Juicing is the latest craze, and now everyone from celebrities to stay at home moms are gulping down glassfuls of fruits and vegetables.
Studio 5 Contributor Courtney Orton started juicing for her kids, but then she wondered if it was worth it?
Is juicing the best way to get those recommended fruits and vegetables in, and is it better, worse, or the same as all those green smoothie recipes that dot our Pinterest boards?
I took that question to Amy Roskelly the nutrition educator, mother, and author behind SuperHealthyKids.com – a website packed full of ways to make fruits and vegetables simple, fun, and delicious.
Blending Vs. Juicing
Amy says the thing with juicing is that you don’t want to do it exclusively – because you miss out on all the fiber. You can see all that fiber on the side of the juicer there. So still a great source, but probably best not to make it the only source of fruits and vegetables you give your kids. Amy says there’s a place for all of it.
Don’t Give Up
I was shocked that we made a delicious smoothie, and one of the kids hated it – but he was the one who raved about the raw kale. Amy says exposing your kids to a variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to get them to eat different foods, different textures to become less picky. Just because they don’t like that smoothie today, doesn’t mean they won’t like it a month. Or just because they don’t like a banana in a smoothie, doesn’t mean they won’t like it frozen with a little chocolate drizzle. So be flexible, and don’t give up.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Only?
I kind of thought to get the most out of your fruits and vegetables they had to be fresh – Amy says fresh is usually best but can be substituted for frozen or that 100% juice you can buy in the store. Just look that there are no added sugars. Juicing can be expensive so it’s nice to know it’s okay to save that money without losing the good stuff.
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