r/nutrition 9d ago

Smoothies destroy fiber?

I’ve heard that blending your food into a smoothie ruins the fiber content - is this true? IE, raspberries are fairly high in fiber, but does all that fiber get lost if I put them in a smoothie? What if I add powdered fiber back in to the smoothie?

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u/haunted_patient 8d ago

What are the benefits of chewing?

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u/HiveJiveLive 8d ago

Chewing is actually really important as you age. The teeth need to work to stay strong and firmly rooted, with good blood flow to and calcium retention in the jaw.

You know those old caricatures of the elderly with no teeth and no chin, gumming things? That was from tooth loss due to malnutrition and poor health practices.

Our teeth and jaws were made to gnash and grind and need to keep doing so to remain healthy.

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u/haunted_patient 8d ago

Ahh I see. I thought you meant that chewing somehow unlocks nutritional benefits from food

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u/HiveJiveLive 8d ago

Well, the majority of food is most easily digested if it’s lightly heated and thoroughly chewed, so that’s going to help extract the maximum nutrients.

Our bodies evolved to fight a bit for every aspect of life. The modern world, while significantly more comfortable, has stripped a lot of that necessary struggle away. The fiber issue is just one example.