Now before anyone starts jumping to conclusions about juicing or thinks “Geez, there is something wrong with everything” (I hate that feeling)—I want to make one thing clear: There is certainly nothing wrong with drinking vegetable juices. But there are a few reasons why I haven’t personally jumped on the juicing bandwagon myself —even after borrowing a friend's juicer and actually trying it out for a week—which is what I'd like to explain today.
Juice Is Not a Whole Food
Juice Is Not a Whole Food
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First and foremost, my main dietary goal is to eat whole foods or what I call “real food” (i.e. 5 or less whole ingredients). Did you know that when you drink juiced vegetables and fruits you are not eating the whole food?
The first time I saw a juicer in action I was actually a little surprised when I saw all this stuff being spit out the side. It turns out that stuff is the pulp (basically the fiber) and not included in the juice you are about to drink!
Now you could technically bake that pulp into a homemade baked good or something (and still consume it), but I am going to tell you right now I would never be "Betty Homemakerish" enough to keep up with something like that. Plus I felt like the kale, celery, cucumber, and other ingredients I purchased to make the juice could have nicely supplemented several meals for the whole family, when instead the juicer transformed these ingredients into 2 glasses (about 10 ounces each) of not very filling juice.
It's Expensive
If you aren't careful, juicing could seriously blow the roof off your budget. The first day I shopped for juicing ingredients I spent $13—on just 2 servings of organic juice! I suppose that wouldn't be so bad if it could actually constitute a meal, but after drinking our morning juice (my husband tried it with me) we were both still hungry enough for our regular breakfast of homemade granola. So during our week of juicing I found myself buying loads of extra veggies to juice in addition to all the groceries I would have normally purchased anyway. Cha-ching!
It Takes Time
When you drink a daily green juice in addition to eating your regular meals it ends up taking extra time out of your day. Imagine having to make a fresh juice and clean the machine on top of cooking and cleaning those three square real food meals each day.
I say that because a juicer is not just any regular appliance—there are 7 different parts that all need to be washed immediately. Which means unless you are about to start your dishwasher right at that very moment you need to stop what you are doing and wash each and every part of the juicer by hand. Have I ever mentioned that I am not a big fan of hand washing dishes? Well, some days I truly avoid it like the plague—so this is officially reason #3 that juicing is not personally for me.
My Takeaway
Like I said at the beginning there is certainly nothing wrong with juicing, and some say it makes them feel great (we didn't personally notice a difference). BUT—as with most food choices—I feel that variety is key. That means variety in both what you eat and how you eat it. If you find that you are getting so much more green in your body through juicing then that is fabulous, but I wouldn't suggest having that be the only way you get your veggies.
And that's because eating the whole food is pretty important as well. Nature actually does a great job of packaging up the perfect combination of vitamins and minerals in each and every whole food. When you start removing parts (like the fiber) it is just not the same. The takeaway I got from my juicing experiment is that —probably like most people—I have room for improvement and could stand to consume more vegetables. So I am glad to be given that reminder.
Now if I suddenly found myself with health issues or was just overall not feeling very well—I would definitely give juicing another chance. At first I wasn't quite sure what I thought about the taste of a green juice, but it actually grew on me fairly quickly, and I came to enjoy it (and drink it much faster) by the end of the week. But for the foreseeable future I can only see myself being a smoothie girl, and here's why.
Why I Like Smoothies Instead
Why I Like Smoothies InsteadI honestly never made (or probably even drank a smoothie) before our switch to real food, but now they make their way into our diet about once or twice a week.
And these are the reasons I like smoothies so much:
- No special expensive equipment needed —any old blender will do!
- When you blend fruits and vegetables together to make a smoothie you are consuming the whole food.
- As a result, I find smoothies to be much more filling than juice.
- My kids like smoothies (they gave the green juice a fair chance, but were not fans).
- A little bit of veggies can go a long way in a smoothie—when I juiced a bunch of kale it seemed that only a couple tablespoons of juice came out.
So what do you prefer...juicing or making smoothies? And why?
