What’s the problem?
Vitamins are organic compounds that are very sensitive to light, temperature, and pressure. The processes of decay and loss of nutrients in plant products begin immediately after harvest. Another part “disappears” during transportation and storage due to changes in humidity, lighting, mechanical stress. In short, when we take a fresh apple or cabbage from the supermarket counter, they no longer have the full composition of trace elements. Many vitamins “leave” when crushed due to active interaction with oxygen. So, if you love making smoothies with fresh vegetables and fruits and want to get the most out of them, it’s best to pay attention to this process.
Vacuum mixing
Of course, gadgets will come to the rescue. Some blenders are equipped with vacuum blending technology, a modern and gentle way to process fruits and vegetables. There are many advantages: for example, the Philips HR3752 blender, which uses this technology, retains three times more vitamin C than a conventional blender after 8 hours of preparation. This means you can make the most vitamin-packed smoothies at home with a Philips blender, then take the drink to work for lunch.
How does it work?
After loading the vegetables into the jug, the lid closes tightly, and the device removes all the air. If you add sprigs of greens or lettuce to the jar, you will see how they rise following the movement of air. The process takes 40-60 seconds, after which the blender performs its standard task – it grinds all the ingredients, but it does it in an environment with a minimum oxygen content.
3 reasons to cook smoothies in a vacuum
• More vitamins. When grinding occurs in a conventional blender, small particles of vegetables and fruits are actively oxidized due to the destruction of the cell membrane and interaction with oxygen. With a vacuum blender, there is no contact with air, and therefore no oxidation, which deprives the product of a large part of the vitamins. So you can save more vitamin C – the most sensitive element to the external environment.
• Longer storage. Vegetable purees, smoothies and smoothie bowls, natural juice – all this is not stored for more than 1-2 hours without the use of preservatives. Vacuum mixing keeps food fresh for up to 8 hours. This can come in handy if you decide to make a natural smoothie for several times at once or want to drink a drink later, for example, take it with you for a walk.
• The quality of the drink. Powerful blenders allow you to effectively grind any ingredients, including hard vegetables, fruits and even ice into a homogeneous mass, but the dishes almost instantly lose the correct consistency – separation occurs, foam and bubbles appear. All this not only spoils the aesthetic appearance of even the most appetizing smoothie bowl, but also affects the taste. Vacuum mixing solves these problems – the drink turns out to be thick, homogeneous, changes its appearance less, and most importantly – retains the rich taste of the ingredients.
Vacuum mixing technology is a relatively recent development, so it has every chance of becoming a new trend in healthy eating. Don’t fall behind!
Bonus Red Cabbage Smoothie Recipe
• 100 g red cabbage • 3 plums (pitted) • 2 red apples (core removed) • 200 ml water • 200 ml yogurt • 20 g oatmeal (topping)
Cut cabbage, plums, apples into medium pieces, add water and yogurt and grind in a blender at high speed. Pour the drink into a glass and sprinkle oatmeal on top.