I don't know about the rest of you, but I am confident that nothing encourages bodily gratitude and natural energy more than liquid nutrition. In that, I am referring to nutritionally dense fresh homemade fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies (with the given ratio of more than 1/2 green vegetables, and no more than 1/3 fruit for the remainder half of the blend.) I try to ensure that at least two meals a day are drinkable, and I've found it really helps to ensure I get the proper vitamins and minerals my body needs for optimum operation. As an added bonus, it also helps to encourage dialogue about healthy, clean living when people ask you what the heck is in that green goop you bring for lunch everyday. (It actually surprises me how many people-- strangers included-- feel compelled to comment on my liquid meals. However, it gives me a great vehicle to talk about a subject I love, so no complaints here!)
I've noticed that anytime my body is having a particular craving (which, of course, generally triggers my conditioned mind to desire unhealthy, unnatural foods), a fresh batch of green juice or a green smoothie will always do the trick for me. See, a craving generally signifies one of two things: one, that you are legitimately missing something important from your diet and your brain is receiving the signal to your body that it needs fulfillment of the deficiency OR two, that eating whatever said craving leads you to is based purely in the emotional satiation and has very little connection to what the body itself needs. In the case of the former, a smoothie or fresh juice is so densely packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional goodies that they always ensure you hit the mark on what your body is yearning for; for the latter, the time it takes to prepare and drink the juice or smoothie gives the emotionally-based mind-state plenty of time to pass (as all mind-states will because of their impulsive, temporary nature.) Either way, it's a win/win situation. That has to say something for itself!
In both my reading and chatting with other like-minded people on the subject, I've noticed there are two camps in fans of liquid nutrition-- the juicers and the blenders. There are those than do both (which, in my opinion, really is indicative of the balance and moderation that is so key in this way of eating and living), sure, but in most cases, people generally profess devoted and loyal allegiance to one over the other. As the title of this blog entry suggests, I want to address this age-old question head-on today.
I think there are pros and cons to both methods really, but at the same time, the pros always outweigh the cons by a landslide. Does that make this an arbitrary discussion? In the context of confirming one as 'good' and the other as 'bad', then yeah, kind of-- whether you are getting natural vitamins and minerals from juice or both immensely good for you, so it all boils down to a personal, subjective preference in determining a 'victor' here. However, in my boundless interest and curiosity on the subject, do not see it as a completely fruitless (no pun intended) topic to discuss, thus my writing about it.
The primary difference between juicing and blending is the fiber content of the final product, which is in the pulp of the fruits and vegetables. When juicing, this fiber content is removed, producing a potent, nutrition-packed liquid. The pulp may then be discarded or used for other purposes (such as composting!) In blending, everything is combined together as-is, producing a thicker, more "smoothie-like" end-product.
The overarching argument I have heard for juicing over blending is that this method allows you to received a LOT more vitamins and minerals for your body. For those of you who have never juiced, it would absolutely astound you just how many vegetables or pieces of fruit are needed to product a seemingly small portion of juice; it's amazing to think that the nutritional content of multiple pounds of produce can be contained and delivered in a small pitcher of fresh juice! That said, for those who have cut out certain elements of their diets, a bit of strategic juicing can be a great way to ensure your body gets everything it needs and then some (without having to eat pounds upon pounds of produce a day!) This is also a popular method for those sensitive to excessive fiber consumption.
On the other hand, however, proponents for blending state that there is a reason nature has encased these vitamins and minerals with fiber; it slows down the absorption rate in the digestive process, therefore sustaining benefits over a longer period of time. Blenders also claim that juicing "attacks" the body with an unnatural onslaught of vitamins and minerals, causing intense and rapid spikes in bodily levels. Regarding fiber sensitivity: one of the key deficiencies in the Standard American Diet (SAD) IS fiber, so the body may just take time to adjust to increased consumption of it.
Me? I dig both. I enjoy juicing first thing in the morning because it helps me start the day with a bright, clean, energetic burst (no caffeine necessary!). It's also a GREAT addition to periods of fasting, as it helps to keeps the body happy without taking the energy to digest; this leaves the energy that is present for detoxification and cellular regeneration. However, for meals on a routine day, I stick with smoothies-- primarily because I can add so much to them in addition to fruits and vegetables (chia seeds, powdered wheat grass/barley/alfalfa grass, psyllium husks, spirulina, etc.), and because of the thicker texture, it's all virtually undetectable. Also, I can really detect a more enduring, low-wave frequency of energy with blended smoothies, which really comes in handy when long-term productivity is desires. (Plus cleaning a blender is a lot easier than cleaning a juicer!)
... But again, keep in mind that BOTH methods are great for you. As my friend reminded me last night (Hi Karen!), both juicing and blending should be used in conjunction with one another, and that it's not a case of one vs. the other; primary importance should be placed in listening to your body and its responses to what you are eating, drinking, and doing, and determining what works best for it based on said observations. Ain't that the simple truth?
with metta,
Charlot
The primary difference between juicing and blending is the fiber content of the final product, which is in the pulp of the fruits and vegetables. When juicing, this fiber content is removed, producing a potent, nutrition-packed liquid. The pulp may then be discarded or used for other purposes (such as composting!) In blending, everything is combined together as-is, producing a thicker, more "smoothie-like" end-product.
The overarching argument I have heard for juicing over blending is that this method allows you to received a LOT more vitamins and minerals for your body. For those of you who have never juiced, it would absolutely astound you just how many vegetables or pieces of fruit are needed to product a seemingly small portion of juice; it's amazing to think that the nutritional content of multiple pounds of produce can be contained and delivered in a small pitcher of fresh juice! That said, for those who have cut out certain elements of their diets, a bit of strategic juicing can be a great way to ensure your body gets everything it needs and then some (without having to eat pounds upon pounds of produce a day!) This is also a popular method for those sensitive to excessive fiber consumption.
On the other hand, however, proponents for blending state that there is a reason nature has encased these vitamins and minerals with fiber; it slows down the absorption rate in the digestive process, therefore sustaining benefits over a longer period of time. Blenders also claim that juicing "attacks" the body with an unnatural onslaught of vitamins and minerals, causing intense and rapid spikes in bodily levels. Regarding fiber sensitivity: one of the key deficiencies in the Standard American Diet (SAD) IS fiber, so the body may just take time to adjust to increased consumption of it.
Me? I dig both. I enjoy juicing first thing in the morning because it helps me start the day with a bright, clean, energetic burst (no caffeine necessary!). It's also a GREAT addition to periods of fasting, as it helps to keeps the body happy without taking the energy to digest; this leaves the energy that is present for detoxification and cellular regeneration. However, for meals on a routine day, I stick with smoothies-- primarily because I can add so much to them in addition to fruits and vegetables (chia seeds, powdered wheat grass/barley/alfalfa grass, psyllium husks, spirulina, etc.), and because of the thicker texture, it's all virtually undetectable. Also, I can really detect a more enduring, low-wave frequency of energy with blended smoothies, which really comes in handy when long-term productivity is desires. (Plus cleaning a blender is a lot easier than cleaning a juicer!)
... But again, keep in mind that BOTH methods are great for you. As my friend reminded me last night (Hi Karen!), both juicing and blending should be used in conjunction with one another, and that it's not a case of one vs. the other; primary importance should be placed in listening to your body and its responses to what you are eating, drinking, and doing, and determining what works best for it based on said observations. Ain't that the simple truth?
with metta,
Charlot
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