Introduction
Juicing has become an increasingly popular way for health-conscious people to get more nutrients into their diets. By extracting the juice from fruits and vegetables, you can consume the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in their most natural and bioavailable form. This allows for easy absorption and utilization by the body.
Many juicing fans swear by cold-press juicers to get the freshest, purest juice possible. But these appliances can be quite expensive, ranging from $200 up to $400 or more. If you’re new to juicing, you may be hesitant to invest in such a niche appliance. This leaves many wondering – can you use an ordinary blender to make juices instead?
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using a blender for juicing, and how the results compare to a dedicated juicer.
How Juicers Work
First, it helps to understand the difference between how a juicer and a blender work.
Juicers are designed to separate the liquid juice from the pulp (insoluble fiber) from fruits and veggies. They work in two main ways:
Centrifugal juicers grind up produce using a high-speed spinning metal blade. This blade spins against a mesh filter, forcing the juice through while the pulp stays behind. Centrifugal models tend to be more affordable, but also louder and sometimes generate more foam.
Cold press juicers (also called masticating or slow juicers) crush and press produce slowly to squeeze out the juice. They operate at lower speeds and generate less heat, which helps preserve nutrients. The resulting juice contains less foam and separation. Cold press models range from $200-$500.
Blenders, on the other hand, don’t separate the juice from the pulp at all. They simply mix the entire fruits/veggies into a thick blended mixture. This includes all of the produce’s fiber, which is great for making smoothies but not ideal for juicing benefits.
What You Can Do With a Blender
While blenders can’t properly “juice” fruits and veggies, you can use them to make tasty blended drinks that contain some of the nutrients found in fresh produce. Here are some options:
Smoothies: Blend soft fruits like berries and bananas with juice and/or milk or yogurt. You get fiber from the whole fruits along with a liquid consistency. Add greens, protein powder or other mix-ins to pack in even more nutrition.
Nut milks: Blend soaked nuts and seeds with water to make non-dairy milks. Soak them first to soften and release nutrients. Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer to remove pulp.
Purees: Blend cooked veggies or roasted fruit with a little water into a thick, spoonable puree. Try carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, or apples, pears or mangoes.
Salsas and dressings: Blend raw tomatoes, mango, stone fruits, herbs and other ingredients into healthy dips and sauces. Adjust consistency with added liquids if needed.
Baby food: Steam and blend veggies, fruits and legumes into easy homemade baby food full of nutrients.
So while a blender doesn’t properly extract juice, it can create tasty blended beverages and foods that still deliver a concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from whole ingredients.
Downsides of Juicing with a Blender
There are some downsides to attempting to make juice in a regular blender:
– Texture: A blender will not fully separate juice from pulp the way an actual juicer does. Your “juice” will be more like a thick, pulpy puree.
– Fiber content: Blending retains all the fiber from the produce, versus juicing which removes most of the insoluble fiber. This fiber affects the consistency and mouthfeel.
– Foam: Blenders whip in air, creating a light, foamy texture. Juices are typically more dense.
– Pulp: Centrifugal juicers let you separate pulp into a different container. Blenders leave it in the juice, which some find unappealing.
– Oxidation: Blenders expose juice to air, leading to some oxidation and loss of nutrients. Masticating juicers minimize exposure to air.
– Efficiency: Juicers are specially designed to extract liquid and leave behind fiber. Blenders are not as efficient at separating juice from pulp.
– Volume: Blenders dilute juice with extra water or ice to blend it properly. Juicers concentrate the nutrients into a smaller volume of liquid.
So while you can certainly make tasty blended drinks in a blender, you won’t achieve the same pulp-free, nutrient-dense juicing results as you’d get from a real juicer.
Pros of Using a Blender
With all those downsides, why would you even consider juicing with a blender? Here are a few potential advantages:
– Cost: You can buy a good blender for much less than a quality juicer. Blenders start around $40, while decent juicers don’t go below $100. High-end blenders reach $500, but that’s still less than top juicer models.
– Versatility: You can use a blender for smoothies, purees, nut milks, sauces and more. Juicers only make juice.
– Simplicity: Blenders are easy to use and clean, with fewer parts than most juicers. Just add ingredients and blend.
– Availability: If you happen to have a blender on hand already, it’s convenient to use it and skip buying another appliance.
– Fiber: Blending retains healthful fiber from produce that juicing removes. This provides better gut health benefits.
– Fast: It’s quicker to make blended drinks in a blender than juice in a juicer, especially with a high-powered model.
So for the simplicity, flexibility and cost advantages, using a blender has some legitimate upsides compared to buying a dedicated juicing machine.
Tips for “Juicing” in a Blender
While blenders can’t replicate the texture, efficiency or nutrients of true fresh juices, you can still make flavorful blended produce drinks. Here are some tips:
– Use a high-powered blender like Vitamix, Blendtec, Ninja or Oster Versa. The motor needs to be strong enough to finely break down all the fiber.
– Peel oranges, tangerines, pineapple and other produce with tough peels. Unlike juicers, blenders can’t effectively process peels.
– Cut ingredients into small pieces so they blend more smoothly.
– Add extra liquid to achieve a drinkable consistency. Fruit/veg juices, coconut water and nut milks work well.
