Smoothies may seem like healthy treats because they contain vitamin and mineral-rich fruits, but they're not always very nutritious. Depending on how you prepare your smoothies and how large they are, you could end up sipping a light, smart snack or guzzling down a drink that's packed with calories and fat.
Nutrition Facts
According to the USDA, a single, 8-oz. serving of a peach mango smoothie has only 90 calories 0 g of fat, 3 g of protein, 19 g of carbohydrates, no fiber and 18 g sugar. However, cafes and restaurants rarely serve smoothies that small. A peach smoothie at a major juice chain in a 24-oz. size can have 460 calories, 2 g fat, 110 g cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 4 g protein and a whopping 90 g sugar.
Ingredients
The ingredients in a smoothie determine the nutrition facts, so smoothies that contain pure fruit and low-fat additions with minimum added sugar are the healthiest. The problem is that when you order a smoothie from a café menu, nutrition facts aren't always available, and the drink could be little more than a glorified dessert, made with a fruit syrup, ice cream or full-fat yogurt, and plenty of added sugar. To make a healthy smoothie on your own, start with a base of 1 cup of nonfat plain yogurt, add 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries, and blend with crushed ice. The smoothie has about 165 calories, 25 g of carbohydrates, 14.5 g of protein and 23 g of natural sugar. Using a banana instead of berries will add about 80 calories, and using whole milk instead of yogurt will add about 15 calories and 8 g of fat.
Weight Maintenance
Not all smoothies are high in fat, but that doesn't mean they can't be fattening. The amount of weight you gain or lose depends on the calories you take in versus the calories you burn, so the number of fat grams in your smoothie is less important than the net calories. If you regularly drink smoothies in addition to your normal meals, you could gain weight over time. A smarter strategy to lose or maintain weight is to drink very small smoothies as occasional snacks or have a large smoothie as a meal replacement.
Considerations
Even smoothies that contain primarily fruit aren't always the healthiest snack choices. According to Dr. Melina Jampolis, CNN.com's physician nutrition specialist, eating too much fruit can encourage weight gain, since fruit is higher in calories and sugar than many other natural foods. Jampolis recommends limiting fruit servings to three per day and avoiding fruit juice and fruit products that have added sugar.
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