Are smoothies really any good for you?
Keeping up with diet and nutrition trends can be baffling at the best of times. As spring approaches, thoughts turn to slimming and the internet fizzes with conflicting advice dished up by ‘experts’. Until recently, the one certainty was that fresh fruit is unquestionably good for you. Smoothies were touted as an ingenious way to consume more fruit, and the health-conscious picked them as the latest noughties nutrition trend.
But, while government guidelines now say we must eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, studies point to the high-sugar content of fruit as a culprit for weight gain. And smoothies are being blamed for everything from obesity to dental problems. Where we were once warned not to eat all the pies, now, it appears, we must fear the fruit drink.
How can we tell the fads from the facts? And surely a homemade concoction of mixed berries, soya milk and a sprinkling of porridge oats is not the same as a processed carton of mainly banana purée (high in calories), or worse, some fiendish concentrate with various additives, or full-fat milk.
To navigate this nutritional maze, I asked Jane Clarke, a state-registered dietician, author and nutritionist, whose sensible approach to eating emerges as the voice of reason. ‘Fruit should be part of a balanced diet, but there are issues with smoothies,’ she says. Even the purest can be high in sugar (naturally occurring fructose), which may cause blood-sugar spikes: bad for our metabolism. The high calorie count can lead to weight gain, and the sugar-and-acid mix has been linked to tooth damage.
Clarke agrees that a homemade version using carefully chosen fresh ingredients is the better option, but portion control is key. Crucially, because there is no chewing, smoothies do not trigger a satiety response in the brain (feeling full), loading us with calories but leaving us hungry, unlike eating whole fruit. So her advice is: ‘Ask yourself if it would not be better to eat fruit instead. Or, if you are thirsty, drink water.’
Tesco Deuce Strawberries And Cream isn’t labelled a ‘smoothie’ but does look like one. It has ingredients such as maize starch and stabilised cream, and only 20 per cent strawberry, at a cost of 165 calories. Innocent has a banana-free recipe (kiwi, apple and lime), but still has 25g of sugar and 127 calories. Pret A Manger smoothies, made with crushed fruit and no nasties, are still high in sugar and calories.
A spokesperson for Tesco says, ‘All our smoothies contain two portions of fruit from the recommended five-a-day, and are clearly labelled.’ And Innocent, the ethical brand that brought smoothies to the masses, defends the worthiness of its products: ‘Drinking an Innocent smoothie makes it easier for people to get more fruit into their diet at a time when two-thirds of us don’t hit our five-a-day.’
And as for tooth damage, ‘The British Dental Health Foundation recommends that fruit and smoothies should be eaten at mealtimes.’ But in Clarke’s experience, most people drink them between meals, as thirst-quenchers or snacks, unaware of the extra sugar and calories.
Choosing what we eat has evolved from a survival function into an emotionally, culturally charged minefield – it is important to keep a sense of proportion. The verdict seems to be that, while the odd smoothie won’t make you fat or give you diabetes, they should not replace eating whole fruit or drinking water. They can have as many calories as a glass of wine – I know which I’d choose – but they do have vitamins. So don’t put your blender away – just be aware of what, and how much, you put in it. And if you buy ready-made, check the label.
For more details: www.janeclarke.comThe Lady smoothie test
1 Innocent
Kiwis, apples and limes, 250ml
Energy: 128 kcal
Sugar: 25.8g
Fresh and clean but slightly clinical – tastes like it’s good for you.
3/5
2 Tesco
Juice Bar Super Fruiter, 250ml
Energy: 130 kcal
Sugar: 28.8g
Synthetic blackberry flavour, quite tart and acidic.
2/5
3 Eat
Strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, 250ml
Energy: 140 kcal
Sugar: 30.5g
Perfectly drinkable but quite bland.
3/5
4 Pret A Manger
Vitamin Volcano, 250ml
Energy: 138 kcal
Sugar: 29g
Vibrant, clean red berry flavours, not too sweet and perfect texture.
