So, you’ve made the decision about which blender or juicer you want, congratulations! And now you’re making yourself a juice or a smoothie once, or even twice a day? You’re a star! While you are being healthier by adding those nutrients into your diet, there are common mistakes that the average juicer/smoothie-drinker makes. Be smarter than average and avoid these common juicing and smoothie mistakes.

Smoothie Mistakes

Less is More

Don’t make the fatal mistake of thinking that you can blend absolutely everything and it will taste good. Raw foods taste different depending on what they’re paired with so don’t get carried away and throw all your favourite foods in the blender. Instead, start by working with combinations you know will work and experiment from there.

Not adding enough liquid

Your blender is your friend, so treat it with respect and make sure you add enough liquid (water, milk, milk substitute) to your smoothie before blending. Best way to do this is to blend any fruit with the water (or liquid of your choice) and then add your leafy greens, this will keep your blades and motor happy and blending for longer.

Adding hidden calories

While the ingredients included in most smoothies are considered healthy, they can still be calorific if you are not aware of what you are adding in and in what quantities. Additions like coconut milk/cream, nut butters, avocados and sweetened milk alternatives can bump up the number of calories in your smoothie without you realising it.  This can be counter-productive if you are trying to lower your calorie intake.

Check food labels and be mindful of what you put into your smoothie in relation to your daily intake of calories as a whole. Use water/ice for liquid if need be, or use homemade nut milks (which are very easy to make in your blender!) or unsweetened varieties instead. Also be mindful that fruit sugar is still sugar, so if you are trying to reduce sugar intake, read up about which fruits are higher in sugar and which are lower. The same goes for healthy fats such as nut butters and avos, check the quantity you are using in relation to your daily allowance.

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Juicing Mistakes

Using a blender instead of a juicer

If you want to juice, then a buy a juicer, it’s as simple as that. A blender, as the name suggests blends products together whereas a juicer extracts the juices. A centrifugal juicer will simply separate the juice from the pulp, and a masticating (or cold press) juicer will ‘chew’ the fruit to give you the juice as well as the pulp and the beneficial fibre.

Not chewing your juice

No, we’re not kidding. It’s important to move your jaw up and down a few times (as if you’re, you know, chewing) as well as swishing it around your mouth. These actions release saliva and important digestive enzymes that are crucial in delivering key nutrients to your cells and allows you to absorb more of those nutrients. Go on, give it a little chew!

Waiting too long to drink

Your juice is full of nutrients and if you let it sit and expose it to the surrounding air, the enzymes, phytochemicals and all the good stuff in the juice oxidise and degrade, which negates the whole point of juicing. If you’re in a pinch and can’t drink it within 15 minutes, be sure to store it in an airtight (preferably glass) container that’s kept cold. You don’t want any bacteria growing in there!

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Mistakes in both

Using the same produce over and over

Overall, one of the worst things you can do when drinking juices or smoothies is using the same fruit and vegetables every day. You need to mix it up, simply because while each fruit is full of nutrients and vitamins, they also contain toxins that aren’t harmful to you unless eaten in large amounts, which is a possibility if you don’t vary your ingredients. It’s also good to change things up just so you don’t get bored of the same juice every day.

Not using the best produce available

While it may seem ridiculous to some people, using organic produce really does make a difference. There really is no point in drinking all these fruit and vegetables if they don’t have that many nutrients to begin with, as non-organic products are proven to be less nutritious than organic ones. And regardless of whether you’re choosing organic or not, make sure you always wash your produce before juicing or blending it to ensure you remove any dirt or bugs.

Need help choosing a blender or juicer? We help you choose what’s right for you.

Check out our favourite healthy smoothie recipes.