Are you Juicing? or Blending? Part II

So, Tuesday I gave you the advantages and disadvantages of both juicing and blending.  They both have a place in healthy eating and cooking. I personally like doing both, and have good quality equipment for both, but don't get too obsessed with these methods! 

Here are some tips, cautions, and how to use smoothies and juices.

#1- IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO NEITHER, YOU ARE FINE!!
Let's start with the fact that, obviously, you don’t need to juice or drink smoothies to eat and be healthy; after all, this is a relatively new “trend” and cooking and eating beautiful vegetables and fruits is just as healthy!

#2- CAUTION WITH "THE DAILY XXX"
I am not a fan of eating daily anything (except water, and of course, vegetables and fruits in general), but I would advise you not to do a “daily smoothie” for example, especially not with the same ingredients. I hear this too often.  The problem is eating the same thing over and over is not only boring, but can even be detrimental to your health.

Did you know raw kale (and other cruciferous vegetables and greens) may not be good for you if you have thyroid issues?... Or that spinach has oxalic acid that takes over and limits how much calcium you absorb from the green? So if you have thyroid issues (which is very common and you may not even know it!) and are eating kale every day… you get the point, right? 

Now pleeeease, don’t stop eating kale and spinach! All I’m saying is: VARIETY + MODERATION are key. Buy small amounts of LOTS of different fruits and vegetables and vary every day or at least weekly. Try new things.  One day green breakfast smoothie, next day oatmeal, day after veggie omelet, and so on..

#3- "CHEW YOUR FOOD EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

A farmer friend of ours who sells vegetables at the Evanston farmer’s market every Saturday was asking me “what is going on?” that all this “dreadlock hippies” keep asking her for kale- EVERY.SINGLE.WEEK- for their juices or smoothies. Herself, being older, wiser, and so proud of her other great vegetables, said to me “You know, they need to chew their food once in a while, for crying our loud!” I thought it was brilliant.  

As if we are not disconnected from our food source enough.  Now we buy unseasonal food, from very far away, shove it in a machine, and swallow it. We don’t even look, smell, or chew it?? 

#4- WHEN TO JUICE? WHEN TO SMOOTH?

Juice:

I use juicing, for example, after holidays, when I need a “pick up” or nutritional punch and I know my

digestive system (and liver!) have been under a bit of “stress”.  I also like to juice when one of us is sick, or at the first symptoms of a cold - great way to get vitamins and minerals easy for your body to absorb and to boost your immune system. 

Another good time for juicing is if you have scraps and odds and ends of veggies that you’ve cut for some dish (or dishes throughout the week)- collect them in a bowl and juice them! Too much of something from your CSA box? Juice it before it goes bad!

*I would also recommend juices for people with digestive issues and/or other chronic diseases, except diabetics- stay away from too much juice!  Juices are also actually very widely use in alternative cancer treatment. 

For best effect, always drink your green juices between meals- as a "snack".

Smoothies:
I like smoothies for my daughter, to get some veggies in her for breakfast; but again- NOT every day.  Personally, I’m not a fan during the cold seasons, but in the summer I enjoy one as a nutritious treat!

*I also recommend smoothies for people that are not breakfast eaters, people in need of more fiber, people that don't like vegetables (yet!), and for some diabetics- but can’t stress this enough…. NOT every day! 

Variety and moderation in food and eating is key to a healthy and balanced diet!

Some other tips: 

• If your green smoothie taste too bitter, add a couple pitted medjool dates. 
• Add additional water or a little bit of organic apple juice for a thinner smoothie.
• Add a few tablespoons of fat, whether flax seeds, chia seeds, avocado, or virgin coconut oil, to help you absorb the carotenoids (fat soluble vitamins) in the greens.
• Leftover smoothie? Pour them in popsicle molds for a frozen treat later!

#5- DO JUICE CLEANSES WORK?

In my opinion, NO.  It can actually be bad for some people. For others it might be fine, but does it really "detoxify"?- NO.

I’ll be bold by saying "juice cleanses" are a complete moneymaking, new multimillion industry fad! 

I do believe in (and recommend) detoxification- don’t get me wrong- but when appropriate, and guided by a nutritionist, health coach, naturopath or similar holistic practitioner that will guide you.  And in that case, most likely juices are part of a detox program, but not your whole daily "meals"!

Without getting too scientific, detoxification is done naturally by our liver.  The detoxification pathways in the liver are based on a two-phase system that require amino acids to work. These systems are enzymes (made of amino acids). Low protein (amino acid) intake may mean low enzyme levels. 

In a juice cleanse, I don’t care how much hemp seeds you are adding to your juice, you need different kinds of amino acids in the two phases of detoxification and these are impossible to get through juice!

Questions?? Please let me know!

Here are my two favorite green smoothie and juice recipes, but can't stress this enough: get creative and don't forget to vary your foods and cooking methods! 

