My mam recently picked up a Nutri Ninja because according to the sales assistant, you can't keep the NutriBullets on the shelves. (Incidentally, she said the Ninja is just as good!). So are we gone bananas? Or is there method to this juicing and smoothie madness?
Well the short answer is, of course there is! All products make grand claims (extracting nutrients from the cell walls of food? Please! Your own digestive system has been doing that since you were born!) but anything that helps you get more fruit and raw vegetables into your diet is a good thing.
To help get past the marketing speak, we've asked dietitian Sarah Keogh from the Irish Nutrition and Dietetics Institute to do some straight talking.
What's the difference between a juicer and blenders like the NutriBullet / Ninja?
The main difference between juicers and blenders is that juicers tend to remove all of the fibre with the pulp so that there is only a smooth juice. Blenders have the whole fruit or vegetable so they include the fibre and maximise the nutrition.
What can juicing / blending do for your health in general and for the condition of your skin?
Juicing or blending is a great way to add fruit and vegetables to your diet and you can get a lot in one glass when you blend or juice. Vitamin C is vital for healthy skin: it is needed to make collagen which is the support structure for your skin. Juicing or blending also gives you a lot of antioxidants which are thought to help protect skin from aging.
What ingredients should be included to get clearer skin?
Clear skin is a combination of genetics, good diet and a good skincare routine. Key foods for healthy skin are fresh fruits and vegetables - any kind will do. You don't need to spend a fortune on exotic fruit and veg. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene which is essential for healthy skin and oranges are rich in vitamin C. The best advice is to have lots of variety as different fruits and vegetables have different nutrients, so you get the best benefit from a good mixture of colours and flavours. Protein is also important and nuts are good sources. You also need to include healthy fats like olive or rapeseed oil or add avocado to a smoothie.
A bunch of us in 98FM are happily riding the January juicing bandwagon. Below are some of our favourite combinations. Why don't you share yours in the comment section below!
I like to juice three carrots, one Golden Delicious apple, two stalks of celery, half a cucumber and wee bit of ginger to give it a kick.
JP from The Ray Foley Show blends porridge oats, mixed seeds, cashews, banana, chocolate protein, water and milk
Brendan O'Loughlin from 98FM News blends spinach, kale, cucumber, apple, half a banana, linseeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and water.
Our Social Media Director Laura Holland blends kale, spinach, an apple, a pear, a mandarin, half a banana, linseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and some water too.
If you want to juice as opposed to blend, you can pick up a decent machine for under €100. There's no real reason to spend more. If you'd rather blend to get the fibre it's up to you whether you want spend your money on a big-name brand. Either way, it should have a powerful blade to make all the ingredients smooth. Otherwise it's going to be really hard to knock back big chunks of kale. Yock!
@AideenFinnegan
All images via nutribulletblog.com
If goes without saying, but we'll say it anyway. The above advice is not meant to replace any meals. This ain't a "detox", it's about getting more fruit and veg into ya, on top of your dinner. Dear God, don't skip the dinner!
