than ever to make.

How green smoothies work

Green smoothies are made by pulverizing whole foods in a high-performance blender.

The result is similar to juicing. Except with green smoothies, nothing is wasted. All the vitamins and nutrients are part of the drink.

Green smoothie people

Green smoothie people will say that green smoothies are:

More nutritious

The pith of an orange contains 80% of the nutrients and flavonoids. Green smoothies contain pulverized pith. Juicing, however, discards the pith.

Better for digestion

Dietary fiber is preserved in green smoothies. For example, apple peels are included in green smoothies. Juicing, however, discards the apple peel. “An apple-a-day keeps the doctor away,” only if you eat the peel.

Better for weight loss

The fiber retained in green smoothies helps you absorb  the sugar from the juice. With juicing, however, that sugar goes straight to your gut.

Better for muscle building

It’s easy to add protein to a green smoothie. I always do. You cannot say the same thing about juicing. Protein powder or liquid pasteurized egg whites don’t do well in a juicer.

Tastier

The taste of a fresh-squeezed juice from a juicer is great. But for many, drinks made with a juicer are bitter. Green smoothies, however, are usually sweet and rich from a (frozen) banana — an ingredient not allowed in a juicer.

Easier cleanup

If you’ve ever owned a juicer, you know. If not, here’s a picture.

Juicers give you juice and throw the rest in a basket. Plus, there are at least five distinct parts that need to be cleaned manually. Compare that to a blender that cleans itself.

Less expensive

Green smoothies require 20% less whole foods than a drink from a juicer. Plus, if you value the time spent shopping, there are savings there, too.

Green smoothies lovers’ favorites

There are million recipes on the web for green smoothies. Find some simple ones on the Vitamix website. Other great ones have been posted by fellow blogger, Tess Masters.

But if you are ready for the best green smoothies, try mine. They all have a secret ingredient. And they are all incredible.

My favorites are:

• Apple Carrot Kale.
• Mango Kale.
• Super Green.

No matter the recipe, most green smoothies are similar. They use spinach or kale to make it green. And, there is some banana to make it sweet and smooth.

A juicer’s defense

Freshly squeezed, drinks from a juicer are delicious. They’re great over ice, unlike green smoothies, which are part ice. Plus, there’s nothing to get stuck in your teeth.

Juicing has been around for much longer. Green smoothies, one could say, are just a fad. And, perhaps green smoothies aren’t even juice. Juice purists will say a Vitamix is not a juicer.

Yes, some juices have intense flavors. Some are even bitter. But that’s what makes them better than green smoothies, arguably. For a drink made with a juicer, bananas are not required. Nor are they allowed!

Green team united

Green smoothie and juice lovers are a lot alike. Often, one’s preference is based on which machine they have. Juicer owners like juicing. Vitamix owners like green smoothies.

But, green smoothie and juice lovers generally fall into three categories:

• Newbies: To them, everything is a juice. These people go to Whole Foods and order a green drink. They have no clue if it’s a green smoothie or a juice.
• Old Schoolers: These folks usually prefer a drink from a juicer. They also probably own a juicer.
• New Schoolers: They are really into green smoothies.  They start with kale or spinach. They add some banana. Then, they throw the kitchen sink into their Vitamix and call it a day.

Of course, there’s the juice-cleanse crowd. They are in a category of their own: Fluctuators.

But your preference of green smoothies vs juicing is not important, actually. The most important part is that you share.

Share your drinks!

Sharing your love for green smoothies and juices makes the world will be a better place.

Life is NOYKE’s Preference

I like both green smoothie and juices. But, I think green smoothies make more sense because they:

• Have more nutrients.
• Easier to clean up.
• Are better for weight loss and muscle-building.

Plus, I think green smoothies simply taste better.

CTA: Go grab a make a green smoothie right now!