There is no doubt that commercial blenders are much stronger than their basic blender counterparts. But are commercial blenders necessary for people on raw food diets? I would argue that raw foodists should never be without a high powered blender. You can’t take advantage of the benefits a commercial blender provides you when you are using a low powered blender. You might pay a bit more for commercial blenders but the advantages trump the cost tenfold.
I’ll use an apple in this example. Apples have over three hundred phytochemicals per apple. In order for your body to maximize the advantages of ingesting phytochemicals they need to be freed from the cell walls of the fruit. The best way to do this is to shred the apple in a blender that has a two horsepower or better motor. Basic blenders are not that strong, so they don’t provide you the maximum benefit of eating a completely shredded apple. Apples are not the only fruit like this, so it really makes sense to consider the strength of your blender before the purchase.
Some people on raw food diets have chosen that diet because they have digestion problems. In this instance it would really benefit you to have a commercial powered blender to use at home. Commercial blenders break down the cellulose walls of vegetables and fruits quite simply. Some vegetables and fruits have incredibly thick cell walls. In addition to making food digestion much easier, these blenders allow you to absorb nutrients faster and easier. The texture of the food you eat will be very smooth, creamy, and easy on the stomach.
Food texture should have it’s own category. Commercial blenders are designed to completely shred the foods that you put into it, when used appropriately. This means no chunks and clumps. Using the apple again, all I do is cut one in half and throw it in. I don’t pull the stem out and I don’t remove the seeds; those things contain nutrients too! I put two halves in the blender pitcher and in about ten seconds I have pulverized that apple and all of its innards into a creamy sauce I can drink. In a low powered blender you would have apple skin chunks left over because the skin of an apple is very tough.
People considering a raw food diet (and those on the fence about buying commercial blenders) should look long and hard at getting a nice blender. The cost will pale in comparison to the improvements in your digestion, nutrient absorption, and incredible taste of whatever it is that you are blending. I’m sure there are points about purchasing the more expensive blenders that you weren’t initially considering so be sure to do your homework first, and get yourself a nice blender second. You will be very glad you did.
Are commercial blenders really that beneficial? Vita mix vs Blendtec might answer that question for you. Go see what the buzz is about.