Smoothie or juice cleanses? Which one are you going for? Allow us to lift the veil and explain the differences between the two.
Are you looking for a digestive reset? Maybe a detox? What are you looking to get out of your experience with cleansing juices and smoothies? These may seem like a lot of questions for just a cleanse, but information is key.
Cleanses, especially longer ones, need to be prepared for and researched properly. If you go on either a juice cleanse vs smoothie cleanse and do it improperly, chances are you won’t get the results you were hoping for. That, in turn, could ruin them for you and deter you from ever going on a cleanse ever again!
The main and most obvious difference between cold pressed juices and smoothies is how they are prepared. More commonly, juices are extracted from fruits and vegetables, leaving skin, fibers, and other more solid parts of the produce out. That’s why in order to make yourself juice, you’d probably need a juicer!
As for smoothies, you’ll be using a blender. As the name suggests, you blend ingredients to make your smoothie! That also means that any edible part of the fruit and vegetable you’re blending is added to the final drink. It’s not “discarded” compared to juices.
Fiber content is one of the key differences between cleansing juices and smoothies. Juices have practically no fiber content (with certain exceptions) while smoothies definitely have more fiber. But that’s not to say that juices aren’t nutritious - you and everyone here at Little West KNOWS for a fact that fruit and veggie juices are still very healthy! Vitamin A for carrot juice, vitamin C for orange juice, vitamin K for kale… You can mix up the variety of your juices to ensure you get all those yummy and essential nutrients.
If you’re seeking something low-calorie, juices reign supreme. Though calories are certainly not everything, the fiber content in smoothies do contribute to them having more. If you’re planning only on drinking either juices or smoothies for a set duration, it’s one little thing to consider since most folks go on cleanses to kick-start their weight-loss journey.
After going through preparation and nutritional differences, you may have already decided on what type of cleanse you’re doing… but hold on!
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Why are we talking about shelf life? Because you may not be thinking about how tedious (and potentially costly) the process of making or buying juices and smoothies can be. Smoothies are good for about 24 hours when they’re fresh. Fresh juices can last longer, for about 3 days.
Going on a cleanse could make you feel weaker than usual. It’s one common side effect and one reason why some people take the weekend (or day off) when going on a smoothie or juice cleanse. The task of having to make your own whenever you have to drink can get tiresome real fast. Imagine the washing and the time spent making different batches (especially if you want variety) - seems like a chore even for the determined ones!
Even when you had yours pre-made and delivered, juices are likely to be better when it comes to shelf life. You’re not immediately counting down the hours until your juices go bad, unlike you would when you’ve gotten smoothies. You can safely have your juices delivered a day before you start your cleanse and feel worry-free about drinking them the next morning.
When it comes to choosing between smoothies vs juicing for detox, you should consider how and where you’d get your healthy beverages. If you plan on making your own, good for you! We don’t ever want to deter you from making your own at home, but there are matters you might not have thought about yet.
Where are you getting your produce and how much will you need to make x number of servings? When are you making your smoothies or juices? What quantity of ingredients do you need to ensure you have the essential nutrients in your juice cleanse blend? What is the right mix of produce to make the juices and smoothies actually taste great without adding sugar or watering them down? And if you don’t already own a juicer or blender, how much is the equipment going to be to make juices and smoothies at home?
For convenience and ease of mind, Little West is here to help. Not only do we have individual bottles you can easily order, but we also have juice cleanse kits that take out the stress of having to mix and match juices on your own. We think our juices taste absolutely great. Plus, we don’t ever water down our juices or add unnecessary sugar to them!
Check Out - Juice Cleanse for Beginners - The Complete Guide
We may be biased in the battle of juice cleanses vs smoothie cleanses… BUT we can confidently say this - you decide which one is right for you. We’ve talked about the pros and the cons of the two, and now it’s up to you to decide.
If you’re going for #TeamJuice, you know where to find us. You’re actually already here!