Many of us on the journey to greater health have often wondered which is better: A green juice or a green smoothie? While they both offer highly available, easily absorbable nutrients, there must be reasons why one might be better than the other.

Green Juice VS Green Smoothie

Not All Green Juices and Smoothies Are Created Equal

There are definitely a few factors to consider when making a green juice or smoothie, and one of those is: How much greens are actually in there?

Sure, you can put a little spinach in your mango banana smoothie…and it might be green, but it doesn’t hold a candle to true green juices and smoothies. The more veggies, the better the benefits!

Now, don’t get me wrong! I love fruit juices and smoothies and truly believe in their whole foods-y goodness. I’m just worried about how much sugar ends up in there (since I have sugar fluctuation issues) especially in juices since the fiber is removed.

I personally like to make my juices more veggie based because I can use cucumbers, celery, parsley, dill, ginger, and others to help mask the strong flavor of say…beets (which I don’t like but will drink), wheat grass, kale, chard…etc! I find juices to be more pleasant when I can add these “flavor superstars” to the mix.

As for smoothies, I prefer a fruitier theme, so I’ll usually go with one whole fruit “flavor superstar” like pineapple, green apple, or berries when trying to cover the dark leafies. Otherwise, I will use mellow fruit flavors like bananas and mangos, mixed with mellow greens like spinach or a few leaves of kale instead of the whole bunch like I would normally use in a green juice.

So What Does a Green Juice or Green Smoothie Offer Us Nutritionally?

They both provide high levels of plant-based compounds known as anti-oxidants, which are known to protect the body from degenerative conditions, free radicals, and pro-oxidants. It’s funny how oxygen, the molecule that gives us life, can also cause the most damage! That's why anti-oxidants are an integral part of staying youthful and healthy. So how does a green juice or green smoothie come into play here?

The antioxidants and enzymes found in fresh green juice and smoothies are the most concentrated and natural protectors that aid our cells against free radicals and oxidation. And guess what? They all come from plants! So drink up!

Types of Anti-oxidants Include

• Carotenes
• Flavonoids
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Sulfur-containing compounds

Green juice and green smoothies also contain chlorophyll, the alkalizing green pigment found in plants.

Green Juices VS Green Smoothies - Which is Better Than The Other?

Green Smoothies

Green smoothies are wonderful meal replacements. They satiate you until your next meal, are easy to digest, taste great, and you can drink as much as you want without any guilt at all. They are generally more easily accepted by people who are new on the path to vibrant health because fruit is very appealing to a lot of people, even children.

Another benefit is that you get to use fruits that don’t juice well like bananas and berries in smoothies.

Smoothies are also great because you can add delicious spices and superfood powders to them like, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla bean, goji berry, acai, and cacao. You can make a smoothie with any flavor you want!

Green Juices

When we drink green juice, the anti-oxidants are consumed unhampered by fiber because the fiber is mostly removed. You can fit a ton of veggies into green juice than you can in a green smoothie. This is because fiber takes up a lot of space.

I can juice a whole bunch of kale, a whole bunch of celery, a few cucumbers, a green apple or two, some herbs, and a knob of ginger compared to a couple bananas, a large handful of spinach and some almond milk for a smoothie. The difference in the number of nutrients you can consume at one time in a green juice is staggering!

Is there a downside to juicing, yes and no. It’s true that juicing can get quite expensive because of the volume of veggies you need to get a decent amount of juice.

Are there ways around this? Sure. Try considering the cheaper veggies available to you and try those in juices. These can include carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, celery, and other water-rich veggies. You can spruce up any juice with a green apple, a piece of ginger, a lemon, or a lime. They make any juice taste awesome! Another nice flavor superstar addition is grapefruit. You can even add a little bit of cayenne pepper for a little kick. I like to add it mainly because I have a cold constitution and the cayenne keeps me warm.

Isn’t Fiber Important?

Yep. Fiber is essential for vibrant health as it allows our digestive system to run smoothly. This is why I really like to include BOTH green juices and smoothies into my diet.

Green juices are the powerhouses that get nutrient dense energy into your body FAST that is incredibly health promoting.

Smoothies are grounding, satiating, and colon cleansing. They provide a much longer, more steady release of energy than green juices do.

Green smoothies are great for those of you who are looking for long-lasting energy.

Juices are great for those of you who are looking to regain your health much faster.

Please note that some of you may be sensitive to sugar. If I’m not careful with the amount of fruit I put into a green juice, I find myself crashing into a hypoglycemic disaster! My husband likes to call this state "hangry", and I have to agree with him.

As a result, I've found that the perfect amount of sugar is generally about one apple or orange added to my green juices (try throwing in some guava if you have it, guava juice is amazing!). Be sure to experiment and find what amount works best for you! Sometimes just having a meal about an hour after a green juice will help prevent a sugar crash. I have also found cinnamon to be a great blood sugar stabilizer and will often either take it via capsule with my green juice/smoothie or by adding it to the final product and stirring it in. 

Green Juice VS Green Smoothie - So, Which One Do You Choose?

Well, that depends. A good quality juicer and blender can be very expensive, so if I had to choose one over the other I would go for a blender, especially if you are trying to lose weight because the fiber will satiate your hunger.

If you are in ill health (like fighting a disease or cancer) and REALLY want to turn yourself around and dramatically improve your health, then I would suggest a juicer, hands down! There is no better way than fresh green juice to up your health.

However, keep in mind that you can actually make a juice using a blender if you strain the smoothie using a nut milk bag. It's a little more work, but if you're looking to save some money and want to enjoy both options, this is the way to do it!

This is the juicer I recommend.

This is the blender I recommend.

Both of these options will last YEARS and are totally worth the investment. I look at it as an investment in your health.

How Do Green Juices and Smoothies Clear Acne?

They do this by nourishing your body with alkalizing chlorophyll and powerful anti-oxidants. They cleanse your system and regulate/improve your digestion with enzymes. When your digestion works, your skin gets clear! When you are well nourished, stress doesn’t affect you as much and your immunity is stronger…so fewer acne breakouts!

If you can replace at least one meal with a green juice or green smoothie, you will start to feel a huge difference in your health and the quality of your skin.

Green vs green smoothies. Which is your favorite?

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6 Skincare Tips That Cleared My Acne Naturally

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