Nutrition Breakdown: Smoothies vs. Juices

As we head into the summer, let’s talk refreshing drinks! While smoothies are delicious and easy to make at home, I’ve noticed that drinking pressed juices is becoming a big trend. Both of these beverages are a great way to get in some fruits and vegetables, which are packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The major difference between the two is that in a smoothie, the whole fruits and veggies are blended up, but in juice, the pulp is separated from the liquid. Most nutrients in the fruits and vegetables make it into the juice, but there is one key nutrient that is left behind: fiber, which makes smoothies more nutrient-filled than juices.

Fiber lives in the structure of the plants’ cells, and therefore, is not present in juice. As I’ve talked about on this blog before, fiber is important for many reasons. Fiber helps keep your digestive system functional and healthy and lowers cholesterol. However, most Americans are not reaching the daily recommended amount of fiber (25g for women and 38g for men)*!

Smoothies are an easy and delicious way to sneak in extra fiber, and you can increase the amount even more by adding seeds such as chia seeds and flax seeds. Another way to add an extra nutrient punch to your smoothies is by adding spinach or other leafy greens, which I promise you won’t be able to taste over the sweet fruits! My go-to smoothie ingredients are banana, non-dairy milk, ice, chia seeds, spinach, and another fruit (my favorite is mango).

This is not to say that juices are unhealthy! Juice still is a great choice, filled with many nutrients and lots of hydration power. However, if you’re deciding between the two, smoothies are the option that will give you some extra fiber, and your gut will thank you later!

*If you’re curious how much fiber you’re eating, you can track your diet for a couple of days to get an idea, using a website like cronometer.com**. It is recommended to raise your fiber intake slowly over time. So if you typically eat 10g per day, try having 15g a day before jumping all the way up to 25g. This is because fiber can act as a workout for your digestive system, so if you aren’t used to getting much fiber, it can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like stomach aches and gas. If you aren’t used to lifting weights, you wouldn’t go straight to lifting 100lbs, and this is the same idea! Additionally, when increasing fiber, be sure to increase your water intake to keep your digestive system happy!

**While tracking your diet for a short period of time can help you get an idea of what nutrients you are getting, I would not recommend doing this long-term or focusing too much on macros and calories. Tracking what you eat closely can be a slippery slope that may lead to unhealthy eating patterns and restrictions, so please be mindful!