Juicer Vs Blender: What’s The Difference? Our Complete Guide

For some people, it can be difficult to get our recommended amount of fruit and veg into our diets

Back in February 2017, a study at Imperial College London showed that eating 10 portions of fruit and veg a day can slash our risk of diseases, so we reckon that's a good number to aim for. 

Juicers and blenders are a great way to get those essential nutrients quickly.

As you begin to decide which is the best to purchase for that new health kick of yours, you'll begin to come across a few confusing aspects such as:

What's the difference?

Which is healthiest?

What fruit and vegetables are suitable for each appliance?

With the help of this guide, you'll be able to clear up any questions and choose best juicer and blender for you.

The Difference

The juicer vs. blender debate can be confusing but you need to know the facts, as both have different nutritional values and functionalities.

Knowing the specific differences will help you make a decision on the best juicer and blender for you.

Firstly, the most apparent difference between the two is the form and consistency the end product will be.

Whilst juicers will extract any liquid from fruit and vegetables, it should be said that only fruit and vegetables with a high water content can be used. If you were to juice an avocado or banana, for example, they would not be processed due to the lack of water or moisture.

Blenders, on the other hand, are much more versatile with the ingredients you are able to use. They work by liquifying foods and turning solids into a mushy consistency.

Not only are blenders good for healthy smoothies, they can be a staple in the kitchen when cooking. Remember to cut your ingredients relatively small in size to prevent anything becoming jammed in the blades.

Which is the Healthiest?

Both appliances bring unique health benefits. Juicers are great for raw clean eating, extracting all the nutrients from fruit and veg and separating the liquid from the pulp and skin.

This allows you to consume a larger quantity than you would be able to consume in blended form.

On the other hand, blenders use the entire fruit, pulp and seeds, giving you all the goodness. People argue that when juicing you waste the fiber of the fruit and veg as you discard the pulp and skin. With blending, you're wasting nothing.

That being said, most efficient juicers will only discard the fiber within the ingredients. As humans, we are unable to digest insoluble fiber.

It's only benefit is aiding in digestive health, so if you're already getting fiber into your diet it's not a disadvantage to juice.

Which Should I Buy?

Taking into consideration each appliances health benefits and nutritional gains, I think it comes down to which you're more likely to use on a regular basis.

If you're looking to get a large amount of fruit and veg packed into your diet with minimal juice intake, then the juicer is surely for you. However, if you have a busy schedule and are looking for something filling as perhaps a meal replacement, or are hoping to use a wider variety of ingredients, then the blender is a better investment.

Below are some clearly stated pros and cons for juicer vs. blender. If you still can't decide between the two, you may want to get both!

After all, they both bring unique benefits and can both compliment each other.

Pros And Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of each appliance.

Let’s start with the juicer pros:

 You're able to intake a lot of fruit and vegetables in a single juice. You might be more likely to eat fruit and veg that you’re not willing to eat in their solid forms. Nutrients are easily absorbed, and as the fiber has been removed digestion becomes a lot easier.

Juicer cons: 

Liquid calories are not as filling as solid foods, usually meaning you won't feel full afterwards. You need a lot of ingredients to produce a small amount of juice, and this can be expensive.

Watch your sugar intake. As you need plenty of ingredients, beware of consuming too many natural sugars, in fruit especially.

Blenders Pros - Great for meal replacements in diets, leaving you feeling fuller for longer so you are more likely to avoid snacking.

Relatively inexpensive as you don't need to go overboard with a number of ingredients you use. You can be creative with your smoothie recipes depending on your dietary requirements etc.

Blender cons - You risk overloading on calories. As you're able to be more creative when blending, be careful when adding ingredients such as yogurt, honey, oats, bananas etc.

Sometimes texture can be an issue for people. Too thick or pulpy is sometimes mentioned. However, this can be overcome by adding water, or milk in some cases.

Conclusion

Now you have all the ins and outs you can decide where you stand in the juicer vs. blender debate.

It's really no wonder people find themselves questioning the difference between the two appliances. For example, when searching for, let's say a juicer, you will also be shown results for blenders, and vice versa.

With the information within this guide, you can be sure you know exactly what you're looking for and avoid any confusion.

For some unique juice and smoothie recipes take a look here.