Carman says
I've read so much about juicing and felt I just HAD to get on the bandwagon. However, after researching juicers and the amount of veggies needed to make juice, I decided it was too costly - time and money wise. I love raw veggies so I have no problem consuming what I need as the whole food. I do like to make smoothies now and then as a way to change things up and just because they're fun. I kind of feel like I did when I was a kid and would make milkshakes in the blender.
krista says
That's what I love about you Lisa - you are so honest and so real!
Lisa says
Awww thank you Krista. I admit it's hard to put myself out there sometimes (today included) so I appreciate your comment!
Kelly says
How hard is it to was the sqooshies? I was concerned about that factor.
I agree about juicing. My kids and i need that fiber that comes from the whole fruit or vege. plus, because it can be icy, they think of it almost like a treat. One thing I feel though is that a great blender was key for me and family with smoothies. I have texture issues and could not get one child to eat anything green but kiwi. So I used he shark first but it didn't get "chunks" smooth enough for kids. Plus I like to freeze produce about to go bad before we can get to it all, or was a bunch of berries ahead and freeze...and many blenders have trouble with frozen chunks. I bit down and bought the vitamix. I must say this is a gem for more whole and healthy living. When adding an apple to a smoothie you can actually do seeds and all. Gets kale smooth. If you eat peanuts, make peanut butter for kids with just organic peanuts. Or do almond buttèrs.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kelly. Click on the Squooshi picture above and go to the tab "how to Squoosh". It explains how easy they are to wash. ;) ~Amy
Monica Thompson says
Juicing wasn't really for me either, but I just bought a nutribullet a couple of weeks ago and couldn't be happier with it! Talk about some awesome smoothies......omgosh...and it grinds up flax seeds too! My kids are loving it also! Best purchase ever!
Jennifer King says
My family and I eat clean, but are wanting to buy a nutribullet possibly for making smoothy like drinks to chill. Any suggestions? I see some posting about a Blendtec. We want a pulverizer not juicer, suggestions please?
By the way I love your blog. We prefer raw produce in its natural state, but would be nice to have something for smoothies.
MJ says
I have a NutriBullet and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it for my smoothies! I use it all.the.time and put everything from kale to almonds in my smoothies. I highly recommend it!
K says
Also LOVE the nutribullet. I have had it for a year now and you can throw just about anything in it. I often throw in seeds (pumpkin, chia, flax, etc.). You can also make your own protien/breakfast bars with it.
Amber says
I can see why a lot of people would not want to take the time to juice, but there are a lot of really good benefits to it. Yes, fiber is good and very important to eat - but it is highly beneficial to do both - eating whole / smoothies and juicing.
When you juice, your body assimilates over 90% of the nutrients because it doesn't have to sit in your stomach to be digested. When the fiber is still in the food it has to go through the full digestive process so you only assimilate about 30% of the nutrients.
It is obviously still very important to eat the whole foods as well, but juicing is an excellent addition to give you a massive amount of nutrition that you simply can't get by eating alone. As you said in your article you get several meals worth of veggies in one glass - which cost wise is more but again like you said if you have a health challenge that extra nutrition can really give you a huge boost. My dad was able to overcome MS and attributes it greatly to juicing and cutting out all of the processed and unhealthy foods.
Amy says
I utilize both juicing and smoothies. I think they both have incredible value... And I do think juicing has tremendous value if you are hoping to lose weight and to restore health. I wouldn't live on juices for the rest of my life, but they are an incredible way to up your your nutrition. I think I'm a little surprised at your dismissing it so thoroughly... You might want to research the benefits a bit more. But I do totally get your point, yes it is pricey and inconvenient. I just think there is a time and place for both.
Sarah says
I have not tried much in the way of smoothies (though I think I may soon!) but I do juice periodically.
I went through a medical scare a few years ago and was advised to follow an alkaline diet - for me, that was MUCH easier with juicing! I juice periodically through the year just to kick start my body, it does seem to respond well to periodic juicing. I actually find it filling to have the juice and then a glass of raw milk.
It is expensive, and time consuming, for sure though! I can prep/juice/drink it/clean up in about 20 minutes, but that is still 20 minutes I could be doing other things. To be fair though, it takes me about 25 minutes to cook/eat/clean oatmeal if I want that for breakfast ...
