

Fardet said - it’s not clear why this is, but it may result in a desire to consume more, or it may leave you hungry for a snack sooner. That said, liquid meals are generally less satiating than those composed of solid foods, Dr. She hypothesized that mashing up the fruits’ seeds in the blender might release some fiber, protein and fat, which could slow nutrient absorption and cause a more gradual rise in blood sugars. That result surprised Gail Rees, a senior lecturer in human nutrition at the University of Plymouth in Britain who led two of the studies. And when researchers tested smoothies containing seeded fruits like passion fruit, raspberries or kiwi fruit, participants had more gradual rises in blood sugars than when they ate the same fruits whole. The preparation style of mango, for instance, seemed to make no difference in blood sugar response.

So it’s reasonable to wonder if puréeing fruit could cause a bigger spike of blood sugar, said Anthony Fardet, a nutrition scientist at the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment in France.īut in a few small studies that measured adults’ blood sugars after they consumed fruit blended or whole, researchers have found reassuring results. Processing food often disrupts its natural structure, which can lead to faster digestion and absorption. Regardless, “eating any kind of fiber is good,” he said. Bajka said, and specific effects may depend on the person and the fruit or vegetable.

Some types of fibers, when chopped into bits, may disperse more quickly within your gut and slow digestion and absorption - usually a good thing - while others might lose some of the “roughage” effect that keeps things moving in your digestive tract and prevents constipation.īut there’s not much research on this topic, Dr.

And whether you eat an apple whole or as part of a smoothie, “you’ve consumed exactly the same amount of fiber,” said Balazs Bajka, a gut physiologist at King’s College London.īlending does, however, break the fibers into smaller pieces, which will affect how they move through your digestive system, he said. Nor will it immediately harm certain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, like anthocyanins and flavonols, she said.įruits and vegetables are also good sources of fiber, which most of us could benefit from eating more of. Unlike juicing, blending can incorporate all of the edible parts of fruits and vegetables - including the skin, seeds and pulp - so a smoothie can be nutritionally very similar to eating the produce whole, said Mary Ann Lila, a professor of food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences at North Carolina State University.Īnd blending shouldn’t degrade the vitamins or minerals found in fruits and vegetables, Dr. According to surveys performed between 20, 86 percent of adults in the United States didn’t get the recommended 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables each day.īut are nutrients lost when fruits and vegetables are chopped into bits by a blender blade? We asked experts to help us break it down so you can get the most out of your smoothie. Q: If I blend fruits and vegetables into a smoothie, do they lose nutrients or fiber?Ī freshly blended smoothie ticks a lot of boxes: It’s quick to prepare, easy to consume and a versatile base for whatever fruits and veggies you have on hand.Īnd if blending your produce can help you eat more of it, that’s a good thing, said Kristina Petersen, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University.
