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?
maria @ me in the kitchen says
You hit it right on the head. All the waste that comes with juicing is why don't. Like you I prefer the whole fruit. Smoothies are the route I take as well.
PsychicLunch says
I think you're missing the point because all of the reasons you stated for NOT juicing are the reasons you SHOULD juice. But the key that puts it in order is that juicing should only be a temporary thing. It's not a lifestyle and there are no juicing advocates that I know of that DON'T also eat whole foods as well.
Critical Reader says
I do not juice. First off, because of all the reasons Lisa has mentioned in her article: too expensive, too inefficient, and I would not be organized enough to make use of the pulp. I grow some of the vegetables myself and considering how time-consuming growing your own food is, it would kill me to see a big junk of it being wasted.
The other reason I don't juice is the same reason why others think it is a great idea. A lot of people posted, that the best thing about juicing is that you can ingest an amount of veggies you would not be able to eat in a regular way. I have no supporting data, but I can't imagine it being healthy to bombard your body with a high concentration of nutrients and anti-nutrients. Is our body really able to handle high doses of vitamins and minerals and whatever other things are in juice? Best case, everything that is superfluous just gets discarded. Worst case, those high doses on a daily base are even harmful.
Although it is widely believed that mother nature provides us with the best nutrients we need, plants have no interest in getting eaten up. In contrast, they are like chemical fabrics and produce there own pesticides to fight us off. Over the course of thousands of years, humans figured out what they can eat safely and used breeding methods to decrease harmful constituents. We did not adapt to "injections" of highly concentrated vegetable juice.
Katrine says
I tend to have a mix of smoothies and juices. I have IBS and too much fibre does horrible things to my insides so juicing is a great way for me to get all my nutrients without putting too much strain on my digestive system (I can't eat raw vegetables at all).
ana says
I agree with you!
LeslieK says
I was a smoothie girl, recently converted to juicing. The reasons are... juicing retains the soluble fiber and the nutrients of about 10 servings of veggies. Smoothies are whole food.....yes, but in the extra effort needed to digest all the extra fiber you don't absorb all the nutrients nor do you use as many veggies in each 8oz glass. So smoothies are actually less nutrient dense, but cheaper. Juices are more nutrient dense and available in your blood stream in about 10 minutes. Also I was tending to use more fructose filled fruits to make my smoothies taste good, where in veggie juice I maybe add half an apple for taste. If you want to know more google Gerson institute. They are curing cancer and other diseases with juicing.
Kelsey says
I have that same juicer you photographed. Yes, we are poor and juicing takes a lot of money. I used to juice a LOT when I cold have fruit. The juicy fruits made it more economical. Now, while battling candida overgrowth, I can only do veggies. I love kale juice, but get very frustrated that almost ALL of the kale seems to come right out the shoot and does not produce much juice.
I do need to look into some recipes for green smoothies instead.
Ro says
I like juicing for the reasons most like juicing. Lots of energy afterwards, feel great. And my kale gives me more than a couple tablespoons. Yet it is a bit expensive. And I am not sure we need all the fiber that is in the pulp of a 10, 12 oz juice. The vitamins are there, but I could never eat that many veggies in one sitting, and that may be too mulch pulp. My juicer does allow some pulp to infiltrate. Whatever is left of the pulp, I usually toss in with some grass fed ground beef and sauté. Though I wonder how much nutrition is left. I like green smoothies, but my ninja does not chop up kale and other stuff so fine that I don't have to chew, and perhaps it may not even be bioavailable, as so I read on the Vitamix site. The vitamix chops kale so fine that it is a real non chunky smoothie with "bioavailable" greens apparently. Lastly, everyone's got something to sell. Whether it's Joe Cross, or the Smoothie Challenge, every one is hawking something in this world of clean organic green eating.
Debbie Ventola says
I agree...juicing is a waste of $$ and time. A lot of work and produce for a minimal amount of juice.
I have a bullet that I use and it puree's everything without the waste. I throw in a banana, what ever berries I have frozen ( I always throw my not eaten/wilting berries in the freezer before they go bad) and some unsweetened vanilla almond milk, flax seed and if I have it on hand some spinach or kale and crushed ice. Smoothies are definitely a better/healthy choice than green juice in my opinion, you get the "whole" fruit/vegetable along with all the nutrients that nature put in!!!
Nicole says
I prefer juicing vegetables because vegetable smoothies are disgusting. I can't seem to come up with a vegetable combo that tastes good blended up without adding a ton of fruit, which I can't have because my bowels are sensitive to sugar. I don't like chewing on all that flavorless fiber, but I love the taste and the energy rush that a 100% vegetable juice gives me. However, I think of it as a luxury, not a necessity because it does take a lot of time and money to do it everyday. For me its a good way to make sure I use up all the vegetables sitting in my fridge that I know will go bad soon. Given that Americans tend to waste about 25% of their food, you really don't have to shop for extra veggies in order to juice.
