Recipes
for green juices and smoothies are “cropping up” all over the place, and
slowly these beverages are becoming a popular approach to
fast, healthy eating and detoxification for the body. They are certainly good for you. But is one better than the other? Here is a brief list of the advantages and disadvantages to help you compare the types of green beverages available.
You may also want to consider what you have available already at home: Many people already own a blender, and purchasing a quality juicer can cost you well over $100. Fortunately, purchasing produce in its raw form is often much less expensive than buying prepared juices, so you can save money that way by juicing or blending at home.
When it comes to green beverages, whether you
prefer smoothies or juices, the fact of the matter is it’s hard to go
wrong. Even if you only juice/blend one drink a day (or a week), that’s a
fabulous start. Just pick your
favorite vegetables, and juice or blend to your heart’s content. Trust me, your body will thank you for it!
Green Juice
What you need: Juicer, 1 to 2 pounds of your favorite green vegetables
Advantages: Juicing is great because it extracts all
of the water and nutrients from vegetables, leaving behind only the
plant fibers. This means your body is better able to absorb the
nutrients without having to digest the dense bulk of the plant. Plus,
you can fit an incredible quantity of vegetables into a single glass of
green juice, leaving you with a simple, smooth and delicious drink that
packs an incredible nutritional punch!
Disadvantages: Juicers can be very expensive as I mentioned, and
hard to take care of. They need to be thoroughly cleaned after every use
to prevent rusting. Repeatedly shopping for enough fresh, organic vegetables to make
daily juices can also be somewhat expensive. Although they are very high
in nutrients and vitamins, juices can’t keep you full for long because
your body processes the liquid so quickly. Finally, it’s worth noting
that though green juices typically are usually low in sugar, several
store bought juices can have a very high glycemic load and may cause
blood sugar imbalances.
Green Smoothie
What you need: Blender, ½ to 1 pound of your favorite green vegetables, 1 cup of ice.
Advantages: The biggest advantage to making
smoothies is that the only equipment you need is relatively inexpensive –
a blender. Smoothies also tend to be a little bit more filling since
the plant fibers are present (but still easy to digest because they are broken down, compared to raw
whole vegetables.)
Disadvantages: Compared to digesting juice, your
body will have to work a bit harder to digest a smoothie and absorb the
nutrients. Also, because it’s difficult to pack in the same volume of
vegetables into a blender, your smoothie won’t be as nutrient-dense as
your green juice. Using a high quality blender, such as a Vitamix, will
lead to smoother, more enjoyable smoothies, but the price is comparable
to a juicer.
For either juicing or blending, try this fantastic recipe:
Green Juice
(Original recipe by Anna Monette Roberts)
If you don’t have a juicer, you can still make a smoothie using a
blender. It should be noted that the smoothie will definitely be
fiber-filled! You can store leftovers in the fridge, but try to drink
the juice within a day. The longer the juice is exposed to air, the more
it oxidizes and loses those precious nutrients.
Ingredients
1 handful parsley
2 apples
1 handful spinach
1 cucumber
1 lemon
1-inch piece ginger
Directions
To make juice: In a fruit and vegetable juicer, juice all ingredients. Discard solids. Pour juice into glass and add a few ice cubes if you prefer a colder beverage.
To make smoothie: Prior to blending, chop apple and discard
the core. Chop cucumber. Peel and chop ginger. Zest and juice lemon,
throwing out remaining rind. Combine all ingredients, and blend until
smooth. Add water and a few ice cubes to help thin smoothie out for
better blending results.