To juice, or not to juice

[RAWatFIRSTsight]

So I was all ready to get the Omega 8004, after all kinds of research, until I heard juicing is not the best way to consume fruits and veggies. I read somewhere that a lot of fiber and nutrients are lost in the pulp. I would like to confirm if this is true or not before making a decision. And would a food processor be a better choice since it doesn't separate the juice from the pulp?

[Aleesha Sattva]

it's really up to you. either one is super healthy... it's personal preference. i prefer juice - others prefer smoothies.

[DebB]

If you're wanting to make smoothies - I'd recommend a high speed blender like a BlendTec or Vitamix. There are many threads here on which most people have/prefer.

As far as juicing vs green smoothies - I love both! I wouldn't want to be without either of them. I also enjoy "blended salads" (made in high speed blender). *Ü*

[sport]

I feel that the main advantage to juicing is that you get the nutrients from more veg in to you.
I could not consume a large head of celery per day but I can if I juice it.

[Revvell]

It may not be THE best way because yes, the fiber and fluid is separate yet, it's ONE way. Juicing for health has been around a loooooong time! My suggestion ~ get Norman Walker's book on juicing and Victoria Boutenko's book on smoothies. What's really cool here? You can have your juice and smoothies too! No need to not have both. Enjoy and always ~ play with your food!

~ Revvell ~

[Dirkg]

I know the really good blenders (Blendtec/Vitamix) are pretty expensive. If a good juicer is also in the same price range, then I think a blender is the much better choice (unless of course you can afford both) since it can do so much more, and is also easier to clean.

The argument in favor of juicing is that its easier to drink the nutrients than eat them (for an equivalent amount). However the exact same thing is true for blending, but you also get the fiber. Personally I prefer the pulp in the juice anyway, so the choice was clear for me.

[Stina]

Sometimes the nutrients from the juice minus the work of dealing with the fiber is a gift to my body.

[GreenT]

Sometimes i'm in the mood for a juice, sometimes i'm in the mood for a smoothie. I have both and wouldn't want to be without either....its the best of both worlds ;)

[RAWatFIRSTsight]

Thanks everyone. I have narrowed it down to either a blender or a food processor. I am leaning towards the food processor because it sounds more versatile. Also is Cuisinart the best brand to go with for food processors or is there a better one out there?

[DebB]

Thanks everyone. I have narrowed it down to either a blender or a food processor. I am leaning towards the food processor because it sounds more versatile. Also is Cuisinart the best brand to go with for food processors or is there a better one out there?

I have an 11 cup Cuisinart and I love it. It's my second Cuisinart (I gave the first one away). I wouldn't hesitate getting another Cuisinart.

I hear that Kitchen Aid makes a good food processor also.

They both have large feed tubes, which I enjoy on the Cuisinart. I use my FP several times a week. *Ü*

[DebB]

I'm back to ask -- what are you hoping to make with the FP? I ask after rereading your original post.

Are you wanting to make a green smoothie with it? I ask because I tried to do just that before I got my BlendTec and it doesn't work for making a green smoothie. So I was curious. *Ü*

[Stella Green]

A juice cocktail after a long work day is just the thing for me. :heart
Also, I keep getting broccoli. why do I get broccoli when I know I just won't eat it? Because broccoli is so gosh darn good for you...so I buy it and pretend I'm going to eat it with something and then I just juice it with an apple and a cucumber. My roommate always teases me about my broccoli juice, but hey it's tasty. For me, I super enjoy my juicer--I've got a Jack, and I enjoy juicing a lot. I also love green smoothies too, it all depends on my mood. But I never worry about not getting enough fiber...since I eat so much fruits and veggies, there's no chance of fiber being something I'm lacking. Enjoy! :juicy:

[LaniB]

FYI - at the moment, I only have a Vitamix. I don't have a food processor.

I use my vitamix at least once a day, and on weekends, when I do most of my cookinge, I use it probaby 5-6 times a day. It is NOT a food processor, and the shape of the bowl makes it a bit unwieldy to use as one, but for a lot of recipes that ask for a food processor, I use it. I wouldn't use it to make something super thick like date paste or something (don't think it would work), but I used it to make the batter for flax crackers, for example, and also to grind nuts to make "walnut meat" for my mexican tacos.

Hope that helps. I don't think you'd go wrong with either the Vitamix or Blendtec.

[Mrs. Papaya]

If you are set on only buying one item of equipment, then choose the high-powered blender. You can do a lot more with it and it can work as a food processor in some cases. You can't make green smoothies with a food processor.

To answer your question about juicing -- yes, fiber is great and wonderful. Juicing doesn't mean that you also shouldn't eat veggies with their fiber. But juicing is like mainlining all those nutrients from the veggies into your body without the trouble of processing the fiber. I certainly can't eat a head of kale, three stalks of celery, 5 carrots, a cucumber, half a beet and an apple in one sitting, but I can juice it and drink all those nutrients down. Not even if it was blended up. Green smoothies are a wonderful way to get the fiber in, too; it's just different from juicing.

Also, if you have good juicer, you lose the fiber and that's about it -- not the nutrients.

I do all three -- I juice daily, but I also eat a huge, huge salad and often make a green smoothie. For me, salads + juice are the priorities. Green smoothies are a little less frequent.

[RAWatFIRSTsight]

I'm back to ask -- what are you hoping to make with the FP? I ask after rereading your original post.

Are you wanting to make a green smoothie with it? I ask because I tried to do just that before I got my BlendTec and it doesn't work for making a green smoothie. So I was curious. *Ü*

I would like to be able to make green smoothies so I guess a blender it is. I would also like to be able to shred lettuce, chop veggies, and make salad dressing. I like the BlendTec the Vitamix but is one better than the other? They are about the same price and do pretty much the same things right?

[DebB]

I would like to be able to make green smoothies so I guess a blender it is. I would also like to be able to shred lettuce, chop veggies, and make salad dressing. I like the BlendTec the Vitamix but is one better than the other? They are about the same price and do pretty much the same things right?

Okay - if you're wanting to make green smoothies - then a blender is definitely what I (and many others) would recommend.

As far as getting a BlendTec or a Vitamix, that's a personal choice. I have a BT, but with all the posts about both blenders, I would have to say most people opt for a Vitamix. I bought a Vitamix just yesterday at Costco and with tax it came to $424.00. It sells at Costco $50 cheaper than the same unit on vitamix.com. I don't know what the current price on BlendTecs are.

I do love my BT, I've had it for over 3 years. I was able to get the VM yesterday because we were given a very generous gift certificate.
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Now - having said all that :) If you want a food processor to chop veggies and such, you can get an inexpensive unit for less than $50. The FP that Alissa uses in her DVDs is an inexpensive unit (from what I understand). So, a FP doesn't *have to* be one that costs over $150. There may be threads here on different FPs and how folks like them.

If you have questions about blenders, food processors, etc. - don't hesitate to ask, we like to help out! *Ü*