5/5
5 Tesco
Deuce Strawberries And Cream, 250ml
Energy: 165 kcal
Sugar: 25.3g
Not sold as a smoothie but branded ‘Juice Bar’. Contains cream.
2/5
This is Juanita's take on the traditional drink from the Punjab in India.
Ingredients
1 ripe mango, stoned and sliced
¾ cup of soya milk or semi-skimmed milk
2 tbsp plain live yoghurt
½ tsp ground cardamom
pinch of cumin seeds
½ tbsp honey (optional)
crushed ice
Method
Slice off the mango around the core, scooping out as much of the flesh as possible, then peel and dice it. Put all the ingredients in the blender and whizz. If you prefer a lighter, longer drink, you can just add some water.
Juanita has been making her tried-and-tested favourite recipe for years. As well as tasting great, the porridge oats keep you feeling full for longer, while the probiotics in live yoghurt are good for your digestive health.
Ingredients
150g fresh mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are a great mix)
1 tbsp porridge oats
1 tbsp plain live yoghurt
½ tsp honey (optional)
a couple of ice cubes
200ml soya milk or semi-skimmed milk
Method
Place all the ingredients, apart from the milk, in the goblet of a blender and whizz.
Add two-thirds of the milk and blend, adding more until you reach your preferred texture (200ml is a guideline, but you may want to use a little more or less). Pour into a glass and enjoy straight away.
The Flirty Foodie website – www.theflirtyfoodie.com – is full of healthy and unusual ideas. This recipe uses avocado and spinach, which gives it a lower sugar content.
Ingredients
Half a ripe avocado, halved and pitted
½ cup spinach
½ cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt
3 tsp honey
¾ cup milk (can be substituted with almond or soy milk)
Method
Combine avocado, spinach, yogurt and honey into a blender. Blend, slowly adding in the milk until desired consistency is reached.
But, while government guidelines now say we must eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, studies point to the high-sugar content of fruit as a culprit for weight gain. And smoothies are being blamed for everything from obesity to dental problems. Where we were once warned not to eat all the pies, now, it appears, we must fear the fruit drink.
How can we tell the fads from the facts? And surely a homemade concoction of mixed berries, soya milk and a sprinkling of porridge oats is not the same as a processed carton of mainly banana purée (high in calories), or worse, some fiendish concentrate with various additives, or full-fat milk.
To navigate this nutritional maze, I asked Jane Clarke, a state-registered dietician, author and nutritionist, whose sensible approach to eating emerges as the voice of reason. ‘Fruit should be part of a balanced diet, but there are issues with smoothies,’ she says. Even the purest can be high in sugar (naturally occurring fructose), which may cause blood-sugar spikes: bad for our metabolism. The high calorie count can lead to weight gain, and the sugar-and-acid mix has been linked to tooth damage.
Clarke agrees that a homemade version using carefully chosen fresh ingredients is the better option, but portion control is key. Crucially, because there is no chewing, smoothies do not trigger a satiety response in the brain (feeling full), loading us with calories but leaving us hungry, unlike eating whole fruit. So her advice is: ‘Ask yourself if it would not be better to eat fruit instead. Or, if you are thirsty, drink water.’
BEWARE ADDED EXTRAS
The juice and smoothie market in the UK is worth £1.8bn and growing, according to the British Soft Drinks Association, so it is no wonder retailers want to get in on the act. A dash round the shops yields a rainbow of vivid green, tropical orange and popping-pink bottles. The Tesco banana-free Super Fruiter contains juice and purées of six fruits, but the label does not say if they are fresh or from concentrate, and it has a whopping 28.8g of sugar.Tesco Deuce Strawberries And Cream isn’t labelled a ‘smoothie’ but does look like one. It has ingredients such as maize starch and stabilised cream, and only 20 per cent strawberry, at a cost of 165 calories. Innocent has a banana-free recipe (kiwi, apple and lime), but still has 25g of sugar and 127 calories. Pret A Manger smoothies, made with crushed fruit and no nasties, are still high in sugar and calories.
