Smoothies

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eapple87
eapple87 Posts: 50 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I am exploring smoothies in place of breakfast. I usually would skip breakfast and I seem to be able to get down a smoothie. But I'm wondering if what I'm putting in them is decent. I know it's not ideal but is it better than nothing?

I put fruit and orange juice. Enough to fill a 12 oz glass. Probably about 1.5 cups of frozen fruit and 3/4 cup of tropicana.

Like I said, I know it's not ideal and I could be adding almond milk and greens but I don't really like green smoothies at all.

Thanks for any input.
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Replies

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I love smoothies. I just add a scoop of chocolate protein powder, a banana, 1tbs of powdered wheat germ, 250ml of almond/coconut milk and a whole raw egg. Tastes yummy and keeps me full for hours.
    The smoothie you mentioned doesn't sound like it would be very filling??
  • crystalewhite
    crystalewhite Posts: 422 Member
    edited February 2015
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    If you are using a lot of fruit and juice already, you might not be able to taste a handful of mild greens like spinach or romaine. I mainly use greens with an apple and some frozen strawberries and the fruit is still the predominant flavor.
    Christine's suggestions are great too, there are unflavored powders out there too.

    Oh and PB2! This is powdered peanut butter and is great!
  • eapple87
    eapple87 Posts: 50 Member
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    Thanks for replying!

    I'm not really using them to fill up, what I like about them is if I have one shortly after I wake up I find myself grabbing a hand full of cashews about 30min-1hr later and then wanting lunch earlier as well. Where as prior to having them I wouldn't eat until around 12 and then I'd eat something big and wait until dinner to eat again. Then all my snacking would take place in the evening.

    I really don't eat bananas it anything banana flavoured and I need to learn more about powders as I've never dabbled in them. All of this is pretty new to me so I guess I was just feeling like my smoothies are inadequate.

    I have tried adding greens but I find they change the smoothie from something I look forward to into something I dread, even if I just add a bit it changes the colour and texture I find.
  • queen_of_disaster
    queen_of_disaster Posts: 61 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I sometimes use cottage cheese in mine to make them more substantial. It makes a WONDERFUL "cheesecake" smoothie. I've made variations on blueberry and strawberry, adding about 125 g of cottage cheese, a tsbp of lemon juice, a couple of fresh dates, and a half cup of your preferred plant-based milk (almond or soy are my favorites).
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    queen_of_disaster wrote: »
    I sometimes use cottage cheese in mine to make them more substantial. It makes a WONDERFUL "cheesecake" smoothie. I've made variations on blueberry and strawberry, adding about 125 g of cottage cheese, a tsbp of lemon juice, a couple of fresh dates, and a half cup of your preferred plant-based milk (almond or soy are my favorites).

    oohh oohh I was wondering about adding cottage cheese @queen_of_disaster‌ but was worried it would make it taste weird.
    So you recommend it? :smile:

  • Cave_Goose
    Cave_Goose Posts: 156 Member
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    1 cup greek yogurt
    1/2 cup juice (any flavor--I use Tropicana Farmstand Peach Mango Fruit & Vegetable Juice)
    1 banana
    1 cup spinach
    Ice, if you want it (I don't add it)

    The spinach will turn your smoothie puke green, but you don't taste it at at all.

    With my juice selection:
    357 calories
    6 gram fat
    55 gram carbs
    25 gram protein
    777mg potasium
    106% Vitamin A
    89% Vitamin C
    54% Calcium
    11% Iron
  • Cave_Goose
    Cave_Goose Posts: 156 Member
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    Bananas are often used in smoothies to make it creamy. Dry oatmeal can be used as a substitute.
  • kenmiller75
    kenmiller75 Posts: 89 Member
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    I put chia seeds or ground flax seed in mine to get added nutrients.
  • eapple87
    eapple87 Posts: 50 Member
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    Haha I feel soo picky right now but at the same time I don't relate to being a picky eater. I really like spinach in my soups and salads or on a pita but I can't stand the idea of mixing it with my smoothie. I also don't understand putting fruit in a green salad, like raspberries or mandarin. I know some people do that.