Thank you for sharing your experience!
Steph says
I love juicing and drink and use fresh juice in smoothies everyday. I also use the pulp in baked goods and to make my own veggie stock and throw the rest in compost. It's EASY and I am a full time working mom. Juicing is an easy way to gain the nutrients of eating veggies and fruits, for those people (like my hubby) who has a hard time eating enough. To claim that juice is not a "real" food is kind of silly. There are many things that I am sure you process at home before you eat them...Do you peel any fruits or veggies? Do you always eat all of the edible seeds or flowers of a plant? Do you trim fat or skin off of meats? Do you make gravy? Juice extracted from fresh food is still a "real" food, it's not like it's being turned into HFCS! Seems like you wrote a definition and are sticking to it, regardless of evidence to the contrary.
Monica says
We are a smoothie family as well! 100% agree with you. Keep the good work!
Olivia says
Actually smoothies are not any better. I was shocked to read this when I read Fat Chance by Robert Lustig. Take a look. All about the self limiting nature to consuming the fiber and a bunch of more involved science on how we process sugars. Very enlightening to read, as I said I was pretty floored.
Kimberly says
I'm a juicer.... and I totally agree with you. How's that for a conundrum? My biggest issue that arose from my juicing habit was the extreme amount of sugars (though natural, they were still unwanted) I was getting from my several times daily juice habit. I have changed my green juice recipe to include only one apple for two servings and have gotten that in check. I still enjoy a green juice most mornings, more as a supplement than anything else. I often mix it with coconut water and a little spirulina and I enjoy the flavor and the benefits I've noticed. I have noticed changes in my energy levels as well as my skin. I don't think anyone argues with the vitamin/mineral content and relative ease of consuming such massive amounts. I would never otherwise start my day with say 1/2 a head of romain, 1/2 a bunch of kale, 2 cups of spinach, 2 stalks of celery, a cup of broccoli sprouts, and a helping of seaweed... The only major change I have made is drinking my low sugar daily juice as a supplement, not a meal.
That being said, I replace several meals a week with smoothies and totally get the satiety factor. And cleaning the juicer is a pain, no one can argue that. Great write up... I don't think there was anything wrong with your facts or your conclusion, and I'm a juicer, so there! ;)
Rachel (De Ma Cuisine) says
That's why I didn't jump on the bandwagon either. I like the taste of juice, but would rather have a smoothie or just eat the fruit or veggie. Just my preference though. :)
gina says
Great article thank you for posting it!!!! I totally understand the whole cost thing and feeling like your wasting the fiber..These days cost is a big factor and so is cleaning the juicer.
I do both I blend into a smoothie with my vitamix then squeeze through a nut mile milk to take out the pulp I like this method better than the juicer.
I definetely believe in whole foods and eating or drinking as in smoothie all of the fruits and vegetables. I mostly do smoothies, a citrus, red (berry) and green.. But I do juice on a fast I use juices I feel its the safest way for me as well as others and it works.
At times my body does not want all that fiber but It wants the nutrients so I opt for just juice it does go straight into my system and starts working immediatly. Thanks again!
Kasey says
I think it's such a personal preference. I love the idea of smoothies but I really struggle with the texture. We recently did a 10 day juice cleanse and now I can't imagine not juicing regularly. You make excellent points though. It is expensive. For 1 person, the cost is around $250/month in fresh produce. If you're also feeding a family, that's a lot to add to the food budget. Our juicer is a breeze to clean, so I think you have done control over that. As far as the whole food debate, it is not whole but fresh juice is absolutely real so I feel good giving my kids fresh carrot apple kale juice or something similar. It's definitely wise for a newbie to do lots of research before in eating because it is an investment in a not very versatile machine (ours makes nut butters and such but so does my blend tec, so a nice feature but probably not one ill ever use.) also, a really great option is to find a local juice bar. They're more popular than ever it seems so that's a good way to have the occasional juice while not making a full investment. Sometimes our body needs pre-digested foods to heal or rest.
