Juicing vs Blending: Which Is Better? (The Debate is Over)

Let’s talk about a controversial subject: juicing vs blending.

I've always found the juice vs smoothie debate to be strange for two reasons:

1. Consuming raw fruits and vegetables is good regardless of how they are consumed, so neither juicing or making smoothies is "bad".
2. Many people still think blending actually is the same thing as juicing.

So, first of all, let's set the record straight: juicing is not the same as making a smoothie.

What is juicing? Juicing is the process of extracting the water from plants, leaving out the insoluble fiber like the skin, seeds, and flesh of the fruit. A real cold-press juicer like a Goodnature creates juice that contains less than 1% solids.

What is blending? Blending (i.e. making a smoothie) is the process of grinding up the fruit and vegetables in a blender (including all the skin / flesh / etc.) to make a smoothie. A smoothie also almost always contains extra liquid, since liquid is required to assist the blending process. This liquid is usually non-dairy milk, coconut water, or other liquid.

Neither is strictly "better" than the other -- it all depends on your goals.

That's why I'm going to go over the key health differences between juicing and blending in this article. I'll also bust some myths about juicing.

By the end, you'll be well-equipped to decide which is the right option for you (spoiler: it might be both).

But first, a quick story.

The Anti-Juicing Uber Driver

The Uber driver that picked me up from LAX a few weeks ago was a friendly middle-aged woman with a big smile and a positive outlook on life. She started chatting up a storm about her ideas for a holistic healing center, including a sensory deprivation tank with a lazy river.

I zoned out for a few minutes with imagery in my head of a bunch of lifeless looking bodies bouncing around a lazy river when she interrupted—”So, what do you do for a living?”

I explained that I own a company that manufactures cold-pressed juice equipment. Her attitude immediately turned from cheerful to serious, and she stated, “Well, I don’t know why anyone would want to throw away all that fiber. My Vitamix doesn’t make any waste.”

I replied “Smoothies are great too!” Then silence. She was done talking, and didn’t want to hear what I had to say on the matter. She turned up the music and we sat in the busy LA traffic for the remainder of the trip to Venice. When I exited, I wished her good luck on her venture. She didn’t even pretend to get out to help me with my luggage.

I wish I could say this attitude isn’t typical, but the truth is many people like to take sides on the matter.

Let’s go ahead and look at the differences between juice and smoothies.

Juicing vs Blending: What's the Difference & Which is Better?

Whether you choose to juice or make a smoothie depends on what your goals are.

If your goal is consume as much nutrient-dense juice as possible, juicing is certainly the way to go. Since most of the insoluble fiber has been remove, you can actually consume more raw produce than if you were consuming the full plant.

Additionally, it's easier for your body to absorb the nutrients since it doesn't have to process the fiber. Basically, the nutrients are absorbed much faster and more easily into your blood stream, which is why cold-pressed juice is often prescribed as part of a holistic healing regimen like Gerson therapy for cancer patients.

If your goal is a healthy meal replacement, it's probably best to drink a smoothie. The insoluble fiber will keep you full longer, and depending on which liquid is added, you may get the added benefit of natural fats, protein, or other nutrients. As far as the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables, it's basically the same except for the fact you're getting more fiber.

Busting Common Myths About Juicing

Some people (see: my Los Angeles Uber driver) have been led to believe some misinformation about juicing. Let's bust 3 common juicing myths.

Myth 1: Juicing is higher in sugar

If you are looking at just the fruit and vegetables alone, it's not possible for juicing to be higher in sugar. Both drinks contain the exact same sugar content from fruits and vegetables. More often, smoothies actually contain higher sugar due to additional ingredients being added. Some ingredients that often contain a high amount of added sugar: Almond milk, oat milk, Greek yogurt, vanilla or other flavor. Sometimes the "vanilla" added to a smoothie is really just vanilla flavored sugar syrup. Tricky! And don't even get me started on smoothies with sherbet as an ingredient. Seriously?

Related article: 5 Health Benefits of Juicing

Myth 2: Juice doesn't contain enough fiber

Juice absolutely contains fiber, but it's the soluble fiber only. The insoluble fiber (skin and flesh of the fruit) is intentionally removed so your body has an easier time absorbing the other vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes. That is the entire reason juicing was invented - to remove the insoluble fiber. The truth is, even when consuming a smoothie, the insoluble fiber just passes through your digestive system anyway and offers no additional benefit. If you are getting enough fiber in your diet, you have no reason to be concerned about lack of fiber in juice.

Myth 3: Juicing creates too much waste

When people see the pulp left over after juicing, it's easy to think that we are wasting food. But, as described above, almost all of what you are discarding is the insoluble fiber. If you've ever tried to taste the pulp left over after juicing, it doesn't taste like much. That's because all of the good stuff has been extracted in the form of juice already.

Is Blending Better Than Juicing?

There’s no wrong way to eat raw fruit and vegetables.

Consuming raw plants is the closest you can get to getting energy directly from the sun. When it comes to juice vs smoothies, the debate should be turned away from “Which is better?” into “Which do I need right now?” Everyone is different, including our dietary needs and lifestyles.

Personally I love having a mostly fruit (and some greens) smoothie for breakfast, and cold-pressed juice after my workout or later in the day. I don’t know why exactly, but my body tells me to do it that way. It might be that after 12+ hours of no calorie intake that’s what my body needs. It might just be because I’m hungry.

Either way, it feels better to me and as long as what I’m ingesting into my body is made from raw fruit and vegetables, any way I do it is fine!

Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments!