You may have encountered one of the many endless articles and posts about smoothies, health, and whole fruits and vegetables.
If this is the case then, we are sure you have come across some posts that say smoothies are healthier, but others that say they aren’t.
We are here to give you real information on this.
Let’s get into all the facts though, because you need the REAL answer now!
Blended Fruit Vs Whole Fruit: Which One Is Better?
So, blended fruit vs whole food – which one is better? Let’s start by saying that whole fruit contains fiber, minerals, and vitamins, all of which are great.
Fiber, of all of these, will help to slow down the speed at which fructose (sugar) enters your bloodstream, and can help you feel full for much longer. Whole fruit comes with this benefit.
Now, many say that smoothies remove the fiber. This is not true, this is juice. You are thinking of juice. Fiber is in the body of the fruit, you still get this when you are drinking the fruit, all mashed up, like in a smoothie.
The main difference is that a smoothie will work its way through your system faster because your body doesn’t need to worry about mashing it up and breaking it down, the blender did that for you.
Blended fruits and whole fruits are nutritionally compatible with one another, so there is no clear answer to which is better. It is a personal choice, which works best for you.
Do note that having too many smoothies could give you mild diarrhea, however, since the fruit will make its way through your system much faster, meaning your fecal matter may be more fluid than if you only have 1 smoothie per day.
Is There A Difference Between Blending Fruit & Eating Fruit?
No. Not really, aside from the physical aspect, there is little difference.
The online world is full of people claiming that blended fruit and veg see all their fibers destroyed and nutrients disappear.
Where do these nutrients go? Vitamins and minerals do not just… vanish simply because an item has been mashed up.
Food doesn’t work that way. This is a problem because most people are thinking about juice, when pulp is removed, which does leave some nutrients and fiber, but not all.
Smoothies are whole fruits and veg, with none of it removed, mashed up into a smoothly blended mixture.
The whole fruit is in there, so all of the compounds and parts that make up these foods are still there. Only now, they’re in liquid form.
Is Blending Food The Same As Eating It?
Is it the same? Well, kind of, unless you are talking about the physical process, smoothies, and eaten foods, such as smoothies are not that different.
The food gets all mashed up and mixed in your stomach anyway, so when blended, you are kind of just giving the food a faster entrance into your digestive system.
Of course, when you blend food you need to take other things into account such as how your body will process it, you can’t blend everything after all, or you may end up becoming best friends with your toilet.
However, the main issue that most people have is the concern whether the food that is blended stays as healthy and good for you as when it is whole, yes, it does.
It doesn’t lose anything unless you remove certain parts altogether.
Blended food is just as good for you as it is when you eat it whole. It does not lose any of its ‘good parts’.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Blended Fruit?
First, let’s clear something out of the way quickly – blending doesn’t destroy nutrients. Blending is good, especially for those who are trying to lose weight.
Blending can enhance your body’s production of hemoglobin and can help to deliver oxygen to the cells in your body.
Not only this but blending food can also reduce your hunger.
So many fruits and vegetables will have calorific values and these are maintained, however, they contain fiber, and will work their way through your system faster so your body absorbs what it needs faster, and nothing ‘hangs around’ longer than needed.
So, you get to feel fuller, for longer, without eating a huge amount and ingesting excess calories.
Fruit and veg that have been blended also retain their fibers (no matter what anyone else says), so these tasty treats have the same fiber content, helping to regulate your digestion and lower the risk of any chronic illnesses.
Juice and smoothies are often mixed up, it is the juice that lacks the fiber, not smoothies!
FAQs:
Do Fruits Have More Calories If You Blend Them?
No, fruits do not gain calories when blended. Just like they do not lose any nutrition, a food item cannot gain calories that it did not originally have.
Is A Blended Banana Less Healthy?
No. If you blend a banana and then drink your blended banana without removing anything, it has the same health benefits as if you were to eat it fresh out of the peel.
Do Blended Fruits Digest Faster?
Yes. Your body will absorb nutrition easier as blending can help to break down harder-to-digest plant cell walls. So, fruits and vegetables that are usually harder to digest become a bit easier for your body to deal with.
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