After the festive binge, kick start 2023 with a healthy diet packed with everything that’s good for you. Smoothies, juices and soups are a great way of getting the vitamins and minerals you need into one delicious glass.
You’ll need a juicer or a blender to make them, but what kind? Is it a hand blender or juicer machine? Whether you’re going for a juicer detox diet or just want to eat more healthily this year, here’s our guide to help you choose.
Blender or juicer?
Why choose a blender?
In a nutshell: Blend-up healthy smoothies, fresh dressings or warming soups packed with nutrients and fibre.
Blenders (like smoothie blenders) pulverise whole pieces of fruit and veg – including the skin, pith and pips – for a thick, nutritious shake or smoothie. They can even make soups and sauces - so they’re super versatile.
What’s good about blending?
• Good for your digestion – blending up fruit and veg locks in fibre to keep your digestive system healthy.
• Avoid sugar spikes and energy crashes - your fibre-rich smoothie helps slow your body’s absorption of sugar. That means you’ll feel energised for longer.
• More filling than juices – Cutting your calories doesn’t have to mean rumbling tummies. Grab a smoothie for breakfast or a nutritious soup for lunch.
Top tip: Add in yogurt or nut butters to your standalone blender or blender food processor for a wholesome treat that keeps you fuller for longer. No snacking required!
Why not try… Ninja Hot & Cold Blender & Soup Maker
The Ninja Hot & Cold Blender & Soup Maker blend up healthy smoothies in a jiffy, thanks to its powerful 1000W blender. It tackles any ingredients with fast and super-smooth results. And thanks to its heating element, you can create fresh hot soups in under 20 minutes.
But it’s not just great for soups and smoothies. Its 10 Auto-iQ programmes do it all for you - with precise temperature controls. So you can make all kinds of soups, sauces and even jam. Fancy a night off the good behaviour? The crushed ice feature is great for cocktails too!
Recipe to try: Recovery smoothie
The beetroot in this super-smoothie speeds up the delivery of oxygen to your muscles and the spinach can help increase your muscle growth by up to 20%. (Popeye was onto something after all!)
Ingredients:
• One small beetroot
• Two handfuls of spinach and berries
• Half a cucumber
• Peeled lemon
• Water to taste
• ¼ teaspoon of matcha green tea powder
Put everything in the blender and blitz until smooth, adding water to taste. For best results drink at least 30 minutes before or after you work out.
Is a food processor the same as a blender?
Not exactly. Food processors usually have big bowls with lots of blades and whisks for different jobs. They can shred, slice, whip and more. It is possible to blend in a food processor, but it may not be the most convenient - since you’ll have more to wash up and most blender food processors don’t do their blending in a jug. Blenders usually have one blade and tall jars. That’s because they’re made for wet recipes - think soups, sauces and smoothies.
Why choose a juicer?
In a nutshell: Thin juices with a high concentration of nutrients provide a quick boost of goodness.
Juicers remove all the pulp from the fruit and veg, leaving you with a drink that’s packed full of highly concentrated vitamins and minerals. Perfect for an quick burst of energy if you’re flagging. Fresh fruit and veg juices can also boost your immune system - keeping those sniffles at bay.
What’s good about juicing?
• With the pump and fibre removed, nutrients are absorbed more quickly into your bloodstream.
• Juices keep you hydrated while you get a quick boost of nutrients. All in one drink!
• Don’t think you’ll hit your 5 a day? Introduce more fruit and veg into your diet in one hit.
Top tip: Worried about the amount of sugar in your diet? Stick to the 80/20 rule – use 4 pieces of veg for every one piece of fruit when making juice.
Why not try… Philips Viva Juicer
Enjoy healthy juices with no bits thanks to the handy Philips Viva 700W juicer.
Simply drop whole pieces of fruit and veg into the extra-large feeding tube for fuss-free juicing, no prepping or chopping required. Cleaning up is easy too as you can put the detachable spout straight into the dishwasher.
Recipe to try: Tropical Digestion Juice
Overdone it on the turkey? Here’s the perfect juice to settle your stomach and kick start a healthier you.
Ingredients:
• One quarter pineapple, skinned
• Half a lemon
• One apple
• Handful of kale
• Half an inch of ginger root
Once you’ve juiced everything, throw in a splash of apple cider vinegar. This delicious juice soothes the stomach and keeps your digestion running smoothly too.
Types of blenders
Smoothie blender - The smaller blades of a smoothie blender make them ideal for blending delicate ingredients (think fruit and yoghurt) without turning everything into mush. Some even have detachable bottles so you can take your smoothie with you.
Hand blender - These are handheld mixers that lots of people use for baking. But they’re great for a range of jobs - like blending fruit in a jug or soup on a stove. They’re also really easy to clean and store away once you’re done with them. Some models come with their own attachable bowls - so they’re like mini food processors.
Food blender - Generally much sturdier than smoothie or hand blenders, food blenders often allow you to make whole meals (like soup) from scratch with pre-programmed settings like chopping, slicing and crushing. They’re a great all-round kitchen gadget.
Ice crushing blender - You’ll generally find an ice crushing function on more powerful food blenders. That’s because crushing ice requires larger blades and a sturdier machine. Great for cocktails and iced coffees.
Types of juicers
Cold press juicer - Also called masticating juicers or slow juicers, cold press juicers use hydraulic pressure to extract the juice from fruit and veg. Although taking a lot longer, the slow process is said to extract more vitamins and minerals. And because your juice is kept cold, there’s less oxidation - meaning your juice will last longer.
Centrifugal juicer - This is the classic juicer. Blades spin fast to both cut up the fruit and veg, but also to separate the juice from the pulp with centrifugal forces. Fast juicers the popular choice - since you can blitz up your juice and go.
Juice press - Also known as citrus juicers, a juice press is the machine version of the lemon juicers you’ll find in most kitchens. Juice presses extract every last bit from your citrus fruit, but lots of them are hand operated - so making juice can be a slower process.
Need more help?
For blenders, juicers and a whole lot more, our Small kitchen appliances buying guide is a great place to start. But if you have some specific questions and would like to chat with someone juiced about juicers, try one of our Tech Experts on ShopLive.