Elizabeth says
I use Garden of Life Perfect food berry - and add it to 8oz of organic apple juice. It gives me such a burst of energy and I feel great. That is my 'green juice'!
Catherine Wood says
You basically summed up my exact thoughts on juicing vs smoothies! I definitely think juicing can have its benefits but it just makes so much more sense to me to consume the whole food! I still want to try juicing with my husband for maybe a week or so but I don't see it as a practical choice for long term. Thanks for writing this post!
Heather says
Our family probably would have juiced more in the early days of our juicer gift if washing it took less time! But like you mentioned, seeing most of the produce being removed began to be unsettling. Now we juice on an occasional Saturday when we haven't been able to go through our produce box and the produce is on on it's way to spoil. Our boys get very excited about "smoothie" day (Yeah, I know. I'm going to have to correct their vernacular one day :>). I would like to start doing more smoothies and am gearing up to try some of your recipes. I have your Norpro's in my amazon cart - but maybe I should check out the Squooshi's. No discount, eh? Can't win everywhere I suppose ;). Thank you and love your site!!
Kristin says
I agree with your post. Feel so guilty wasting all the "food" when I juice. Not so with smoothies or just eating "real" food.
Virginia says
I agree with you 100% but to add another point, God gave us the whole food. His design for the whole food is for our health, we need all of it. GREAT post!
Ashley says
I definetly prefer smoothie for basically the same reasons. It contains the fiber, it keeps me full longer, it is less expensive because you don't need a juicer & you use less fruits & veggies. Also, I find it doesn't spike my blood sugar like juicing does. I love it as a way to add veggies to breakfast. It's easy to make & after I eat my protein & whole grains I can take my smoothie to go.
Natasha says
I have to say - this post is very valuable and timely. My husband and I totally went juice-crazy when we got our Breville juicer. I LOVE to juice - I was seeing really good results with my thyroid stuff when juicing - overall it just felt like a win-win.
Then once I drank a big glass in the morning on an empty stomach and suddenly got violently sick - nausea, sweating - just so sick I could hardly stand - I had to go in late to work. It passed a few hours later after a meal and some rest.
Weeks later I just happened to mention to my doctor that I had been juicing - thinking he would be so proud of me. He's one of these SUPER HEALTH nut progressive-type doctors who is pretty into holistic stuff for an MD.
Anyway- he surprised me by telling me what he felt the dangers of juicing were.
He said:
We have a 14 foot digestive tract for a reason. Nutrients are meant to take time to get to our liver, because that time is used by our bodies to process, break down, and disseminate nutrients. He said when we remove the fiber from the food, we are just straight- shooting tons of vitamins right at our liver. He said our liver can only handle so many nutrients at one time. If you straight shoot a ton of vitamins at it in one go, with no fiber, your liver will process a certain amount, then the rest just gets left on the table to be absorbed into tissues, your blood stream - places it shouldn't go. Furthermore, he said that when we do that to our liver consistently, we train it to be LESS effective at its job.
He went on to say that western cultures tend to think that more is better - no matter what. If kale and carrots are good - then a full bag of kale and 20 carrots at once must be even better.
But he said our bodies have not evolved that way. If you couldn't eat it whole - (I couldn't eat a bag of kale and 20 carrots whole in one sitting - but I could drink them) - then it's probably more than your body could handle.
Anyway - I was stunned by this. But mostly because I had been juicing for over a year and thinking it was a great thing.
But I couldn't deny his logic.
I just couldn't.
I did tell him that I had felt I had had success with dealing with some thyroid symptoms and he definitely agreed that it was not his place to tell me something is not working if I think it is. He suggested perhaps I try to juice in a little more moderation - and with food, if possible.
I see both sides of this argument = because I was so passionate about juicing, I was sending juicers and "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" DVD's to ALL my friends with autoimmune disorders.
I was a believer - and I DO think there are benefits.
But I just can't disagree with his logic. He was the only doctor - out of literally 20 doctors I saw - who was able to help me regulate my thyroid. I trust him for many reasons - but regardless, he just made sense.
More is not always "better."
But that's my experience.
Thanks for bringing up the topic. My husband and I are currently not quite on the same side of the fence about this - but I respect his right to take care of his body as he sees fit - just as I do others.
However - it was a profound enough experience for me that I felt it was worth sharing.
Thanks!
:)
sarah says
I like your post Natasha. I get that feeling too if I use sweet fruits or drink too much at a time. Bear in mind that many if not most vegetables and fruits are not as nutritious as they used to be due to the way our food production depletes soil. Farmers want to produce a lot of food, not nutritious food.