I, too, appreciate the vast amount of information and ideas on this site and I appreciate hearing your experience.
Suzie says
I've been juicing in the mornings everyday for the last couple of months. I eat veggies and fruit regularly in their whole form as well since I know you can't rely on juice alone to give you everything you need. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and am tired of hurting everyday and being exhausted from dealing with the chronic pain. Giving myself shots every week that are expensive and rather painful wasn't much fun either. I gave juicing a try in an attempt to get a large sum of micronutrients in my body in an easier form. It would take me all day to get through the amount of veggies I use in my juice. Yes it's expensive, but since I've been juicing, I've found that my RA symptoms have really decreased. I think that's pretty fantastic!
Bonnie says
Bang On! Thanks for voicing your juicing opinions...they ring true for me also!
Ara says
I'm interested in the squooshi. How well do they clean? Are they easy to fill?
Lisa says
They are dishwasher safe so very easy to clean - the bottom end opens up completely (via a zipper).
Ara says
Thanks! I may have to order some up for the fall or sooner for summer road running.
Katy says
We juice. I love it. I miss my juicer (in the middle of moving). I found just drinking juice in the morning did fill me up, and my girls thought it was just the coolest & a special treat (a 2 year old & a 3.5 year old drinking beet juice-yay!). I also felt like it helped me lose the weight from my third child faster when I was replacing breakfast with juice.
With the pulp, I have obese dogs, so I used the pulp to fill out their very small meals so they weren't tearing apart my house on a daily basis looking for food.
Debbie says
Very sad for you. I hope you don't ever have a health crisis. Do you know how much work it takes your body to digest food? Not to mention the combination of foods people dump into themselves and expect the digestive system to figure it out. Juicing besides benefiting those who choose to nourish and love their bodies, provides raw nutrients in a way that a blender cannot provide. A blender while it has beneficial uses cannot break through the cell wall of a plant to assist your body in absorbing the nutrients. Juicing allows the body to detoxify all the things people put in it, are surrounded with including toxins in the environment. While it may not be convenient or cost effective whatever that means, it can be a life benefiting choice for many.
Patricia says
Debbie, I just loved your response! It made the most sense.
Yes, juicing might be a little more time consuming and
A little more expensive.... But what time and
Cost value would you put on your health, or your
Child's health?... Why wait until you are sick, before
You start juicing, why not juice to give your cells the
Best possible chance to prevent illness.
Believe me I am NO juicing fanatic, just 1 juice
A day, has improved my health, skin and weight,
To no end. What are you waiting for people?
You have nothing to lose, except the weight, plus
Get great skin and feel fantastic. 😃
Jane says
"A blender while it has beneficial uses cannot break through the cell wall of a plant to assist your body in absorbing the nutrients."
A standard college intro biology lab is to extract chlorophyll from spinach leaves, with the first step being to either grind the leaves with a mortar and pestle (think your molars) or to blend the leaves in a commercial blender. I know from experience both procedures are very effective at breaking open the plant cell walls.
Michael says
Juicing is certainly easier on your stomach. But the U.S. also has a higher incidence of diverticulitis than the rest of the world. The average American diet is much lower in fiber than most of the rest of the world. I've recently been diagnosed with diverticulitis and had to do some research.
For those juicing fruit, by consuming the fiber you are also reducing the glycemic load for the sugar you're ingesting.
The bottom line is that if juicing was the best thing for us, we would have evolved a way to regurgitate the fiber and just keep the juice. The key is balance, but people love to go to extremes.
eclecticdeb says
SERIOUSLY PATRICIA? Lisa was about a neutral as one could be..stating several times that this was HER take - and if it worked for someone else, then more power to them.
Maybe all that juicing has impaired your reading comprehension skills.
Lisa says
I've started to juice about 2-3 times a week (or trying to) but I do so in my Blendtec, which includes the pulp. (It's also a great for smoothies and soups etc.) It's super easy to clean, and as noted before, everything is in the juice, pulp and all. We purchased this brand specifically for this reason, we are not throwing out the fiber.
