This week’s article comes by way of our friend Sarah Hagstrom, co-creator of The Seasonal Diet. (You should join her facebook group, Plant-Based Women & Couples!)
Sarah and her husband Peter.
One of the things I love doing with all of the fresh, seasonal organic produce we get at Daily Harvest Express is juicing and making smoothies.
Sarah’s article inspired me to start making a green juice at least 4 times a week as opposed to smoothies. My fibromyalgia was flaring up, but within just a couple of days of juicing, I started feeling better! If you’re looking for a coach, we highly recommend Sarah!
Green Juice vs Green Smoothie, by Sarah Hagstrom
Summer is here, and it’s the perfect time to incorporate green drinks!
If you’re new to green drinks, I’m your girl.
I’ve been drinking these since 2010, and boy oh boy have they made a BIG difference in my health.
The energy I get from these drinks is comparable to a large cup of coffee, but without the crash and the stomach pain. If you want to feel alive, start incorporating these.
Before I dive in, if you’d rather watch a video on this topic, I did a short live video where I talk about the two where I did a quick demo of each, so you can see the difference.
Video:
Be warned – the start is a little crazy as I had to do a part 1 and 2, it was a weird day LOL.
Click here to watch the video of me juicing and blending.
So Green Juice vs Green Smoothie, which is better?
First, let me be clear that they are NOT the same thing. Some will say they’re drinking a green juice, but really it’s a smoothie.
So how can you tell the difference?
- Juice is made in a juicer, and the fiber is removed.
- Smoothies are made in the blender, with all the fiber intact.
Let’s kick this off with juicing (my personal favorite!)
Green juice.
I love how fresh & energizing green juice is.
Juicing is the one thing that cleared up my skin the fastest – which is no surprise, as juicing extracts the liquid from the fruits / vegetables, leaving the fiber behind.
It gives your body a straight shot of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
It allows your digestive system to rest, which is excellent for after vacations or holidays when you may have been eating mindlessly, or more frequently than usual.
I highly recommend juicing for those with digestive issues, or trying to heal an illness.
If you’re curious about our current juicer, or the ones we’ve used in the past, you can check out this article.
I’m the juice maker in this house – I make it for us every morning around 8 am. If we have a flight or trip early in the morning, I’ll make it the night before.
I think of juice as our insurance plan, or our multi-vitamin.
Yes, it takes a little effort, but I feel good making it for myself and Peter every morning. When I look at my juice container filled with liquid greens, I feel exceedingly abundantly, knowing that my health has been taken care of.
If you’d like all of my juice recipes, and more videos of me juicing, you can find all of them, as well as the morning routine I follow, inside my Mastermind.
(I’d say about 25 women in the Mastermind are also juicing multiple times a week, which makes me so happy! Talk about healthy inspirational women!)
And then, there are smoothies – Which, don’t get me wrong, I also love.
Green smoothie.
I make a green smoothie 3-4 days a week, where Peter makes one 5-6 days a week! Smoothies are great because they’re jam-packed with fiber, and can quickly fill you up – making a quick (and portable) meal.
Smoothies are a good option for those concerned with their blood sugar – as the fiber helps the sugar absorb more steadily.*
*That can also be achieved with juicing, but you need to watch the amount of fruit you put into your juice.
Another great thing about smoothies is you can put goodies into them that you can’t juice – such as bananas, nuts, protein powders, avocados… and on and on.
If you’re in the market for a new blender, you can see our favorites here.
Peter and I usually make our own smoothies – as I like mine super green and creamy, and Peter’s have more of a fresh orange flavor. Sometimes we’ll ask the other to make one for us, just to switch things up.
(If you’ve had a green drink that you didn’t love, don’t give up, I promise there’s a green juice AND green smoothie recipe you’ll love!)
Keeping all of this in mind, I suggest a delicate balance between the two.
I think they’re both great, and something you should consider adding to your diet if you need more energy and want to increase your nutrients.
These are way better than any pill!
If you aren’t doing either regularly (consistency wins, when it comes to feeling great!), start with one. Smoothies tend to be easier, but if you have any digestive issues or weight you’re trying to lose, then juicing might be a better option.
I’d love to hear from you: do you currently juice or blend? Or better yet – do you do a little bit of each?
Let me know, or reach out on social media, I’d love to hear from you.
Keeping you healthy,
Sarah
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