A spokesperson for Tesco says, ‘All our smoothies contain two portions of fruit from the recommended five-a-day, and are clearly labelled.’ And Innocent, the ethical brand that brought smoothies to the masses, defends the worthiness of its products: ‘Drinking an Innocent smoothie makes it easier for people to get more fruit into their diet at a time when two-thirds of us don’t hit our five-a-day.’
And as for tooth damage, ‘The British Dental Health Foundation recommends that fruit and smoothies should be eaten at mealtimes.’ But in Clarke’s experience, most people drink them between meals, as thirst-quenchers or snacks, unaware of the extra sugar and calories.
Choosing what we eat has evolved from a survival function into an emotionally, culturally charged minefield – it is important to keep a sense of proportion. The verdict seems to be that, while the odd smoothie won’t make you fat or give you diabetes, they should not replace eating whole fruit or drinking water. They can have as many calories as a glass of wine – I know which I’d choose – but they do have vitamins. So don’t put your blender away – just be aware of what, and how much, you put in it. And if you buy ready-made, check the label.
For more details: www.janeclarke.com
The Lady smoothie test
1 InnocentKiwis, apples and limes, 250ml
Energy: 128 kcal
Sugar: 25.8g
Fresh and clean but slightly clinical – tastes like it’s good for you.
3/5
2 Tesco
Juice Bar Super Fruiter, 250ml
Energy: 130 kcal
Sugar: 28.8g
Synthetic blackberry flavour, quite tart and acidic.
2/5
3 Eat
Strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, 250ml
Energy: 140 kcal
Sugar: 30.5g
Perfectly drinkable but quite bland.
3/5
4 Pret A Manger
Vitamin Volcano, 250ml
Energy: 138 kcal
Sugar: 29g
Vibrant, clean red berry flavours, not too sweet and perfect texture.
5/5
5 Tesco
Deuce Strawberries And Cream, 250ml
Energy: 165 kcal
Sugar: 25.3g
Not sold as a smoothie but branded ‘Juice Bar’. Contains cream.
2/5
Spiced mango lassi
Serves 1This is Juanita's take on the traditional drink from the Punjab in India.
Ingredients
1 ripe mango, stoned and sliced
¾ cup of soya milk or semi-skimmed milk
2 tbsp plain live yoghurt
½ tsp ground cardamom
pinch of cumin seeds
½ tbsp honey (optional)
crushed ice
Method
Slice off the mango around the core, scooping out as much of the flesh as possible, then peel and dice it. Put all the ingredients in the blender and whizz. If you prefer a lighter, longer drink, you can just add some water.
Breakfast berry boost
Serves 1Juanita has been making her tried-and-tested favourite recipe for years. As well as tasting great, the porridge oats keep you feeling full for longer, while the probiotics in live yoghurt are good for your digestive health.
Ingredients
150g fresh mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are a great mix)
1 tbsp porridge oats
1 tbsp plain live yoghurt
½ tsp honey (optional)
a couple of ice cubes
200ml soya milk or semi-skimmed milk
Method
Place all the ingredients, apart from the milk, in the goblet of a blender and whizz.
Add two-thirds of the milk and blend, adding more until you reach your preferred texture (200ml is a guideline, but you may want to use a little more or less). Pour into a glass and enjoy straight away.
Lean ’N’ Green Spinach & Avocado Smoothie
Serves 1The Flirty Foodie website – www.theflirtyfoodie.com – is full of healthy and unusual ideas. This recipe uses avocado and spinach, which gives it a lower sugar content.
Ingredients
Half a ripe avocado, halved and pitted
½ cup spinach
½ cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt
3 tsp honey
¾ cup milk (can be substituted with almond or soy milk)
Method
Combine avocado, spinach, yogurt and honey into a blender. Blend, slowly adding in the milk until desired consistency is reached.