Courtney @ FamilyGoneHealthy says
We are fairly new to juicing but love it so far. While it is true what you are saying (it is expensive and I wash a lot of dishes), we have noticed several positive benefits of juicing. First, my husband and kids would not eat half of the amount of vegetables that I juice if they were just put on their plate to eat. My 3 year old daughter gulps down beet juice (mixed with carrots, ginger, lemon, and half apple) where she would NEVER eat all of those if I put them in front of her. I even mix some of the pulp back into the juice and spoon-feed it to my 8-month old.
I think it adds variety to our diet since we would not get nearly as much produce into our systems if we only relied on eating the "whole" fruit or vegetables. My husband also used to love to drink soda, Gatorade, Powerade, etc. Now that we are juicing, it has satisfied his need to drink something other than just water. We have really noticed a difference in our energy levels since beginning juicing.
Lisa says
I totally agree with your post! Love my vitamix and use it daily to make a smoothie, whatever I can throw in, and blend goes. Don't have a juicer, and figured the same as you, why not eat all that pulp?
Adrienne says
I use a cuisinart blender and I haven't ever owned a juicer. I am not a morning person, so I have to streamline my before-work routine. Once a week, I make up zip-lock baggies (if I had more freezer space, I'd use washable containers) and make up smoothies. I put fruits (frozen or ones I got at the farmer's market), protein powder (I use a vegan one), and frozen spinach in. I also mark whether I should put juice or milk in them (sometimes I put almond or peanut butter in them). In the morning, I dump the frozen contents in the blender, scoop a spoon of plain yogurt and add the milk/juice. It takes much less time than measuring out and deciding what type I'd like to have. My favorite has rasberries, strawberries, half a banana, and peanut butter. Add a little milk and yogurt and it's a PBJ in a cup!
Carol Douty says
Another point about juicing is that when you take out the fiber, the natural sugars don't have the fiber to balance them out, so it's almost like a sugar high and then a sugar crash.
kristen says
get a Vitamix! Life changing and worth every penny. you can put everything in the blender you would normally juice and it pulvarizes the fruits and veggies into juice! Amazing! you can also make almond milk, peanut butter, soup, etc!
sarah says
I do hear what you are saying but for my family green juice is an essential morning ritual, we have it before breakfast and also before dinner. We live on fairly modest means and growing carrots, beets, kale, spinach, along with wheat grass and other sprouts is a very budget conscious decision, leaving our produce budget wide open for things we cannot grow such as organic tropicals. Nothing beats a vitamin and mineral charged green juice and when little bodies only hold so much fiber, I can get more green juice into my kids than I could ever get whole kale and other greens. Smoothies are also a daily part of our diet so while I appreciate your decision, I do think that juicing is extremely healthy and is something to be supported. A few extra dishes are hardly a disaster to wash. The pulp of greens,carrot and celery makes a superb base for a veggie loaf, veggie burgers or a flatbread cracker and many fruit pulps can be added to muffins or even pancakes.
Jamie says
Sarah, I want to move my families into your house. I wish I had a daily routine of that sounded like yours!!
Lisa says
We do both! but I too think it is time consuming and expensive, But my kids love it and they love helping me come up with new recipes! We all do prefer yummy smoothies!!
Melissa says
Using a blender denatures the fruits and veggies and strips them of most of their nutrients.
Karen says
I just said the exact same thing to someone today and then saw your post - I definitely prefer smoothies because they are more economical, you eat the fiber, and they are easier to make!
Kimberly says
It can be expensive, that's true. I have a juicer and a good blender, and I like both juicing and making smoothies. Berries and some other fruits don't juice well, but they make really good smoothies. My juicer is easy to clean because it can all go into the dishwasher. For me, I just became so inspired by Joe Cross and his documentary. I find I do feel better when I'm juicing regularly (once a day or so), but it is hard to maintain the habit.
Amanda Fowler says
I bet there will be a lot of people who will bitterly disagree with your post. lol, but I can see both sides. Personally, I love carrot/apple juice in the morning and I figure if people all over the US can buy themselves an expensive starbucks every morning then I shouldn't feel bad about spending the money on the produce. :) I also make green smoothies which my kids like too!
Rachel says
those sqooshis are adorable! and perfect for a baby presant!
Liesl Henz says
Everyone must choose what is best for their situation. Unfortunately too many people would rather make their decision based on someone else's instead of considering all the facts. For calories, budget, and ease, not juicing is the best option. For getting the most nutrients in your body as possible, you must juice. I believe this is heated topic because for a cancer patient (for example) it's a life and death decision. If all that person read was this post, they may miss out on lifesaving information. Please do your research for your own situation. No one can say it's better to juice or not to juice for YOU. This post lists the reasons that she doesn't juice and they are valid reasons that fit her circumstances. There are also reasons why, for someone else, juicing is a better option. Don't waste your time arguing, research the facts for yourself.
