Are blended vegetables less healthy than eating them raw?

[2seas]

I've done a fair bit of googling but I can't seem to get an informed opinion on this so I turn to the PH collective...

I'm trying to get more vegetables into my diet but I really, really dislike them. Unfortunately the 'supervegetables' like broccoli, spinach and kale are in my 'most disliked' category.

I was thinking of blending some broccoli/spinach with some cold water/ice and just downing it. I'm confident I can put it down and then it's all over quickly.

However, I've read some articles stating that blending broccoli (and other veg) can destroy the glucosinolates and other macro-nutrients that are good for the body. Does anyone here have any insight on this?

[mu0n]

I can't see how blending them will be any different to eating ones from the supermarket that have been 'dead' for a while.

I did see an interesting article the other day about keeping the circadian rhythm of vegetables like kale going to keep it's anti-cancer properties as apparently they diminish when harvested.

Use chili sauce. Makes everything taste half decent.

[2seas]

mu0n said:

I can't see how blending them will be any different to eating ones from the supermarket that have been 'dead' for a while.

I did see an interesting article the other day about keeping the circadian rhythm of vegetables like kale going to keep it's anti-cancer properties as apparently they diminish when harvested.

Use chili sauce. Makes everything taste half decent.

Here's an example:

random article said:

"The minute a vegetable is cut or plucked from the earth it starts losing some vitamins, mainly vitamin C and B-complex vitamins. To slow the degradation of vitamins, most vegetables should be kept refrigerated until used.
B-complex vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble vitamins and are not stored in the body. They must be replaced each day. Water-soluble vitamins are the most unstable when cooked or stored improperly. Vitamins C, thiamin (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), and folate (B9) tend to be the most vulnerable nutrients when subjected to heat and oxygen. Some vitamins are easily destroyed by oxygen, so cut vegetables or juiced vegetables should be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator."

Focusing on the underlined segment above; the argument put forth by some is that blending increases the oxygenation of nutrients and therefore reduces the overall nutritional value (one website claims by upto 90%). The fact that some blenders heat up a lot apparently makes things worse.

There are many counter arguments stating that if blended quickly (i.e. for less than ~2mins) and if the liquid is then consumed quickly it doesn't have time to oxygenate (proven by the fact that it doesn't discolour).

I'm struggling to find any science/research behind either argument.

[otolith]

You are massively overthinking it, IMO.

[LordGrover]

I've heard fussy children have their food mushed up.
Get used to real food. It's good for you and requires no further thought or preparation.

[Hoofy]

You'll miss out on the roughage effect I understand (good for keeping bowel cancer at bay).

[mu0n]

So a blender ruins the nutritional value of fruit/veg but your teeth obliterating them and then falling into stomach acid is totally fine?

I do not comprehend the argument.

[DocJock]

Then you need to work on your comprehension skills...

[mu0n]

DocJock said:

Then you need to work on your comprehension skills...

Come on then smart arse, how would a blender 'ruin' something that your teeth and stomach wouldn't?

It doesn't make any sense.

[otolith]

If you put raw veg through a blender, you will release a lot of the juice and aerate the mixture, exposing the contents to oxygen. As soon as you do this, you will trigger lots of chemical reactions as bits of the plant which weren't previously mixed with other bits of the plant get it on in the presence of oxygen - same sort of reactions that cause browning of cut fruit. If you leave the mixture out on the worktop overnight, what you have tomorrow will be likely to differ chemically somewhat to what you had when you first blended it.

If you blend it and immediately pour it down your neck, I can't really see it mattering at all.

[2seas]

LordGrover said:

I've heard fussy children have their food mushed up.
Get used to real food. It's good for you and requires no further thought or preparation.

While being 'fussy' is the main reason for this it's not the only reason. Fruit/Veg smoothies are much quicker to make and therefore much more convenient..

[2seas]

mu0n said:

DocJock said:

Then you need to work on your comprehension skills...

Come on then smart arse, how would a blender 'ruin' something that your teeth and stomach wouldn't?

It doesn't make any sense.

As otolith has pointed out a blender aerate's the food too a much larger extent than chewing and swallowing. I just blended a bag of spinach and downed it and trust me it's definitely a bit 'foamy' due to the air.

However, despite causing it to become more aerated, that doesn't necessarily mean it has had time to oxidise and lose its nutritional content.

[mu0n]

2seas said:

As otolith has pointed out a blender aerate's the food too a much larger extent than chewing and swallowing. I just blended a bag of spinach and downed it and trust me it's definitely a bit 'foamy' due to the air.

However, despite causing it to become more aerated, that doesn't necessarily mean it has had time to oxidise and lose its nutritional content.

I was going to say, the timescales we’re talking here is it hardly worth noting? If oxygen was going to bind with any of the nutrients in the veg when blended, chances are it would still be able to bind when cutting with your knife & fork, chewing and swallowing.

I understand that veg will lose some of its micronutrients when cooking (evident of water turning green for example when boiling) but eating raw veg isn’t that pleasant with a cooked meal (some exceptions). So I’d rather just eat twice as much!

Here’s that article (not sure if you can see it if you are not a member) http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23742-give-p...

[Hoofy]

So drink the water, then.

[2seas]

mu0n said:

2seas said:

As otolith has pointed out a blender aerate's the food too a much larger extent than chewing and swallowing. I just blended a bag of spinach and downed it and trust me it's definitely a bit 'foamy' due to the air.

However, despite causing it to become more aerated, that doesn't necessarily mean it has had time to oxidise and lose its nutritional content.

I was going to say, the timescales we’re talking here is it hardly worth noting? If oxygen was going to bind with any of the nutrients in the veg when blended, chances are it would still be able to bind when cutting with your knife & fork, chewing and swallowing.

I understand that veg will lose some of its micronutrients when cooking (evident of water turning green for example when boiling) but eating raw veg isn’t that pleasant with a cooked meal (some exceptions). So I’d rather just eat twice as much!

Here’s that article (not sure if you can see it if you are not a member) http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23742-give-p...

Thanks for the link.

Well i'm blending raw vegetables so no worries about losing nutrients due to cooking. The spinach (240g!) went down pretty easily with only a little water added to the mix. I've done a lot more googling and haven't read anything to convince me blending is severely affecting the nutritional content; therefore i'm happy i'm not wasting my time/effort getting my veg in that way, for now...

[burwoodman]

I can't believe such topics ever arise. It's the same issue that some obsess over which exercises to do. Just do something good/healthy. When you're advanced then worry about the micro.

Any vegetable is better than kfc
blended vegetables are better than Orio double cream biscuits

[Regiment]

burwoodman said:

I can't believe such topics ever arise. It's the same issue that some obsess over which exercises to do. Just do something good/healthy. When you're advanced then worry about the micro.

Any vegetable is better than kfc
blended vegetables are better than Orio double cream biscuits

Kentucky Fried Protein .

[Hoofy]

burwoodman said:

I can't believe such topics ever arise. It's the same issue that some obsess over which exercises to do. Just do something good/healthy. When you're advanced then worry about the micro.

Any vegetable is better than kfc
blended vegetables are better than Orio double cream biscuits

Pretty much my thinking. If it's a choice between not eating any veg or only eating blended, then blended it is.