Are Smoothies a Healthy Alternative to Fizzy Drinks?
Across the world fruit smoothies are being promoted as a guilt free beverage to replace fizzy drinks. Not only do they taste good but it is claimed that a 250 ml serving can give you up to 2 of your 5 a day. To profit from the popularity of smoothies the big drinks manufactures have been acquiring juice companies. Innocent is now part of Coca Cola UK.
Are smoothies better for us than fizzy drinks?
In a recent report Professor Barry Popkins of the University of North Carolina has warned that smoothies and fruit juices are the ‘new danger’ in the battle against obesity. “Pulped up smoothies do nothing good for us but give us the same amount of sugar as 4 to 6 oranges or a large coke”.
What is a smoothie?
A smoothie is a blend of crushed whole fruit and juiced fruit. It is the juicing of the fruit that removes the fibre and results in a higher concentration of sugar.
Why have smoothies been linked to obesity?
Diets high in sugar stimulate the release of insulin which results in calories from sugar being stored as fat. Popkin tells us “the long term effects of excess sugar consumption are the same regardless of whether the sugar is natural occurring in fruit or added to soft drinks or snacks”. Smoothies have also been shown to be poor at controlling our appetites and therefore do not reduce our intake of other foods
Can a smoothie be good for you?
In addition to whole fruit and fruit juice some smoothies do contain milk or yoghurt. Milk and yoghurt are both sources of protein and therefore will lessen the impact of the fruit sugars on your blood sugar levels helping to make you feel fuller for longer.
Should I stop drinking smoothies?
Simple fruit smoothies should be considered a treat and not a replacement for a well balanced snack. Chose a piece of fruit with a few nuts which will provide slow releasing sugars, protein and other important nutrients.
The perfect solution
The solution is of course to make your own smoothie just from whole fruit, yoghurt and milk.
The perfect time for a smoothie
A homemade smoothie can make a great breakfast. Quick and easy to prepare giving you the energy you need to start your day.
- Serves: 1
- Serving size: 1
- Calories: 304
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Saturated fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 56.6 g
- Sugar: 17.6
- Sodium: 0.1 g
- Fiber: 6.2 g
- Protein: 11.1 g
- 200 ml almond milk (Alpro)
- 100 g fat free probiotic yoghurt (Yeo Valley)
- 15 g oats
- ½ medium banana
- 50 g blueberries
- 50 g raspberries
- 100 g strawberries
- Put all ingredients in a blender
- Blend until smooth
Use 200 g frozen berries instead of fresh
No blender? Buy a cheap stick blender which will also be useful for making soups