    I guess I'll just stick to what I'm doing because it's gotta be better than my previous morning routine and maybe try adding some chia seeds or ground flax like @kenmiller75‌ suggested.

    Thanks so much guys!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Chia seeds are a great addition for fibre, good fats and protein :+1:
  • eapple87
    eapple87 Posts: 50 Member
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    My mil uses them on her cereal, never thought to add them to a smoothie. She said the fill you up as well! Win win!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    eapple87 wrote: »
    My mil uses them on her cereal, never thought to add them to a smoothie. She said the fill you up as well! Win win!

    I add them to everything I can!

  • Jakiepaper
    Jakiepaper Posts: 57 Member
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    Put your green smoothie in a colored glass not clear so you can't see the green.
    I put in 1/2 cup of pineapple juice
    a couple handfuls of spinach
    a half avocado (healthy fat) ( banana has a lot of carbs)
    a bunch of ice
    Whey protein powder one scoop is 100 calories.
    some of the PB2 to make it taste peanut buttery.

    I wonder how much sugar you have in yours, just wondering not knocking it. Add some protein though.
  • JenniferInCt
    JenniferInCt Posts: 431 Member
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    crystalewhite wrote: »
    If you are using a lot of fruit and juice already, you might not be able to taste a handful of mild greens like spinach or romaine. I mainly use greens with an apple and some frozen strawberries and the fruit is still the predominant flavor.
    Christine's suggestions are great too, there are unflavored powders out there too.

    Oh and PB2! This is powdered peanut butter and is great!

    I lovvve pb2!
  • eapple87
    eapple87 Posts: 50 Member
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    @Jakiepaper‌ that's my concern, probably a lot of sugar!

    The pineapple juice sounds really good! But I don't know about mixing it with pb... I think I need to let go of my issues with mixing flavours and I'll be able to make better smoothies.

    Great idea to use a coloured glass, I'll try that and see how it works. Maybe blend it a bit more so the consistency is similar to just the fruit. I find when I've used spinach or kale there are green bits that just don't break up as easily as the fruit.

    Thanks so much!
  • eapple87
    eapple87 Posts: 50 Member
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    My smoothie has 54g of sugar, my daily intake should be 45! :\
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    eapple87 wrote: »
    My smoothie has 54g of sugar, my daily intake should be 45! :\

    I go over my sugar every day, purely because of milk and fruit. 45g is really low. Personally I don't even track sugar anymore

  • eapple87
    eapple87 Posts: 50 Member
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    I'm sure I'll get the hang of what is and isn't important to track. Thanks so much for the tip.
    I had my first tea without sugar today and it wasn't bad at all! Not sure why I've been adding a heaping tablespoon for so long. Multiple that by 3-5 teas daily and it really adds up!
  • FreakinFlabuless
    FreakinFlabuless Posts: 29 Member
    edited February 2015
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    lol eapple! I won't touch a salad with fruit in it. My brain just says "That's not natural!" lol That being said, I do make a green smoothie every day for breakfast for the same reason you do. I was a big meal skipper. You can NOT taste the baby spinach at all, and I was so surprised to learn that that I do add baby spinach to a lot of things now....homemade BBQ chicken "pizza", scrambled egg whites, and ALWAYS my smoothies. Let me know if you want to try my standby...green apple, avocado, baby spinach, flax meal, 1 oz. banana (small), almond milk, honey.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    eapple87 wrote: »
    I'm sure I'll get the hang of what is and isn't important to track. Thanks so much for the tip.
    I had my first tea without sugar today and it wasn't bad at all! Not sure why I've been adding a heaping tablespoon for so long. Multiple that by 3-5 teas daily and it really adds up!

    Snap!! I drink a lot of cups of tea everyday. I used to have 3tsp of sugar in each, now I can't drink it with sugar. I've tried dropping the milk, but just do not like black tea.

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