The difference between a BLENDER and a JUICER

A blender is designed to liquefy whole fruits/vegetables that you feed into it, by chopping them very finely with blades spinning at very high speed. The small amount of liquid released from the fibers of blended material is mixed with the high concentration of pulp, making your drink puree-like.

A blender is useful when you want to liquefy low water content and non-juiceable fruits like banana, avocado or papaya, for the purpose of mixing them with juiced fruits/vegetables. It can also be used to blend and mix a broader selection of foods. For example, you can add in powders, granules, nuts, seeds, ice cubes, spices, herbs, etc. A blender is perfect for making smoothies.

A juicer is designed to extract fluid from the fibers of fruits/vegetables that you feed into it, by separating the liquid and the fiber/pulp. The end result is smooth fruit juice without the pulp. Depending on what you juice, you may add some pulp back into the juice to add fiber in your diet. Some pulp may be used in other recipes like carrot pulp for carrot cakes or apple pulp for apple pies.

To enjoy the fun of juicing a variety of recipes, you would want to combine the methods of juicing/blending that would give you the most fulfilling experience when you have both a blender and a juicer in your kitchen.

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What to look for when you shop for a BLENDER

The blender works very much like the centrifugal juicers, in that it uses a high-spinning blade to cut up the fruits. This method does cause oxidation and destroy the enzymes of the produce.

It is not recommended to be used to blend fruits/vegetables that has high iron content as iron gets oxidized faster than other substances. However, if used properly, the blender does add a lot of jazz to your juicing experiments.

Blenders are easily available in most departmental stores in most countries. They cost anything from US$20 to about US$400. Do not buy a cheap blender that has a weak motor, nor purchase a fancy blender costing well over US$200. They all do the same thing.

Choose the best blender that you can afford, that does the job, is durable and has all the basic functions. How do you know that it will do its job or whether it is durable?

The cheaper blenders usually come with the basic four buttons which are really all you need: pulse, low, high and stop. The really cheap blenders may not have a strong motor and after using it for a few minutes, it might smell like something's burning. These cheap blenders are also very noisy when in use.

The high-end fancy blenders may look very sophisticated and classy with extra buttons that may say puree, whip, mix, frappe, etc. Don't pay your hard-earned money on these extra buttons. You don't need them.

Choose a blender from a good kitchen appliances brand. In my country, the good ones are like Braun or Kenwood. Shop around for one that suits your budget and that the design you like. A reasonably good one priced under US$200 should serve you well for a long time.

Test it at the store to check the noise level. Some operate incredibly loud¾ forget those. Also check that it has a solid base that when in operation, you don't have to hold it down all the time.

Enough said, the juicer and the blender, hand-in-hand, will be your faithful companion taking you through an exciting journey towards a healthier new you.

To work a blender: Put in all your cut-up ingredients and liquid of your choice into the blender container. Start by pulsating, gradually increasing to low power until the food is cut into smaller bits. Then go on high power for about 2 minutes to blend them to a smooth, creamy, light and fluffy finale.

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What to look for when you shop for a JUICER

There are many types of juicers out there in the market. Firstly, you need to understand how each type work. When you have identified the type of juicer that you think would be appropriate for you, check out the models to see which suits your budget, considering all the other factors appended further below.

Not all juicers are built equal. The cost of a juicer can range from under US$100 right up to more than a whopping US$700+! Depending on how serious you are or intend to be with a juicing lifestyle, you may want to invest accordingly.

The cheaper type juicers may be suitable for beginners with a low budget. These may not be the best juicers, but it's better than not juicing at all. I started juicing with a high-end centrifugal juicer (lowest end range of juicers) because that was what I could afford at that time.

I may have saved on the price of the juicer, but in actual fact, I spent more on the produce to juice the required amount of juice. In the long run, it did not work out to be economical.

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When you have the right juice extractor, juicing would be such a breeze and a fulfilling experience which would encourage you to continue in your juicing journey. It would be something to look forward to each day.

But, if you buy the wrong juicer, not only would you regret the money spent, you would be frustrated with juicing as a whole as it would not yield the results you set out to achieve in the first place.

Now that you are convinced that juicing is the way to go, here are some considerations before you go out and purchase that juicer:

• Consider how much you are willing to spend
  If you are totally new to juicing, you may not be sure whether juicing is for you. You may want to begin with a not-too-expensive juicer. Of course, bearing in mind, the more you pay, the better equipment you will get. If you are willing to spend a bit more for a good equipment, I highly recommend you to go for it. You only need ONE good juicer to last you for a very long time.

• General aesthetic aspect of the juicer
  Firstly, consider the general aesthetic aspect of the juicer. Is it pleasant looking enough and not too bulky that you can leave it at your kitchen counter-top? If the answers are "yes", you will more likely use it more frequently, rather than having to stash it away after every use. In fact, you should leave it on your counter-top all the time so that you WILL juice frequently.

• Portability of juicer
  This may not be the most important factor for most of us. But for me, I sometimes like to take my juicer along with me when I travel. My masticating juicer is heavy (about 6.5 kg or ~14 lbs!) but it comes with a carry handle so it's easily portable. Some heavy models like these do not come with handles, so if this factor is important for you, take note.

• Ease of use
  I can't emphasize enough the importance of choosing a juicer that is easy to assemble, dismantle and clean. Don't believe ads that you read about juicers being easy to clean. They most often claim that their juicer is easy to clean but sometimes it can become a hassle. Read up juicer reviews like these and hear what consumers are saying. If cleaning up is too time-consuming, you will soon find it burdensome to drink that one glass of juice everyday.

• Juice yield and quality of juice
  If you are new to juicing, the juice yield and the quality of the juice of your new juicer may not bother you too much. But once you are familiar with juicing, you would want the most from your produce. Different types of juicer produce different quantity and quality.

• Check the manufacturer's warranty period
  Warranty periods vary for every model. Some models have separate warranty periods for the motor and the parts. Some manufacturer warranties motor for only a year, some up to 20 years. This is a factor that differentiates a cheap juicer from an expensive one. Beware some manufacturer warranties its parts for only 90 days which is hardly any good!

These are only some of the factors you should consider when you shop for a juicer. There is no perfect juicer out there. But if you know what you are looking for, chances are higher that you would be more satisfied with your choice. You are better prepared to compromise some of the less important factors for factors more important to you.

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Types of juicers

If you have never owned a juicer before, I suggest you get acquainted with the types of juicers in the market. There are basically four main types of juicers. Click on the following to learn more about each type of juicer and the popular models currently in the market:

• Hand-operated (manual) juicers

• Centrifugal juicers

• Single-gear (masticating) juicers

• Twin-gear (triturating) juicers