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Juicing for Health

Find out why juicing and blending are great for a balanced diet and maintaining health as well as recommended blenders and juicers.

strawberry and watermelon smoothie


WHY JUICE OR BLEND?



I like to juice or blend in the morning to boost my family's health.

I have a vegan husband who would never pick up a piece of fruit unless prompted and a child who can be fussy about what he likes and what he doesn't like.

I want to make sure they get their five-a-day and stay healthy.

A morning juice is a great way of adding some extra fruit and vegetable into their day.



green smoothie in a tall glass with pink and white paper straws

WHY SHOULDN'T I BUY SMOOTHIES?


Buying smoothies isn't a good idea unless they are freshly juiced. Pre-packaged smoothies aren't as healthy as you might think.


  1. They are expensive
  2. The juices aren't fresh and they can be high in sugar. 
  3. They contain additives and preservatives.



pin it for later



WHAT DO YOU WANT IN A SMOOTHIE?


You want to add as many vegetables as you can, although fruit will bring some sweetness.

Also add water and ice to a smoothie as they can be too thick otherwise and a juice or smoothie should not be like sludge.

It should be a really enjoyable, refreshing drink.

Nutritional powders are a good option for an extra nutritional boost.

Cacao powder can be added for a chocolatey flavour. which is really popular with children and great for disguising smoothies that green flavour in smoothies that are heavy on the vegetable side.

You can also add a goo quality cocoa powder, but do look at the pack as some include sugar.


oranges sliced in half



SHOULD I RELY ON JUICES AND SMOOTHIES FOR HEALTH?


No.

You should have a balanced diet and include whole fruit and vegetables in your diet as well as protein and carbohydrates and some fat.

Smoothies can be added as part of a balanced diet as a supplement to what you eat,

Soups are also a great way of adding extra nutrients into your diet.


JUICER OR BLENDER?


Both are good bits of kit for your kitchen. 

If you're planning on making a juice every morning and want to concentrate on that a juicer is for you.

If you don't have the room for a juicer as well as a blender or want to do more than make juices, then a blender could be the thing for you as you can make so much make more than smoothies.

With a blender you get the whole of the fruit or veg in your smoothies, not just the juice.


Froothie Blenders Banner


WHAT JUICERS AND BLENDERS DO I USE?


I have killed many a blender over the years.

Yes, it is sad but true.

Lots of burning motors and disappointment.

I've got to the stage now where I realise with some kitchen gadgets you can get away with a cheap basic version, but blenders and juicers just aren't in this category.

I'm now prepared to pay for high quality machines as they produce higher quality results, are easier to clean and last for years.

Disclosure

I've been using Froothie blenders and juicers for 7 years now and can heartily recommend them after trying several other brands.

I loved them so much that I now work with them so I can offer you exclusive special offers.

Scroll down to read which blenders and juicers I prefer and take advantage of the exclusive offer.



Evolve Slow Juicer and Optimum 9200a Blender

EVOLVE SLOW JUICER


The Evolve Slow Juicer is a cold press juicer that gets much more juice out of fruit and vegetables.

It's easy to take apart and the way the filter is made means it's super easy to clean under running water. I've experienced other juicers over the years and cleaning is always a problem.

It's such a relief to be able to clean this one so easily. 

The Evolve Slow Juicer is £399, but you can spread the cost interest free to make it easier to afford. 

It comes with a 5 year warranty, but because I work with Froothie, you can have an extra 2 years free worth £45 taking you to 7 years warranty if you click on my Evolve Slow Juicer link and buy.

OPTIMUM 9200a POWER BLENDER

This is the blender that sits on my kitchen unit. It's the work horse in my kitchen. 

I make smoothies with it, but I also use it to make hummus, pesto, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, pate, burger mix, falafel mix, soup, ice cream, custard, chocolate mousse,peanut butter, homemade nutella and so many more recipes.

It is one of the most powerful blenders on the market at a cheaper price that it's competitors. 

It's nearly half the price of a Vitamix.

Why choose this blender?


  • It's powerful (can happily grind ice and vegetables to a smooth finish).
  • The jug is BPA free.
  • It's easy to use with 3 preset functions.
  • 6 blade assembly for a smoother blend.
  • Easy to clean, just add some boiling water from the kettle, a few drops of washing liquid and whizz. It self-cleans. Just wipe the outside of the jug and the stand with a damp cloth.
It's reduced from £449 down to £279 and you can spread the payments interest free to make it easier to afford.

It comes with a 5 year warranty, but because I work with Froothie, you can have an extra 2 years free worth £45 taking you to 7 years warranty if you click on my Optimum 9200a link and buy. It really gives you peace of mind.

It will last for years.


Nutri Force Travel Blender


LOOKING FOR A LOWER PRICED OR SMALLER BLENDER?

NUTRI FORCE BLENDER


This small blender is used a lot in my kitchen and it's the one my mum has in her kitchen.

The Nutri Force Juicer is like a wee baby travel blender that is fab for travel or a small kitchen.

I use it for smaller portions, but it's still powerful enough to take on most jobs. My mum uses it for smoothies, milkshakes and to blend her soup.

It's great if you are visiting family or travelling as it's small enough and light enough to take with you.

It has two different sized jugs and a grinder blade too, so it's great for smoothies and things like grinding coffee or spices and making pesto, hummus and nut butter.

At a fraction of the cost of the big power blenders, it's a great starter machine and good as a gift.

The Nutri Force blender comes in at £199, but is on sale at £99.




vegetable juices in tall glasses - carrot juice, cucumber and mint juice, tomato juice and beetroot juice

SMOOTHIE AND JUICE RECIPES


Vegetarian Smoothies and Juices

Most of these can be juices except for those with banana that are better blended.

  1. Apple Snow with Pomegranate
  2. Blueberry Maple & Oat Smoothie
  3. Fruit Bowl Smoothie
  4. Peach, Mango & Ginger Smoothie
  5. Porridge Breakfast Smoothie with Banana
  6. St Clements Smoothie
  7. Strawberry Spinach Booster
  8. Summer Delight Smoothie
  9. Super Mud Smoothie
  10. Vanilla Bean Smoothie
  11. Zinger - Summer Smoothie


Vegan Smoothies and Juices

Most of these can be juices except for those with banana that are better blended.

  1. Apple, Avocado & Mint Smoothie   
  2. Apple & Kale Green Smoothie 
  3. Apricot Melba Smoothie 
  4. Blueberry, Carrot and Orange Smoothie
  5. Coconut Island Smoothie 
  6. Creamy Vanilla and Apricot Smoothie
  7. Fruity Little Number Green Smoothie
  8. Green Mango and Spinach Smoothie
  9. Kale & Mango Smoothie
  10. Lean Green Tropical Smoothie 
  11. Mean Green Smoothie 
  12. Melon, Spinach and Avocado Smoothie 
  13. Nectarine and Apricot Sherbet   
  14. Pear, Passionfruit and Kale Smoothie
  15. Pink Mango Smoothie
  16. Pink Pineapple Smoothie
  17. Raspberry, Carrot & Basil Smoothie
  18. Stegosaurus Green Smoothie 
  19. Strawberry, Spinach & Cucumber Cooler
  20. Swamp Juice Smoothie  
  21. Ultimate Chocolate Green Smoothie
  22. Watermelon & Strawberry Smoothie
  23. Winter Mixed Berry Smoothie

Disclosure: I work with Froothie, but I am never expected to give a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own.