It seems everyone is going on a juice cleanse these days, especially this time of year. I enjoy fresh fruit and vegetable juice and went through a period where I juiced a lot.
Then I got my Vitamix, and everything changed.
Health benefits aside, a juicer is hard to clean. It has multiple parts, and you have to do something with the pulp after you remove it. If you don’t scrub it well every time you use it, the mesh filter gets clogged and suddenly your pulp is sopping wet from all the juice you’re not getting. It can be a mess, and I don’t need any more messes in my life.
I like the juice, but it’s too much work for me, so I started making smoothies. Fruit smoothies, vegetable smoothies, chocolate banana smoothies. Here’s the thing about smoothies: They’re much more filling since you’re getting all that fiber and pulp, and they’re easy to make. Throw everything in the blender and blend. Rinse it out when you’re done and go about your day.
These days I probably get most of my nutrients from smoothies. I blend fruit, nuts and veggies with some water, drink and I’m full for hours. I don’t add dairy or yogurt since I’ve been trying to cut back. I try to add as many plant foods as possible. If I have any left, I pour it into mason jars and pop it in the fridge. It makes getting all my nutrients a snap.
There are those that say juicing is better for getting a lot of nutrients as they are absorbed by your body much quicker and easier. Some also say that smoothies are much harder on the digestive system. All these things may be true, but I’ve found that when I have two smoothies a day, my digestive system works better than ever. Maybe your’s is different; I honestly don’t want to know.
My philosophy? Do what works for you. For me, what works is easy cleanup.
