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Dr Esselstyn: Smoothies & Juices
10 Dec 2022
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Dr Esselstyn discourages smoothies and juices. Let's study why.
Smoothies

"Avoid all smoothies and juices. Chew your food." (from this FaceBook Group).

Dr Esselstyn FAQ explains why:

"When the fiber is pureed, it is not chewed and does not have the opportunity to mix with the facultative anaerobic bacteria which reside in the crypts and grooves or our tongue. These bacteria are capable of reducing the nitrates in green leafy vegetables to nitrites in the mouth. When the nitrites are swallowed, they are further reduced by gastric acid to nitric oxide which may now enter the nitric oxide pool." — Dr Esselstyn

"Furthermore, when chewing fruit the fructose is bound to fiber and absorption is safe and slow. On the other hand, when fruit is blenderized, the fructose is separated from the fiber and the absorption is very rapid through the stomach. This rapid absorption tends to injure the liver, glycates protein and injures the endothelial cells." — Dr Esselstyn

Note that Dr Esselstyn offers two distinct concerns: his first concern applies to leafy greens; his second concern applies to fruits. Note that Dr Esselstyn is a former heart surgeon. His focus is on fortifying our endothelium for heart health. Both of his concerns explains how our endothelium is impacted if we puree fruits and veggies.

Personally, I wonder if Dr Esselstyn would be okay with a coarse green smoothie (made of leafy greens and veggies) with some fruit toppings — chopped banana or pomegranate — served in a bowl with a spoon by the side to encourage chewing.

Juices

Juicing: Dr Esselstyn FAQ says:

"Do not juice. Fructose separated from fiber is too rapidly absorbed and injurious. You lose the benefits of fiber best obtained eating the fruit. Chew your food." — Dr Esselstyn

"Drinking fruit juice is like pouring the sugar bowl down your throat. It is fine to eat the whole fruit. Do not drink the juice." — Dr Esselstyn

Further Reading

What do other Whole Food Plant-Based luminaries say about smoothies and juices?

  1. Should We Consume Smoothies?
  2. Should We Consume Fruit Juices?

"Leafy greens are the best vegetables!" — Dr Greger. More info:

How to eat leafy greens?

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