So, here it is, in all its odd, weirdly contentious glory: the blender folks claim that when you juice fruit you strip it of the fiber that is, in and of itself, nutritious; the juice folks claim that when you shred, “masticate,” or otherwise crush the fruit down, leaving only the juice, you’ve made the vitamins and minerals more bioavailable. We’re speaking, of course, of the age-old (but not really) juicing vs. smoothie(ing) battle royale.

If you’ve never heard either side of this argument, fret not: the subset of people who parse out the healthiest way to consume already incredibly healthy food is not large. And, in fact, it’s important to note that whole fruit, fresh smoothies, and fresh juice are all very, very healthy options. So, there is an element of this discussion that is purely academic. As you can imagine, here at Well•Pict we’re pretty interested in any conversation involving fruit, berries, and the like. Whether one leans smoothie or prefers juice, a popular option at our offices is a blender preparation with extra ice and/or water so you get the beneficial fiber with a “juicier,” less fibrous consistency. 

When it comes to juicing berries specifically, you can run into some trouble—at least in terms of cost-effectiveness. When it comes to berries and juice, there isn’t much “there” there. An orange produces a decent amount of juice when squeezed away from the meaty pulp—take the “pulp” away from the strawberry, and you’re not left with much…of anything. If you’re really jonesing for a smooth, seedless raspberry or strawberry juice, we recommend whizzing the fresh berries with an immersion blender and then straining the juicy pulp through a nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth. 

If the brand-spankin’ new juicer is already in your cart and you’re determined to squeeze every last drop of both fruit juice and worth out of it, consider adding strawberries and raspberries to other larger, juicier fruit blends. Orange-pineapple-strawberry and apple-raspberry are both divine. Creating blends allows you to enjoy that sweet berry taste without tossing 500+ perfectly lovely berries into your juicer’s masticating maw.

Happy blending to our smoothie brethren, and happy juicing to those who prefer things pulpless! 

Image: Delicious Well•Pict Berries raspberries ready for the blender or juicer