Juice or Smoothie?

Insta-stories are fun to me because you get to see little glimpses into other people's lives. Well, at least what they want to share. I really enjoy sharing my health journey with everyone as it is a large part of my life, helps keep me accountable and I've heard that it helps to motivate others as well. That's pretty cool! Since I often show what I eat, one question I get asked fairly regularly from my stories is, "I see you juicing and drinking smoothies almost daily. Which is better?".

I pause.

Oh, friend.

That's hard for me to pick! I will break it down for you though and you can decide on which is better for YOU.

Juicing-

Juicing floods your body with nutrition immediately because you strip the vegetables and fruits of their fiber. Fiber slows down digestion and because their is none in juice, your cells get that goodness instantly. This is a bonus for anyone who has a sensitive stomach and has trouble digesting fiber. I think our tums need a break from digesting and chewing food once in a while so juicing does just that. Plus it calmly packs a ton of vitamins and minerals into your body while revving up your energy in the most efficient way possible!

I would not consider a juice a full meal though because it does not provide your body with healthy fats and protein. Stick to juicing as a snack or an appetizer to your meal. It is best to drink the juice alone and let it settle for at least a half an hour before you eat anything. And lastly, make sure you do not go too hard with fruit. I would put two or three vegetables to one fruit in each concoction- this ensures you are not spiking your blood sugar levels.

Smoothies-

Smoothies can serve as a complete meal. While you are more limited to juice with only fruits, vegetables and herbs, you can put almost anything you want into a smoothie. Think fruits, veggies, superfoods, powders, nuts and seeds, coconut water, milks, honey, etc. I love how limitless they really are! (Just make sure you don't go too crazy adding ingredients because smoothies can hold a lot of calories.) Since you are putting whole foods into your blender, this means that there is fiber which helps your clean out your pipes- ahem... stay regular.

I personally tend to go in cycles with my juicing and smoothies. One thing I will say is that smoothies are definitely an easier clean up- and of course I like that!

Ps- I am also partial to smoothies because of my beloved Shakeology that I drink daily. My vegan vanilla smoothie tastes like a milkshake AND has the nutritional value of eating five salads!