4 Reasons Why Food is Better Than Smoothies

Juices, shakes, smoothies, and smoothie bowls. There is no shortage of liquidy, mushy attempts at meal replacements. In the health industry people tend to love them.

I have a confession to make: I'm a Naturopathic Doctor and I DO NOT like smoothies, juices, or anything of the sort.

Here are all the reasons I prefer food I have to chew:

First, the action of mastication (a fancy way to say chewing) is an integral part of the digestive process. Chewing gets your digestive juices flowing, starts digesting certain foods and can even help increase the speed of food through your digestive system. Chewing gum can also be a treatment for post-operative ileus (constipation after surgery)[1], which goes to show how important chewing really is.

Second, smoothies just don't fill me up. If I am going to consume something, I want it to provide some sustenance. I don't want to be hungry a few minutes later. A good rule to follow if you are trying to decrease your calorie intake is "don't drink your calories". This includes smoothies, alcoholic beverages, and even fancy coffees.

Third, I dislike cleaning blenders. I'm not going to get into proper cleaning techniques... Chances are your blender is not as clean as you think it is.

Fourth, smoothies are typically filled-to-the-brim with sugary fruits that are made more absorbable by blending or juicing. A liquid absorbs much quicker, spiking blood sugar more aggressively.

With all of these reasons in mind, athletes sometimes need a quick hit of carbohydrate to speed up recovery from intense exercise. However, that doesn't mean the majority of the population needs to liquify their food.

There you have it, all the reasons why I do not like smoothies and why you should think twice before blending your food.

Happy Chewing!