I totally agree, it's not for everyone, and each needs to make their own choices. But for those considering it ... Check out what a Blendtec can do differently than juicers. And no, I don't work for them.
Samantha says
I don't juice for the exact reasons you listed, but I do have a green smoothie for lunch every day! I don't think I ever would have started drinking smoothies daily if not for your berry smoothie recipe, so thank you for the inspiration!
Carolyn says
I make smoothies for myself & my son almost every day. We LOVE them & love experimenting w/ different flavor combinations. We eat lots of veggies, in addition to fruit, so I don't see a need for juice in our diet. Plus, cost is definitely a factor for us. Friends of ours treated us to a fruit & veggie smoothie made in their Vitamix, so it included the pulp. I liked that idea but certainly am not going to invest in a $500 machine when my $30 blender does just fine. Smoothies make me happy - they are delicious, affordable,healthy & easy to make every time. Making & drinking "green juice" is a chore, in my opinion! Sounds like some of the the die-hard juicers out there could use a little smoothie happiness in their defensive, grumpy lives! :)
Faith Mitchell says
I just recently started juicing and making smoothies. These two things are the only way I get my fruits & vegetables, because I just can't eat very many vegetables on their own (it's mostly a texture thing). I agree that juicing is costly, but I have felt the benefits from getting more vegetables, even if it is just the juice. My skin looks great, I have more energy, and I have less cravings when I juice. I don't juice every day, but I do think the money is worth the benefits every now and then. Great article, I love to hear how others feel about juicing versus smoothies. I say do both!
Steph says
I love juicing - not an exaggeration to say it has changed my life. I think of it as a mega vitamin rich meal replacement - I don't buy organic everything, and that saves on the cost, so for me it's no more expensive than our regular food budget. I've never ingested as many dark leafy greens as I'm able to do with my juicer. Fat, sick, and nearly dead - Netflix - opened a whole new world for me regarding juicing and I'm truly forever changed because of it. I don't do smoothies because I can't handle pulp and we don't eat dairy, so no yogurt, I have made a dessert of juicing strawberries and spinach, and then putting it in the nutriBullet with bananas and a few frozen berries, and then put it in the freezer - we call it strawberry banana NoYo. :)
Carrie A. says
My dad bought me a juicer for Christmas. I exchanged it for a pressure cooker! I'd rather eat my food than drink it.
Susan says
I do both but do juice every morning....I view it as a supplement......it really gets tons of micronutrients to those cells!
Tamara says
My husband is not a vegetable eater (but he is trying) so we have adopted juicing as a way to get him more vegetables. I'd rather just eat them, but ill take anyway I can to get more vitamins in him. Its similar to how I feel a baking veggies into things to get my boys to eat more veggies. Again, I'd rather they just ate them, but... Whatever helps them all eat a bit better, I'll take it.
Juli says
I thought this was an interesting perspective especially since a contributing writer, The Food Babe, swears by green juice. I have started to feel left out of the cool club because I don't have a juicer. It just goes to show that your cure-all might not be someone else's.
Lisa says
Yes, to each her own :)
Sariah says
WOW! I can't believe how many people can get so bent out of shape about your posts sometimes. I love your articles. I have juiced in the past (3 weeks straight) and I loved the yummy juices that I did make but it was just too expensive and time consuming (not just the juicing part but also finding time to utilize the fiber) for me. I do a lot of the green smoothies and add any veggie/ fruit in my fridge that may need to be used soon. I love them and find that they are much more filling. Thanks for your posts! BTW- that looks like a Breville? I have one of those and LOVED it when I juiced. Very easy to clean.
Deb says
I totally agree! I love my BlendTec for the simple reason that I can have my juice and chew it too! Fiber is good for the gut and when your gut is happy, everyone around you appreciates the mood you bring a WHOLE lot better! Thank you flr this wonderful post.
Deb says
Thank you FOR not fir! : )
Cheryl says
I completely agree! Why waste all those awesome nutrients and fiber! My personal all time favorite smoothie maker is the vitamix, with the bullet coming in second. They pulverize the food not just chop it up in small pieces so your body can digest it more efficiently. Good informative post!
