What is a Smoothie?

What are the differences between juices and smoothies? They’re both accepted as health food drinks, but how are they different and is one better than the other? This article will explain the major differences between the two…

Where juices and smoothies are similar

Both juices and smoothies are made with fresh, natural ingredients. They typically have a liquid base and are designed to be made fresh and drunk relatively quickly to make sure they’re at their best. They’re low in calories, taste great and contain a lot of vitamins and minerals.

Where juices and smoothies are different

Juicing involves the squeezing and processing of fruits and/or vegetables to remove their liquid content (juice). This is achieved by squeezing the food under very high pressure in a dedicated machine.

Smoothies involve the blending of whole fruits and vegetables into a liquid using a powerful chopping device. It’s a very quick process and retains the whole fruit and vegetable in the drink.

Benefits and drawbacks of both

Juices capture the pure flavour of the fruit or vegetable. They’re very light, very fresh and are easy to digest even for those with severe digestive issues. The problem with juicing is that while it’s an effective way of removing the liquid content, it doesn’t contain many of the healthier elements of the food, including the skin and pulp. Juicing captures the taste, some of the vitamins and minerals of the ingredients, but leaves the fibre behind. A juice is effectively all of the sugar, with none of the fibre.

Smoothies contain all of the healthy elements of the fruit and vegetables, so they capture not just the taste of the ingredients but also the bits that are required for digestive health and feelings of fullness. The high fibre content can be an issue for people with severe digestive health issues, but these aren’t especially common. For those without digestive problems, the vitamin, mineral and fibre content means a smoothie can be used as a legitimate meal, whereas a juice couldn’t. The smoothie needs a liquid base such as water, fruit juice or ice to get it started, otherwise you’ll end up with a puree rather than a drink!

Both have their place, but from an overall view, smoothies are healthier, more convenient and versatile.