Green Chia (or Avocado) Smoothie

1 tart apple, like Granny Smith
1 large mango, peeled an pitted
3 to 4 large kale leaves
3 handfuls baby spinach
1/2 medium cucumber
2 to 3 tablespoons whole chia seeds (or a slice or two of avocado)
2 to 3 cups water or coconut water

Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings

Green Clean Juice

1 lime
1 lemon
1large cucumber
1 hanful basil
1 handful mint
2 handfuls spinach
ginger to taste

*If too sour, try adding an apple..

Juice.. Enjoy, and Cheers! :)

Are you Juicing? or Blending? Part I

Cm’ on, everybody is, which one are you doing? It is the modern “nutritious” trend- “Great for detoxing, cleansing and weight loss!”... I’ve heard… Juice and smoothie shops are popping up in every corner!

But is one better than the other? In short, NO, they have different purposes, advantages and disadvantages.  I get this question a lot and hope this will help you pick which is right for you, and/or if it is even right for you.  

JUICING

Advantages:

1. Better Absorption of Nutrients- Juicing extracts all of the water and nutrients from vegetables, leaving behind only the plant fibers. This means your body is better able to absorb the nutrients without having to digest the dense bulk of the plant.
2. More vegetables and fruits in one glass- you can fit an incredible quantity of vegetables into a single glass of green juice, leaving you with a simple, smooth drink that packs a huge nutritional punch.
3. Break for the Digestive System- Without all the fiber, your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard to break down the food and absorb the nutrients.
4. Healing and Detoxification- Freshly squeezed vegetable juices form part of most healing and detoxification programs because they are so nutrient rich, they nourish and restore the body at a cellular level. They also can cleanse and de-sludge the liver.
5. Health Benefits- After regularly consuming freshly pressed vegetable juices, which are highly alkalizing, you will experience improved energy levels, digestion and mental clarity, clearer skin, and an overall sense of wellbeing. Also, as a result of the high concentration of minerals contained in juice, such as magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and folic acid, there’s reason to believe that juicing can help fight symptoms of depression.

Disadvantages:

1. Can get Expensive- Stocking enough fresh, organic vegetables to make juices can be somewhat expensive.
2. Not a Meal- Although they are very high in nutrients and vitamins, juices can’t keep you full for long because your body processes the liquid so quickly. Juice is not a significant source of protein, and protein and fiber are the nutrients needed to fill you up.
3. Blood Sugar spike- When you remove the fiber from the produce, the liquid juice is absorbed into your blood stream quickly. If you juice too many fruits and/or starchy vegetables, this would cause a rapid spike in blood sugar and unstable blood sugar levels can lead to mood swings, energy loss, memory problems, etc.
4. No Fiber- Juicing strips most of the fiber content from vegetables and fruits. The daily recommendation for consumption of fiber is 25 grams or more, depending on gender and age, but the average American gets only 15 grams a day. Because the produce used to make fresh juice won’t count toward your fiber intake, you’ll need to make sure you are getting enough fiber from other daily servings of vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes.
5. Store-bought not the same- Unfortunately store bought juices contain virtually no nutrients due to the pasteurization process.

SMOOTHIES

Advantages:

1. More filling- Smoothies tend to be more filling since the plant fibers are present (but still easy to digest, compared to raw whole vegetables.
2. Avoids blood sugar spikes- Because the fiber is present, it helps create a slow, even release of nutrients into the blood stream and avoids blood sugar spikes. CAUTION, though, with not putting too many fruits on them!!
3. They promote regularity. Because of the fiber, smoothies help keep your digestive tract moving.
4. Creative with healthy add-ins- You can add more things to a smoothie- like yogurt, almond milk, protein powders, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax oil, etc…etc 
   

Disadvantages:

1. More work for Digestive System- Compared to digesting juice, your body will have to work harder to digest a smoothie and absorb the nutrients.
2. Not as nutrient dense- because it’s difficult to pack in the same volume of vegetables into a blender, your smoothie won’t be as nutrient-dense as your green juice.

Notes on both:

1. Combination Warning!- It’s best not to combine fruits and vegetables (unless it’s apple). This can affect how well your digestive enzymes function. This doesn’t seem to matter too much in green juices and smoothies, but vegetables like carrots, beetroots, broccoli and zucchini don’t combine well with fruit due to their high starch content. However, green leafy veggies combine well with pretty much everything. 
2. Drink Fast!- Try to drink your juice or smoothie straight away. In a short time, light and air will destroy many of the nutrients. If you can’t drink it straight away, transfer to a dark airtight container until you’re ready.
3. The right equipment- To get the most benefit from your juices and smoothies, it’s important to use the right equipment. Invest in a good-quality juicer. Cheaper, centrifugal juicers introduce heat and oxygen and destroy the enzymes and nutrients in your fruits and vegetables. While it may cost you a bit more initially, a premium cold-press or mastication juicer will produce a superior-quality juice and allow you to extract more from your fruit and vegetables, saving expense in the long-term. 

Cheers! and...

Stay tuned for Thursday Part II- where I will give you my personal recommendations, tips and recipes for juice and smoothies!