Anita says
I think the point is that you loose vital nutritional value when you leave out what is extracted. If you want to go through the trouble and then bake the 'extras' in, then you are good. But Lisa clearly states this is HER thought process for not juicing. Which really, isn't that what this blog is all about? Lisa giving her thoughts on eating and why she does it the way she does. It's all about choices. We do what we do because we choose to, whether it be eating...or following and agreeing with a blog.
Aimee says
A Vitamix addresses all of these issues.. Yes it is an investment but worth it. Thomas Keller lists it as a "must-have" kitchen tool.
Devin says
For what it's worth, I "juice" with my Vitamix everyday and it is the answer to my juicing woes. My fiance and I also jumped on the juice bandwagon after watching the aforementioned documetary and felt benefits right away. Unfortunately, we also felt the pinch in our wallets. Now that we have the Vitamix, I can get 5 times the juice for the same amount of fruit and veggies I would use for one juice! You can juice veggies (or make them into smoothies) in the vitamix too and you don't lose any of the food. It's all still there, pulverized to a drinkable pulp. Add a little water and it will be even thinner and you get extra water for the day. After experiencing both, juicing is a must for me but I will never do it with a conventional juicer again.
Trish says
Thanks for posting this. I have often wondered about making juice as way to get more veggies in my diet. Lisa's post pointed out some very important things I might not have thought about. One being the cost and the second losing the fiber when the pulp is removed. I have never been a fan of pulp in my fresh squeezed OJ (only OJ I ever been able to say I like) but I think I will stop removing it.
That being said, I much prefer smoothies but never thought about adding kale or spinach to them.
Tamara says
I have done both, and LOVE them both. However, I have come to learn that when you juice a fruit, you are only getting the fructose, which by itself is NOT so much of a good thing. It spikes your blood sugar (because of the absence of fiber), and eating a whole fruit (as in a smoothie), the fiber is kept in tact, and your body reacts as if it's consuming a whole piece of fruit. You have to have a pretty good blender (I have a Blendtec), and I will first hit the "whole juice" setting, which will turn my apples, carrots, oranges, broccoli, etc into a thick puree, then I add the frozen fruit (because a smoothie is just not the same with out some frozen fruit in there), and my greens. I LOVE my green smoothies, they are so filling, and I actually will CRAVE them, especially if I've been eating not so well. With one smoothie (I usually get about 3 cups worth), you are getting pretty much your day's worth of fruits and veggies). It's not as expensive, I buy fruit that is in season, (berries are everywhere this time of year)and will cube it up and freeze individually on a cookie sheet, than seal them up, toss them into the freezer, and I have fruit all winter long. You can also freeze up pieces of fruit that are getting a little ripe (instead of letting it go bad). Most of my 'getting ripe' bananas end up in the freezer. Costco sells huge bags of frozen assorted fruits. Summer time is a great time, there are so many greens out there this time of year.
Anita Bowyer says
Juicing and smoothies are very necessary for those that can't eat or easily digest real food. Those that can't swallow easily and so forth. Now for us relatively healthy ones. We need to eat Whole food. The activity of chewing is important for 1 as well as our stomachs working to breakdown the foods. So when you juice to add to your diet, don't forget to keep eating the whole thing too.
Leah says
On-Line Writing Rule #1- Never, ever, ever read the comments section. -P.S. I don't juice either. Smoothies all the way
Danielle says
I read the "Fat Chance" book too, when the author talked about how he was against juicing because you remove healthy parts of the fruit. It's a good point. I asked my husband what he thought (he's a doctor) and he said he'd never tell his patients NOT to drink juice (especially if they're choosing between juice and soda!), but he disagreed with Lustig's argument that you shouldn't drink smoothies either. Lustig said that juicing is bad too because it breaks up the fibers, but my husband pointed out that true fiber breakdown really occurs on a molecular level so smoothies are OK.
One thing that bothers me about juicing is that a lot of people who promote it online sell or represent juicing machine companies. Convenient!
Of course people should do whatever they want but I personally agree with your personal opinion! :)
Danielle says
Oops! I meant to write "Lustig said that smoothies are bad too!"