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Are smoothies actually good for you?
Thanks for asking.
Smoothies can be seen pretty prominently in organic food stores and supermarkets during the summer.
They've been a popular choice for years now and come with a reputation for being healthy too.
Many people believe that they're a convenient way of consuming fruit and vegetables and that they're also effective at preventing snacking between meals.
A smoothie is made from blended whole fruits and vegetables.
That means the flesh and pulp, which are a source of fibre, are retained.
Whereas with fruit juice, only the juice is kept.
So smoothies are thicker and more filling.
For example, a strawberry banana smoothie contains 12 grams of fibre per 100 millilitres and a kiwi apple pineapple smoothie contains 18 grams.
That's four times more than your average fruit juice.
So are we saying smoothies are healthier than fruit?
Yes, and that's because of the higher fibre content.
That slows down sugar absorption, preventing harmful glucose spikes in the blood.
The sugar in homemade smoothies comes from fruit too, rather than added sugar.
Nevertheless, a word of warning.
Commercially prepared and store-bought smoothies often contain added sugar, honey or other sweeteners.
What's more, the nutritional benefits of a smoothie will never be as healthy as those of fresh fruit.
That's because you have to chew a piece of fruit, so it's absorbed much more slowly than a smoothie.
There's no reason why you shouldn't, but you should still limit your consumption to 150ml per day.
That's approximately equivalent to a small glass.
Most importantly, don't gulp it all down in one go.
Take the time to savour your smoothie when you drink it.
That also allows your body to absorb the sugars slowly and prepares your intestines to digest them.
Avoid drinking smoothies in the evening or during lunch as they're pretty packed with calories.
A single serving contains around 300.
As I touched on earlier, it's best to opt for smoothies you make yourself at home using a blender.
You can put whatever you want in your smoothie really.
Start with a liquid base like water or milk.
Then add fruit and vegetables seeds nuts, protein powder and even granola or cocoa to make your smoothie even more nutritious.
There you have it.
Now you know whether smoothies are actually good for you.
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