When I was new to the raw food lifestyle, one of the most common debates I came across was the smoothie vs. juice one. Which one is better for detoxification? Which one is healthier? Which one will make you live into the hundreds? Some people swore by juicing, others swore it off. I always march to the beat of my own drum, and so I became both a seasoned juicer and avid smoothie maker. There are days that I make a juice followed by a smoothie. Sometimes, I can’t fathom going a single day without 32 ounces of green juice. Other times, I don’t touch a juice for weeks. The rhythms of the body change with each moment, and it is wise to tune into what it is asking for.Here are a few differences between smoothies and juices:

Smoothies

• They are fiber-rich drinks that will keep you full. It’s possible for one to regularly stand in for a meal if it includes enough calories and the right macro combination for you.
• In addition, insoluble fiber sweeps out toxins/bad bugs in the colon and keeps you regular.
• You can achieve different textures like a frosty, smoothie, ice cream, pudding, juice, etc., depending on the ingredients that you include and the ratios in which you use them.
• They can be made quickly when you’re in a rush.

Juices

• Because fiber is stripped from juice, you can concentrate a massive amount of nutrients into one small drink without feeling too full. It’s also a great break for digestion.
• Juices are highly medicinal and a clean source of energy.  (Keep in mind that green juices are the most medicinal and that most fruits are best consumed with fiber intact.)
• Think of juice as a supercharged multivitamin and a wonderful supplement to a wholesome diet. Though it can stand in for a meal occasionally (sometimes I do a juice for breakfast), relying on juice too much for meals can have a negative effect on metabolism and leave one unsatisfied, leading to unhealthy cravings and binges.
• Juicing requires some time to make though it can be done fairly quickly once you have a routine. I like to think of my juicing time as moments that I can quiet my mind, listen to a podcast, or dance around the kitchen while singing along with my favorite songs. In other words, juicing time is me time.

These are only a few of the things that run through my mind when I’m deciding if I want to make a juice or a smoothie. What about when you want a juice and a smoothie? You may wonder what the point is of adding fiber to a juice. Juicing takes the fiber out so that nutrients can be absorbed quickly and with minimal digestive effort, right? Well, yes, that’s correct, but there’s no harm in combining the two. When you add a juice to a smoothie, you can increase the nutrients exponentially without adding the fiber of, say, 6 cups of added greens. Also, if you add fats to the smoothie, you’ll absorb more of the fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K) that you otherwise may not have from your green juice.

I don’t often combine juices and smoothies for a few reasons. For one thing, it’s because it usually seems excessive. Mostly though, it’s because I enjoy the benefits of green juice alone, and I don’t want to add anything else in. This green drink, like so many delightful combinations that occur in my kitchen, was a happy accident. I made a huge green juice the night before and couldn’t finish it all. I also had some pineapple in the fridge that I needed to use up. And so this regenerative green drink was born.The “Everything’s Golden” Regenerative Green Drink

• 1 cup of green juice (mine had cukes, celery, parsley, dandelion greens, kale, lemon, ginger, and orange)
• 2 cups pineapple
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large banana
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds

-Blend and serve.