– Use frozen instead of fresh produce for thicker smoothie-style drinks. The ice cold temps provide more juice.
– Sweeten with fresh/dried fruits instead of refined sugars. Riper produce also has more natural sweetness.
– Strain the blend through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer if you want a smoother, less pulpy drink.
– Mix and match soft fruits like berry, melon, citrus, mango, etc. Avoid or limit harder produce like carrot, beet or ginger.
– Consider leaving the skins on apples, pears, cucumbers and other larger fruits/veg for extra nutrients. Just wash them well first.
– Drink blended drinks right away before nutrients deteriorate from oxidation. Juices also degrade over time after juicing.
While not giving identical results to juicing, using blender hacks lets you make nutritious blended beverages at home without buying another appliance.
Blenders vs. Juicers – The Verdict
So should you buy a juicer, or just use your blender? Here’s a summary of the key differences:
Juicers
– Extract the maximum liquid and nutrients from produce by separating juice from pulp
– Give the highest concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
– Provide pure, pulp-free, foamy juice with bright flavor
– Require produce to be chopped/processed through machine
– Leave behind dry pulp fiber that can be discarded or used elsewhere
– Don’t retain beneficial insoluble fiber found in whole fruits/veggies
– Come in centrifugal and cold press models ranging $100-$400+
Blenders
– Blend whole fruits and veggies into thick, pulpy drink
– Retain both soluble and insoluble fiber from produce
– Oxidize juice more due to air exposure from blending
– Offer flexibility for smoothies, nut milks, purees, etc. beyond just juice
– Require extra liquid and sweetness to achieve palatable juice drinks
– Cost much less than juicers, starting around $40
– Are more convenient and widely available in homes
Ultimately, there are upsides and downsides to both options. Here are a few factors to help decide which is better for your needs:
– If you want pure vegetable and greens juices with the most nutrition extraction, a juicer is best.
– If you prefer fruit juices and fiber-rich smoothies, a blender may suffice.
– Blenders offer more versatility for the price if you won’t be juicing frequently.
– Get a juicer if you want to do long-term juice cleanses or juice fasting.
– Those with gut issues may benefit more from removing fiber through juicing.
– Adding a blender to your juicer lets you make smoothies with the leftover pulp.
Many devoted juice fans end up owning both appliances to unlock the widest array of options. But even just a quality blender can get you pretty far into juicing-style drinks.
Recipes for “Juicing” with a Blender
To get you started, here are a few tasty juice and smoothie recipes that can be made in a blender:
Green Blender Juice
– 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
– 2 celery stalks, chopped
– 2 cups kale leaves, ribs removed
– 1⁄2 lemon, peeled
– 1-inch piece ginger, peeled
– 1 apple, cored and chopped
– 1 cup coconut water
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Strain through a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer if desired. Serve over ice.
Beet Apple Carrot Juice
– 2 medium beets, peeled and chopped
– 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
– 1 apple, cored and chopped
– 1⁄2 lemon, peeled
– 1 inch ginger, peeled
– 1 cup apple juice
Blend all ingredients until fully pureed. Strain for a smoother juice. Serve chilled over ice.
Tropical Fruit Smoothie
– 1 banana, frozen
– 1 cup pineapple chunks, frozen
– 1 orange, peeled
– 1⁄2 cup mango chunks, frozen
– 1⁄2 cup coconut water
– 1 tbsp chia seeds
Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Enjoy immediately.
Green Boost Smoothie
– 1 banana, frozen
– 1 cup baby spinach
– 1 tbsp almond butter
– 1 tbsp flaxseed
– 1 cup almond milk
– 1⁄2 tbsp honey
Blend all ingredients until combined. Pour over ice and top with granola if desired.
Conclusion
While blenders can’t fully replicate the results of a dedicated juicer, they can still be used to make flavorful blended juices and smoothies at home. The key is managing expectations around texture, consistency and nutrient levels.
Blenders provide affordability and versatility for whipping up pulpy juice drinks, smoothies, nut milks and more. But for pure, concentrated vegetable and leafy green juices, a good juicer is still the best choice.
Many people find having both appliances in their kitchen provides the greatest flexibility. But even just an ordinary blender gets you pretty far into juicing-style beverages without another pricey equipment purchase.
So don’t let lack of a juicer deter you from reaping benefits of produce! With a few tricks and blender hacks, you can craft plenty of nutritious juices, smoothies and blends at home.
| Blender | Juicer |
|---|---|
| Leaves in fiber from produce | Removes insoluble fiber from produce |
| Makes smooth, pulpy juices and smoothies | Extracts pure, clear juice |
| Exposes juice to oxygen during blending | Minimizes oxygen exposure of juice |
| Requires added liquid and sweetener | Concentrates pure juice into small amount of liquid |
| Less efficient at juicing produce | Designed specifically to juice produce |
| More affordable, starting around $40 | More expensive, starting around $100 |
| Offers versatility for smoothies, nut milks, etc. | Only makes juice |
| More convenient and widely available | More niche appliance, may require new purchase |
| Green Blender Juice | Beet Apple Carrot Juice | Tropical Fruit Smoothie | Green Boost Smoothie |
|---|---|---|---|
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