Smoothie or juice?

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​You’re not alone if you’re confused by the smoothie and juicing hype and don’t really know why you’d do one over the other. Will this really lead to a healthier life? Or, perhaps you’re wondering what’s the difference? I was recently asked “When you say juicing, do you mean just squeezing the life out of the fruit and veg in a juicer or chopping it up finely in a nutri bullet type thing and drinking all of it? ​It seems like such a waste throwing out all the pulp.” 

Short answer, I do both, depending on how I feel, what appeals at the time, and what I intuitively feel my body needs.


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With juicing, I can almost feel (and visualise) my body sucking up the nutrients from the juice (clear and easy, being absorbed very quickly) whereas a smoothie is thick and a very different consistency. As the fibre has been removed when juicing, a juice can be easier on your digestive system. When we have gut health issues going on, maybe due to food intolerances, irritable or inflammatory bowel issues or inflammation, we may not be absorbing all the nutrients from our food. I find a juice can be great for an instant pick-me-up, think of it like giving your body a multivitamin hit from nature.

On the downside, a juice can be a sugar hit depending what you’ve put in the mix which is not good for us ladies (or anyone actually!) and higher GI with no fibre. So use a combo – things like green apple, celery, carrot, greens, dandelion leaves from your garden, parsley, ginger, beetroot and your liver will love you.

I despise waste and use the pulp from juicer in fritters. Super easy just mix with some eggs, maybe a few TB of coconut flour to help bind and some herbs, salt and pepper. Yummy breakfast if you have time, make a juice then use the pulp for some fritters. Any leftovers are good for lunch or a snack cold. The pulp’s also a good thickener in a slow cooker – not so much at this time of the year though in NZ!

If you consult Auntie Google on uses for juice pulp, you’ll find many more 🙂 it’s so awful to waste it. The pulp will keep in the fridge if you can’t use it straight away or pop in the freezer.

Go easy on the fruit content in your smoothies too, same story as above. The perfect smoothie can be a balanced meal, great in the warmer weather but light and not going to bog you down. I often enjoy mine as a smoothie bowl, like a soup. Make a thickish brew, top with a TB of coconut yoghurt and sprinkle over some seeds – yum!
Depends really if you’re a slurp or sip type.
 
Some smoothie basics:

  • Add 1 cup of water, coconut water, milk of your choice (almond, coconut etc. are great) or any combination to your blender.
  • Add ice cubes or frozen fruit.
  • Use organic, seasonal fruit and veg when you can. I’ve been adding courgettes to my smoothies loately as I have an abundance in the garden, great for fibre and thickening, while very low calorie. 
  • Get creative with some good fats, fibre, protein, super charged foods, flavourings or sweeteners.
  • Be mindful of your serving sizes as your smoothie can easily become a calorie packed mix before you know it!

Good Fats
(be mindful of amounts – around 1TB)

Nut butter
Avocado (up to 1/4)
Nuts or seeds
Tahini
Coconut yoghurt
Flaxseed oil
Fibre
​(*be mindful of the sugar content)

Green veggies
Banana*
Berries
Dates*
Green apples
Pears
Lemons
Psyllium husk
Oats
Protein
LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds, almonds)
Natural, unsweetened yoghurt
Protein powder
L-Glutamine powder (great for gut repair)
Other good things
Probiotics
Chia seeds
Cacao powder
Herbs – parsley, mint
Superfood powders (beetroot, kale,green juice powders and more if you have no access to fresh produce)
Honey or maple syrup
Cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla
Turmeric – fresh or dried
Ginger – fresh or dried
A good dose of Vitamin L and make with a smile.

Most importantly, enjoy and have fun experimenting with different ingredients. 

If you’d like help making positive changes to your health and wellness, please get in touch. 
Book a call to see if I can help you.
PS I also help those suffering from Wellness Overwhelm. (Think confused, mixed messages, tried loads of things, exhausted and over it all, don’t know what to do next). 


We’re all so different, I prefer a smoothie for lunch not breakfast (it doesn’t last the distance for me) and like to slurp not sip. What’s your preference? I’d love to hear in the comments below. 
​This is all part of bio-individuality – we’re all different and what works for one, will not work for another. That’s why I do not offer a cookie cutter solution, it’s about working out what’s right FOR YOU

Try something new in your kitchen today,
after all,
​what’s the worst thing that can happen? 

Most important
Remember to add Vitamin L 
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