Becky says
Maybe it's a nomenclature thing, but I looked at the Simple Green Smoothies page, and for me those are juices. To me, a smoothie contains a thickener like yogurt, bananas (since these have no juice), or even ice. If it's just fruits and vegetables I consider that juicing, even if you're making a thicker version of juice.
I don't like traditional juicers (extractors), in large part because I agree with the first section of your post. I think it's much more beneficial to eat the whole fruit/vegetable, than to remove all the pulp. This is why I use a pulverizing juicer (much like a blender) that breaks down the whole fruit/vegetable. If your machine has a powerful enough motor, you don't even need to chop, remove seeds, etc. (hence the pulverizing). It makes for a thicker juice, but you are keeping all the nutrients (leaving in the seeds even adds more nutrients), especially the fiber, which will make it more filling. I add chia seeds or hemp seeds to mine and make them a meal replacement.
Sandy says
Definitely in agreement with you.
Sherahl says
I prefer my smoothies. So easy to make and I find mine very filling with my kale or spinach added in with my banana, coconut milk, frozen fruit and ice. Sometimes I throw in half an avocado to thicken it up a bit! Yummo!
Jennifer Knox says
I have a juicer and a vitamix and I love them both. I like green juices (mixed with matcha tea) for a mid-day snack and I feel like it gives me a little boost and absorbs quickly. It's very refreshing, hydrating and light - it actually gives me a little buzz too. My vitamix makes my morning smoothies and protein shakes. I believe there's room for both in the kitchen if it suits your personal taste. I make a lovely frozen treat for the kids (and me!) using both. Juice 3 sweet apples then take that juice (and the "froth" too) and add it to the blender. Then add one small handful of frozen cherries and one small handful of frozen strawberries and blend. You can drink it (tastes like a frozen daiquiri!) or pour into silicone freezer pops and toss into the freezer for lunches or snacks. They are DIVINE. Sure, it's not a "whole" apple, but I certainly wouldn't consider it a waste.
Rachel says
We love our Vitamix. I use it for whole foods smoothies and raw/semi raw soups. It's an awesome way to up your fruit and veggie servings.
Jessica says
I love this post!! I agree with everything you stated. However, I still like to juice. I do not do it everyday but the vitamins and nutrients get into your system much faster because your body doesn't have to break down the food to get the nutrients. It is very healthy but definitely not filling. It is very costly!! My goal has been to make some type of juice once a week just for fun! I have made juice that would last me a few days and put it into mason jars and vacuum sealed them. I like to think of my juice as my coffee in the morning (that is when I do make/drink it).
Samantha says
Sort of off topic, but what recipes do you use in your refillable pouches? We have a bunch but my son is not loving anything I have put in the yet.
Lisa says
We've done mostly applesauce and sometimes smoothies like this one: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/11/recipe-pbj-smoothie/
Juanita says
I am a part of the smoothie group!! A blender is so much easier to clean. Lol.
Nicole says
This post was well timed for me. I have been playing around with the idea of juicing lately to get more veggies and a nutrient boost and hopefully help clear my skin. DH was not into the idea. I think juicing can be beneficial especially if you are trying to give your digestive system a break, but you made a great point about juicing not being whole foods. I'm so glad you included the info for the 30 day green smoothie challenge. I tried making my own green smoothie once and it was horrible. I'm ready to try again and reap the benefits. I love your blog and always recommend it first to anyone who comes to me asking about eating better. You are an inspiration.
Desiree says
I am a little shocked by this post...it seems like very little research has been done on the benefits of juicing. Try a few docs on Netflix!!! Charlotte Gerson might argue a VERY different side....as would most natural doctors today!! Eating the whole food is excellent and is vital, however the nutrients in todays organic food is a great deal less than when "nature" created it! You can blend away all the organic produce that you want and your cells will NEVER receive the kind of nutritive jolt that it does from juicing due to the fiber....this is a well established fact that "nature" built into our body....much of the nutrients are lost in digestion! Dr. Norman Walker and Dr. Max Gerson have used juicing to HEAL many incurable cancers!!! I am very disappointed in this post, you have a following, you really shouldn't misguide the public due to your 1 week trial!!!!! I love this website...this one is grossly incorrect! I had graves disease, numbers that have rarely been seen...cured thanks to juicing, really the jolt of nutrients that went straight to my cells, it tricked my body into thinking that I was eating 30+ pounds of produce a week...I guarantee that you don't eat that much produce per week....there is no such thing as too much nutrients...too much phytochemicals!!!!