Smoothies do not always live up to their healthy reputation. If you often stop for a smoothie or blend one up for a snack or meal, be aware of the nutritional impact this seemingly healthy food may be having on your waistline and sugar intake.
Features
You can find smoothies just about everywhere these days--in coffee shops, fast food restaurants, ice cream stores and, of course, in smoothie bars. Smoothies sound like food for health nuts as they usually contain some sort of fruit or vegetable blended with juice or milk and ice. Smoothies may contain other ingredients such as yogurt, whey or soy protein, herbal supplements and nut butters to enhance their nutritional value. The concept of the smoothie has morphed from a healthy whole fruit drink to any smooth, thick drink offering supposed nutritional benefits--chocolate, peanut butter and caramel now flavor restaurant and fast food smoothies. Juice makers market bottled juice blends as smoothies, and yogurt companies offer pre-made yogurt smoothies in your grocer's refrigerator.
Benefits
When made with fresh produce, smoothies provide a way to help meet your daily recommended allowance for fruits and vegetables. A classic smoothie blended at home with a banana, some fresh berries and nonfat plain yogurt contains potassium, antioxidants and calcium, and weighs in at around 200 calories, with 1 g of fat and only natural sugars. Add your own whey to make your smoothie a complete meal with 18 to 25 g of protein and another 80 to 100 calories per serving (depending on the brand you use).
Misconceptions
Manufacturers and restaurants use the word smoothie to describe their drinks because it makes you think they are healthy. Often, smoothies are little more than milkshakes in disguise. Loaded up with ingredients such as sorbet, frozen yogurt and even ice cream, they become sugar bombs with little redeeming nutritional value. Most smoothies far exceed the American Heart Association recommendation that women keep added sugars--those not found naturally in fruits, milk and other whole foods--under 6 teaspoons (about 25 g) per day and men under 9 teaspoons (about 36 g). Jamba Juice, for example, offers a super-size Peanut Butter Moo'd smoothie containing 169 g of sugar and 1,170 calories. Drink a king-size Strawberry Hulk at Smoothie King and consume 1,910 calories and 58 g of fat--that's more calories than many people should consume in one day. Juice and yogurt drinks labeled as smoothies often contain less than 10 percent actual juice.
Considerations
If you plan to use a smoothie as a meal replacement, make sure it satisfies you so you don't end up eating the smoothie and a meal. Watch your serving sizes; always order the smallest size to be sure you don't overload on calories and sugar. Choose smoothies with between 200 and 300 calories for a snack or between 300 and 400 calories for a meal. Read labels on packaged smoothies to be sure they contain 100 percent juice and no added sugar. Eating whole fruits and vegetables is still preferable because they contain more fiber and nutrients than any extracted juice.
Solution
Make smoothies at home whenever possible to control the ingredients and portion size and ask to see the nutritional information for menu items when you eat out. Avoid smoothies than contain ice cream and sorbet and ask the waiter to leave out the extra honey or other sweeteners.
Member Comments