There are mixed messages about smoothies. Fruit — vegetables — all mixed together seems like the perfect way to get your five a day. You may need to think again.
Whilst there are reported benefits and there is the delicious taste to consider we also need to be careful when adding them to our diets. Conflicting evidence shows that the process of mixing a smoothie releases bad sugars.
The British Heart Foundations blog ‘5 reasons why smoothies are not a shortcut to a healthy diet reports that:
You can only count a smoothie as one of your recommended five a day
A breakfast smoothie doesn’t mean you can eat fatty, sugary food for the rest of the day
Smoothies can be high in sugar
You can have too much of a good thing — 150 ml is enough
Drinking smoothies doesn’t mean you have a healthy lifestyle
The BBC good food guide suggests some simple steps to make smoothies healthier. Having a smoothie with food, brushing teeth afterwards, drinking slowly and ensuring that as well as fruits there are elements of vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre. This can be achieved by adding vegetables, dairy products and even nut butter.
Many sports people utilise smoothies as pre or post-workout snacks. This includes Tom Brady whose TB12 sports science programme includes drinking a smoothie everyday. His full
smoothie guide looks at how making your smoothie can be a work of art! The step-by-step guide leads you through: Setting your intention, choosing your base and enhancing it with other ingredients. It concludes with a what to watch section and then some great recipes to try.
So in general, smoothies can help support a healthy well balanced diet. They just need to be thought through and added to your diet carefully and sensibly — in moderation — just like you would with any other food. Still, plenty to enjoy and always great for fussy eaters including children!
The British Heart Foundation: 5 Reasons Why Smoothies Are Not Shortcut to a healthy diet: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/5-a-day/smoothies
BBC Good Food - Are Smoothies Good for you? https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/are-smoothies-good-you
TB12 - Smoothie Guidehttps://tb12sports.com/blogs/tb12/smoothieguide
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