I saw a commercial for the Magic Bullet NutriBullet the other day and I was wondering if it really was healthier to eat foods that had been emulsified into a juice. I know juicers take out all the liquid and leave the fiber behind, but this thing turns it all into liquid. Is there any science behind "breaking apart" the cells and releasing the nutrients? Will your body absorb vitamins and nutrients better this way?

The one health benefit that I did see was that I could toss in some not-so-tasty healthy foods in with some yummy fruits or veggies and get the benefit without the taste. But, I was wondering if there was more to it.

When I saw the infomercial for the Nutribullet thingy and the pitchman said it was "breaking down the food to release the nutrients" or some such malarkey my first thought was.....Isn't that what the digestive system does???

 

Our local Costco has the Vitamix on display near the door.  It looks like a blender, but costs $300.  DH saw it and remarked "What is so special about that blender tha it costs $300?"  A man came in about 10 seconds behind us and I heard him say to his wife "that's an awful expensive blender!"

The Vitamix is a professional kitchen caliber blender.  I'm told that it blends things super, duper smooth.  Like, to the point that when you make a smoothie, even all the little seeds from the fruit get completely pulverized.

I can see why they care about this in expensive restaurants, where they are going for particular textures for foods.  At home....it's just a really expensive toy for foodies.

Best blender on the market is the Blendtec.  Check it out:

http://www.willitblend.com/

Anything that can blend a golf club and survive, is the winner.

As for nutrition, I think it all depends on what you put into it.  If you put in an iPhone, it's probably toxic.  I agree that if this is the only way you will consume fruits and veggies, then I'd give you the green light on that purchase.  If you think that breaking up the food releases nutrients though, I'd recommend that you chew thoroughly.

To me, it depends on how/what you like to eat.  If I had a juicer, I would probably gain weight because I wouldn't consider juice to be a meal.  So I'd drink a what is essentially a nutritious, blended meal and then probably eat a sandwich.  For me, it is better to eat solid foods, and I get plenty of fruits & veggies that way.  But if you enjoy juices, and you don't always have the time or desire to cook a lot of veggies, then juicing could be a great option for you.

As for the idea of the nutrients being more accessible from a juice than from a solid vegetable, I'm pretty skeptical about that.  If you are chewing your food and you have no digestive issues, your body should be able to break down solid fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients from them without the aid of a blender or juicer.

Blendtec is awesome.

There may have been evenings where I have done nothing else but watch will it blend ads.

The Chuck Norris one especially highlights their humour.

I own a blendtec (bought it on ebay) and gave my mom a vitamix (found it on craigslist. Absolutely great. They cost a lot because they have a very powerful motor and are made well enough to last years and years (especially in a home kitchen). Starbucks and other businesses use them daily and they still last years, I'm told. They probably cost more because of marketing/hype, too, but so does Lexus/BMW/Mercedes.

My favorite uses are for smoothies and soups. I always thought straining stuff away from fruits and vegetables, the way a juicer works, was silly and wasteful. Any fruit or vegetable I throw turns into a delicious smooth consistency (I guess that's why restaurants/fast food joints use 'em), never any chunks. Soups come out great and I'll sometimes take part of a chunky soup and blend a few cups to make the broth a little thicker. This works great with chili. I also use it to make pies (pumpkin comes out awesome) and it rocks for making drinks (best margharitas ever, ice is perfectly crushed).

Yep, blendtec and vitamix are expensive, but as a cook I find 'em worth it. Especially if you can find a deal.