Smoothie FAQs

Unlike juicing, where the juice of a fruit and vegetable is extracted leaving the pulp behind, a smoothie is made with the whole fruit and vegetable with added juice, milk, or yogurt making it richer in nutrients and fiber.  Although both are great choices, what some people don't know is how healthy some of the peel and pulp is.  Here is a list of benefits and tips on your smoothies:

1.  The blending process keeps all of that great fiber in from the fruits and vegetables, which helps create a slow, even release of nutrients into the blood stream, avoiding spikes in your blood sugar.

2.  Aside from fiber, smoothies provide an extra boost of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals because it often contains fruit skins and pith.

2.  Smoothies tend to be more filling because of the fiber and much easier to make than juicing.

3.  It really is up to you if you want to peel your fruits and vegetables.  The peel makes the smoothie denser, thicker, and adds more nutrients.  Something as thick and hard as a pineapple, oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit, and avocado peel we want to discard.  When it comes to carrots, I don't peel them because the peel is so thin, and a beet I peel just the hard top off.  When it comes to apples and pears I leave the peel on.  

4.  When it comes to seeds, the avocado seed, peach, plum or date seed obviously gets tossed, but something like grapes, kiwi and berries, those all go in the blender.

5.  Blenders and Juicers are very important in this process.  You want a blender that is gentle on your produce and doesn't heat up the enzymes and break apart the fiber.  It ends up not blending smooth and the taste is pretty bad.  It is a worthwhile investment that will last you a long time.  I have had mine for 10 years now where before I would buy a $50 blender a year.  Do the math!

6.  If you are not going to drink your smoothie right away after blending, store in a dark, tight container in the fridge or on the go so you don't lose many of its nutrients that just air can kill.

7.  Smoothies are excellent for busy people.  You just blend and go, and have all the nutrients you need without eating 10 vegetables in one sitting, you drink them instead!

8.  My favorite benefit is our blood becomes alkali with fruits and vegetables, and cancer cannot survive in an alkali environment!