Fresh smoothies and juices make a nutritious breakfast or snack, enabling you to meet your daily fruit recommendation of one to two cups a day as stipulated by the US Department of Agriculture. If you are not the type that prefers eating whole fruits or vegetables, then blending them is a great way to enjoy the flavor while keeping yourself well nourished.
Blending veggies and fruits have always been tied to good health. In fact, a majority of fitness people prefer consuming them in liquid form to get the nutrients in abundance. This is owing to the fact that a glass of smoothie or milkshake allows users to take more veggies and fruits, along with other ingredients that aren’t possible to eat in their whole form.
There is the question of whether blending destroys the nutrients of fruits and vegetables. The truth of the matter is that something about nutrients changes when you blend your food. More accurately, the blending process changes the availability of nutrients to be taken in the body. It is the same thing that happens with chewing, cooking and digestion.
Think of it this way, when you eat whole foods, you chew to break down the content so that it can be absorbed in the body. Chewing allows you to swallow without choking. It also breaks up the nutrient holding fibers. The more you chew, the more nutrients become available. The same things happen with blending. Breaking down your veggies and fruits with a hand or immersion blender doesn’t alter their nutritional value unless you store the smoothie for an extended time.
If you are getting started, or are just curious to learn about the benefits of blending your fruits and veggies, then here are top reasons to blend your food. If these reasons don’t convince you, nothing will.
Easier way to eat your food
If you do not like the hassle of biting through your apples or mangoes, or if you are pressed for time, drinking a smoothie or juice is easier and faster – especially between getting on with other tasks. Again, blending also makes things a lot easier if you are a slow eater who takes an hour or so to finish a serving. Since the juice or smoothie is in liquid form, it allows you to consume all the nutrients fast without having to waste a lot of time.
Avoid the bitter taste of the greens
One of the many reasons why many people dislike eating raw greens despite their nutritional value is that they have a bitter taste. It’s likely that you don’t enjoy eating raw kale, broccoli or spinach either. But the reality is, you gain so much more eating raw veggies than cooked ones. So, the best way to get the nutrients without passing through hell is by blending the vegetables in a mixture of other things. It will taste a lot better. Besides, since you aren’t chewing it, you won’t have much of a hard time.
It’s easier for your body
This is an extension of what we discussed earlier. When you blend the food, you break down the fibers and make the nutrients available for absorption. Again, it is much easier for your digestive system to digest all ingredients in a smoothie. It is rare to have any digestive issue after a smoothie when compared to eating the ingredients in the wrong order.
It’s delicious
Unlike eating the ingredients separately, a smoothie allows you to add spices and herbs to make it taste amazing. For instance, you can mix your spinach, oats, fruits, and add in some vanilla, pecans and dates for a tasty dessert smoothie.
Eat loads of fruits and veggies without realizing
One of the best things about blending fruits or vegetables is that you get to eat a whole lot more than you would if you ate them as a whole. And if you think about it, you would never eat spinach for breakfast – but you would eat it in a smoothie without blinking.
Less washing to do
If you are the type who doesn’t like doing the dishes – blending your juices is a great way to avoid that task. Just prepare your juice or smoothies and rinse the blender with water and you are good to go.
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