I often get asked about the nutritional differences between whole, blended and juiced fruits. With our busy lifestyles, it can be hard to make time to eat right so options like juices and smoothies are seen as a quick and easy way to incorporate more vitamins and minerals into your diet. But how much of the goodness do you actually retain?
When juicing, only 0.1% of the fibre is retained through the process as the juice is extracted leaving behind the fibrous pulp and many antioxidants. This is significant as a diet rich in fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Without the bulk and fibre, juice can be highly concentrated in sugar with a 250ml glass containing up to a whopping 5 teaspoons of sugar. Juice should not be considered a replacement for whole fruits or vegetables but as a nutritious addition to a healthy, balanced diet.
Blending retains between 90-100% of vitamins and 90% of fibre. When blending fruit and vegetables their nutrients quickly impair as protective enzymes are triggered when the fruit is exposed to air. This starts to rapidly break down nutrients, so it is important to drink a smoothie quickly to obtain as much goodness as possible.
Consuming whole fruit and vegetables ensures 100% of both fibre and vitamins are retained, offering the best nutritional value. Try to eat the peel too whenever possible as it contains many antioxidants and nutrients.
If you want to start eating more whole fruit a great way to start is having a fruit bowl on display with the fruit conveniently washed and ready to eat- helping to encourage the whole family to a healthier snack.
Topics such as these are covered in our Workshops which are flexible and can be tailored to your needs.
