It was a Wednesday, close to midnight. My husband and I had just returned home from the 25th EU Film Festival opening event. I opened the fridge to scan it for a late night snack and I saw a bottle of fizzy apple juice, meant for special occasions, glaring back at me, a boldly empty case of plastic.

I felt my heart rate increase and the veins in my forehead emerge. I said to my husband, “I can’t believe it, she’s had another bottle of fizzy apple juice.”

“I still don’t get it. What’s so bad about that?” he said.

“What’s so bad?!” I heard my inner voice blare out, and I knew then that the conversation had touched a sore spot in me. I could not believe that here I was, raw food educator, teacher of juices and smoothies, of cleansing, advocate of a low sugar diet, opponent of fizzy drinks, having to explain to my husband for the umpteenth time why juices are not all that good.

Furthermore, he didn’t get the difference between a juice and a smoothie.

My utter amazement combined with fury completely clouded my ability to communicate anything short of snappy comments and condescending glares. 

Eventually I managed to google “is fizzy apple juice bad?” I read out bits and pieces, really stressing parts such as: “contains more sugar than coca cola” and “as harmful as corn syrup”. Please note that we are talking here about store-bought juices, not the lovely low sugar, vegetable-based ones, mixed in with a bit of apple to sweeten it, that we enjoy every morning.  

I explained how juice is just an extract of liquid fructose without fiber. Somehow, my husband brought smoothies into the conversation, and I, with fervent frustration, explained how smoothies have fiber and are made up of WHOLE FRUIT. Therefore, the sugar doesn’t get absorbed as quickly. 

It gradually dawned on me, although I couldn’t phrase it then, that he thought that blending is juicing. It isn’t. Here’s the difference: Blending is basically just mixing things up and does not produce juice, unless the pulp is separated from the liquid with a sieve or nut milk bag. Therefore, blending can be a part of juicing, but does not, on its own, produce juice. 

That conversation ended with him wondering why I was defensively aggressive and me stomping upstairs to ponder over the situation, which I pretty quickly turned into a lesson and an opportunity. I thought I would organize the best juice and smoothie class ever, teaming up with a nutritionist and a doctor, with myself personally demonstrating the makings of a juice versus a smoothie.

To end, click here to have a look at how one of the most popular and loved juicers on the planet – Joe Cross -- differentiates juicing and blending in his fabulously clear infographic: 

What day of the week and what time would be best for you to join the best juice and smoothie class ever? Write your answer in the comments field or message me directly, and enter the lucky draw for a free ticket for you and a loved one.

I am designing a 2016 Spring Bali Retreat. This retreat is for women by women. Let me know what an ideal retreat in Bali would be like for you below!

Visit the R.A.W. Inside Out page to find out more about Pauliina's work.