Is fruit in the blender less healthy?

1. Throwing fruit into the blender is a quick way to make a variety of snacks and dishes. It may be the fastest way to get all the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in fruit - but is it really?

1. Will we get everything in?

1. Making smoothies has long been seen as a great way to increase the amount of fruit we consume and we know several websites (and even entire books) have been devoted to it, but are don't we lose some of the nutritional value with fruit in the blender?

The truth about nutrient loss

1. To see if fruit in the blender is really less healthy, we have to start at the beginning. What factors cause nutrients in fruits and vegetables to break down before we can process them?

1. There are only three - three different factors that cause the nutrients in our fruits and vegetables to be lost: heat, light, and oxygen.

1. This is one of the reasons some people say that blending fruit in a blender would cause us to lose up to 90 percent of the nutrients. The reason they give is because the fruit is exposed to oxygen - one of three factors.

1. However, what these people do not observe is that the loss of nutrients does not happen within seconds. If that were the case, those apples in the supermarket would have almost no nutrients left. In fact, they have been exposed to oxygen for quite some time since harvest.

2. However, what these people do not observe is that the loss of nutrients does not happen within seconds. If that were the case, those apples in the supermarket would have almost no nutrients left. In fact, they have been exposed to oxygen for quite some time since harvesting.

1. However, research (1) has shown that in many fruits decay occurs (the soft spots that we prefer not to eat) before an actual loss of nutrients can be measured.

1. One study compared sliced ​​raw fruit with whole fruit and found that after six days in the refrigerator, mangoes, strawberries and watermelon contained no more than 5 percent of their vitamin C content had been lost. The research also found that sliced ​​melon and kiwi did not lose carotenoids.

2. One study compared sliced ​​raw fruit with whole fruit and found that after six days in the refrigerator, mangoes, strawberries and watermelon contained no more than 5 percent of their vitamin C content had been lost. The study also found that sliced ​​melon and kiwi did not lose carotenoids.

1. Carotenoids are micronutrients that are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Also, the study showed that there was not a single fruit that had a significant loss in phenols. Phenols are a form of antioxidants.

Reduce Nutrient Loss When Blending

1. While our fruits gradually lose nutrients over time, we can do a few things to make sure we minimize exposure to heat and oxygen when blending our fruit.]

2. Although our fruits gradually lose nutrients over time, we can do a few things to make sure we minimize exposure to heat and oxygen when blending our fruits.]

1. For example, there are certain blenders that get very hot when we use them for a long time. For example, a slightly less good or less powerful blender can also heat up very quickly when we throw in too large pieces of fruit.

1. If we want to get the most nutrients from our fruit, it is important to put smaller pieces of fruit in the blender and to blend for less time. This is one of the ways to minimize the exposure of fruit to heat. In addition, you should also ensure that you do not continue blending for too long.

1. Fruit, for example, cannot be 'cut to pieces'. You want to try to blend as much fruit as possible with the lowest setting on the blender, which reduces the exposure to oxygen. The harder and faster the blender turns, the more oxygen can reach our fruit and the more heat is released.

1. In addition, it is a good idea to drink your smoothie as soon as possible after you have made it. Some people blend their smoothies for later in the day. To get the most nutrients from your smoothie, it is important that you drink the smoothie right away.

1. This ensures that the fruit (now without protection) is exposed to as little oxygen as possible. If you cannot drink it right away, it is a good idea to immediately put it in the refrigerator where it will be exposed to as little heat and oxygen as possible.

Other important factors

1. Of course not only the blending itself is important. There are also a few different factors to remember before blending the fruit to minimize nutrient loss. For example, many of the vitamins in fruit are water soluble.

1. Because of this, it is important to remember that soaking fruit or cooking fruit will cause us to lose most of these water-soluble vitamins.

1. It is also not a good idea to wash fruit before you use it. You shouldn't wash it until just before throwing it in the blender. In many cases, the skin of the fruit (such as apples and nectarines) is rich in nutrients and fiber.

1. This makes it a good idea to just leave this whole instead of taking the skin off. In addition, it is always a good idea to use fruit that is as fresh as possible. This ensures that you are getting the greatest amount of nutrients

1. How should you store fruit for blending?

1. The best way to preserve fruit is not to wash it, just leave the skin intact. This minimizes oxidation. If you are someone who wants to prepare everything in advance, it is a good idea to cut the fruits and then store them in the refrigerator - but keep them in airtight containers.

Is blending better than juices?

1. Unlike juices, smoothies that we make in the blender consist of the whole fruit or vegetable. This means that the peel is also processed in it. This contains all the benefits of the vegetables, including the fiber. However, blending our fruit causes the fibers to break down slowly.

1. This makes fruits and vegetables easier to digest, but also ensures a slow, even release of nutrients into the blood. As a result, it is not the case that our blood sugar level suddenly shoots up as is often the case with juice.

1. In addition, smoothies are often more filling, because they contain more fiber.

Why the right blender makes a difference

1. There are those who wonder why a more expensive blender is a better investment. There are several reasons for this. While there is little doubt that fruits and vegetables are a good way to help our bodies meet the majority of the nutrients they need, research has shown that chewing our food causes a loss of our nutritional value.

1. Of course, chewing our food is very important, it is the first step of the natural digestion process. Chewing not only breaks down food, it also tells our stomach to release gastric juices for digestion.

1. Yet there are many different benefits that are lost while eating. The cell walls in our plant foods are largely composed of a carbohydrate called cellulose. However, the human body cannot break down cellulose itself. We don't have the necessary enzymes for this.

1. This is one of the reasons that chewing is so important for digestion. Because of this, much of the energy we get from vegetables and fruits is used to actually digest the food properly.

1. That's why a good blender can really make a difference. Because the cell wall is already broken down before consumption, it means that there is more energy to protect us against certain diseases and to help repair our cells. The fact that a good blender has the ability to open up the cellular structure increases the number of phytonutrients in our bloodstream that would otherwise simply be lost.

1. Phytonutrients, of which there are literally hundreds if not thousands in our fruits and vegetables, are all contained in the cells of the fibrous components of our fruits and vegetables. This is the skin, seeds and pulp.

1. [!Pull ratio] The stronger the blender is, the better its ability to help the body release substances that would otherwise be trapped in these cell walls [!/ pull ratio]. The more expensive blenders often have enough energy to release a greater number of cells in our food than the normal blenders do.

1. This allows for a greater release of phytonutrients into the bloodstream. It has been proven to help with diseases and conditions such as cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis, just to name a few.

1. Do you have a good addition or experience with a good blender yourself? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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