Consumers often want to reduce the pile of fruits or vegetables in their kitchen and convert them into a healthy glass of juice as easily as possible. However, regular users get confused about buying a juicer or a blender to serve their purpose. This confusion is fueled by a misconception prevalent among many, that blending and juicing are the same thing. Although both juicers and blenders are designed to process fruits and vegetables, they offer different results. Here, we will discuss the key difference between a juicer and a blender and how differently they function, for you to make the right choice for yourself.
How differently do a juicer and a blender work??
Juicers squeeze and extract only the juice from fruits and vegetables, while blenders pulverize every ingredient that is placed inside. A typical juicer breaks down fruits and vegetables by separating their pulp, skin and seed as the juice comes down a dedicated pipe or gets stored in a separate compartment for further use. On the other hand, blenders are equipped with blade(s) that rotate at high speeds to chop and mix everything.
Juicers collect the pulp in a separate container for users to dispose of, whereas blenders are more versatile as they can blend, chop, or slice ingredients. Blenders do not remove the pulp like the juicers, which can transform the entire fruit, including the pulp and the seeds, into liquid.
Blenders are usually more powerful and can crush anything from soft fruits to hard vegetables and even ice. They also come with multiple speed adjustments that users can choose from depending on the texture of the drink (smooth or coarse) they prefer.
The primary function of a juicer is to extract juice from fruits and vegetables while separating the pulp. The output from a juicer is a clearer juice without the peel, pulp, seeds and high water content.
As mentioned earlier, blenders are much more versatile than juicers. Other than just making smoothies, blenders can also be used to make sauces, soups, dips, baby food and even crushing ice. However, they should not be confused with food processors that chop, grate, shred, mix and slice food.
Different types of juicers and blenders in the market
There are different types of juicers available in the market, but you should always choose the one that suits your preferences. Firstly, there are centrifugal juicers or fast juicers, which uses a blade that quickly spins against a mesh filter. Sadly, the heat from the blade may destroy some of the enzymes of your fruit and vegetables, or can oxidise the nutrients in your juice.
Then comes the masticating or cold-press juicers. These juicers first crush the fruit or vegetable before pressing down on the fruit to extract as much juice as possible and even generate less heat than centrifugal juicers.
Twin-gear or triturating juicers have low-speed twin gears that crush the fruits and vegetables through a three-step process to lengthen the shelf life of your juice. Whereas, the hand-crank juicers are the ones that are the oldest and are usually used by juice vendors you see on the road or in markets. It uses mechanical energy to squeeze juices from fruits and vegetables.
Meanwhile, there are only two types of blenders that are available in the market — immersion and countertop. Immersion or stick blenders are small, handheld appliances with a blade at their bottom that can blend ingredients in a container and often includes other attachments for mixing and chopping.
On the contrary, countertop blenders are equipped with stronger motors than immersion blenders and they come with containers for you to throw in all your ingredients.
Juicer or Blender: Which one has better health benefits?
People tend to consume more fruits and vegetables from a glass of fresh juice made in a juicer, which is also healthier than the packaged ones that are available in shops. However, juicers extract the fiber that our bodies need while removing the pulp. Fiber is important for gut health and plays a crucial role in digestion. It also minimises wastage from our fruit and vegetable intake and keeps us full.
Despite separating the pulp, juicers produce more vitamins than blenders. It is easier to ingest a higher concentration of vitamin C in a glass of fresh juice. Moreover, it’s also more refreshing compared to eating a few fruits or vegetables every day.
Juicer or Blender: Which one is easier to use and maintain?
You need to be more attentive while using juicers as you have to manually add fruits or vegetables depending on the quantity of juice that you will need. Cleaning juicers can also be a bit tricky depending on the size and type of juicer.
Juicers include strainers and other complex attachments that often store the pulp or seeds after usage. These attachments need to be properly cleaned to remove particles and odours immediately and most parts are not safe for dishwashers.
However, blenders are simpler to use and easier to clean as they don’t have as many parts as a juicer. You just need to add your ingredients into the container and start blending. Most parts of a blender can also be placed directly into the dishwasher.
Juicers are ideal if you are looking to make clear, pulp-free juice every morning. However, if you want something more versatile, that can do more than just crush fruit and vegetables, a blender is an apt choice.