Question from Anlina
I know this has been discussed here in the past, but I’m wondering if there’s any updated research or more recent comments. I’m thinking of getting a Vitamix; I’d only use it to make smoothies. My only reason for getting it would be for the increased bio-availability of the food. But some nutritionists think the blender’s fast speed may cause more oxidation of the foods, so the fact that the cell walls are ruptured would actually make them less nutritious than if not blended. I’d appreciate your comment on this, Debra. Would you recommend (or trust) any cheaper brand with only a ½ hp motor to make equally nutritious smoothies? Thanks!
Debra’s Answer
I myself have a Vitamix and am very happy with it.
I purchased it because I was having difficulty making smoothies at all in other blenders I tried–they just didn’t break down the food even to the level of smoothness.
If you go to any commercial place that makes smoothies, they all have Vitamixes or similar high-horsepower blenders.
If you are making smoothies with ice or frozen fruits, it’s been my experience that a regular blender just won’t do it.
As to your question about oxidation, oxidation is an irreversible process by which oxygen in the air combines with nutrients in food, a process that makes the food rancid. A good example of oxidation is when an apple turns brown after you cut it.
So let’s use logic here. When you cut an apple, only the cut surfaces oxidize and turn brown. If you cut the apple in two, that would be less cut surface than if you cut the apple into ten pieces. The smaller the pieces, the more surface area there is and so more oxidation.
