A 150ml glass of unsweetened fruit juice counts towards your Five A Day, while a smoothie containing all the edible pulped fruit or vegetable may count as two – or more – depending on the quantity and quality of the fruits, vegetables or juice used. So what’s the difference between the two?
According to nutritionists, a juice is produced by squeezing or grinding a fruit or vegetable to extract just the juice, and discarding the fibrous pulp. This is often done with a juicer machine. In contrast, a smoothie is made by blending the whole fruit or vegetable (without the seeds or skin where necessary). Smoothies can also feature other ingredients such ground nuts or seeds, yoghurt or milk, cocoa or protein powder to add different flavours or textures.
Because the fibre is removed, a juice is usually a more concentrated source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than a smoothie, and the nutrients are more easily digested and absorbed. This means they can provide a rapid energy and sugar boost (natural sugars from the fruit or vegetable), which can leave you feeling hungry more quickly afterwards. Smoothies, on the other hand, contain lots of fibre, which slows absorption of natural fruit sugars into the blood. You feel fuller for longer, and less likely to crave another energy boost soon after drinking it. Fibre is also vital for a healthy digestive system, including preventing problems such as constipation, as well as helping to control cholesterol and maintain a healthy weight. However, smoothies can be more difficult to digest if lots of fibrous vegetables are used and they may not be as concentrated in vitamins and minerals.
It’s best to have juices made primarily from vegetables rather than fruits to reduce any sugar rush. Ideally, include some green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, kale or celery, but avoid using too many carrots, which are also high in sugar relative to other vegetables. Adding one or two apples or carrots to your vegetable smoothie or juice is an excellent way to give it a bit of sweetness and enhance the flavour, however. If you are making a fruit-based smoothie or juice, use more of the lower-sugar fruits such as berries (eg blueberries, raspberries), cherries or plums and steer clear of too many bananas and grapes, which are high in sugar.
Avoid:
Too many ingredients – There are many superfoods, leafy greens, fruits and herbs but you don’t need all of them at one time. Keeping your smoothies simple with two to four ingredients will be much better for your digestion.
Hard-to-digest veggies – Root veggies like beets and carrots in your smoothies will be hard for your body to break down, even in blended form. Go easy on them and stick to more water-rich veggies and leafy greens.
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