Smoothies, too much sugar

Lovee_Dove7

4bugsmama wrote: »

I have started doing smoothies for breakfast since they travel well and are fairly simple to make before my commute to work. After logging them for a few days, I have quickly realized that what I started out thinking was a good idea, is full of too much sugar. I haven't strayed too far from what I've been putting in my blender cup (spinach/kale mix, 1/2 banana, blueberries, lactose-free milk, and buckwheat). I am hoping someone can help guide me to some more healthy (but still good tasting) smoothies. I would hate to lose my momentum on the healthy breakfasts I've been enjoying. TIA

Hello,
I also am avoiding sugar and think it's a good idea.
I just use a protein powder, fiber supplement or flax/chia seeds for fiber, greens if I want, or berries. I like roasted hazelnuts in them, too.

cherrybergher

My smoothies are 50%veggies 25% fruit and the rest almond milk or water.

Example from today.
Handful of kale
3/4 cup cauliflower
1/2 cup peaches frozen
1 tbsp Cacao powder
Scoop vanilla protein powder
Squirt of honey
Almond milk

yarwell

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Smoothies aren't fruit juice, are they? Blended whole fruit, instead. I can't do a smoothie for a meal -- I dislike drinking as an alternative to eating -- but they shouldn't be any different than eating fruit and veg just because the fruit and veg is blended, as it's all there.

The cellular structure has been disrupted, which is I think at least one definition of "free sugars" - UK SACN say free sugars excludes "sugars contained within the cellular structure of foods ".

Action on Sugar, a lobby group, have said "ministers should act to remove fruit juices and smoothies from the {5-a-day} recommendation".

So we'll wait for regulatory rulings and Courts to decide I guess ;-)

Christine_72

yarwell wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Smoothies aren't fruit juice, are they? Blended whole fruit, instead. I can't do a smoothie for a meal -- I dislike drinking as an alternative to eating -- but they shouldn't be any different than eating fruit and veg just because the fruit and veg is blended, as it's all there.

The cellular structure has been disrupted, which is I think at least one definition of "free sugars" - UK SACN say free sugars excludes "sugars contained within the cellular structure of foods ".

Action on Sugar, a lobby group, have said "ministers should act to remove fruit juices and smoothies from the {5-a-day} recommendation".

So we'll wait for regulatory rulings and Courts to decide I guess ;-)

I've read something similar to this @yarwell , but it doesn't make sense. How could It lose/change the nutrients in the 5 minutes it takes me to make and drink a smoothie? It all turns to mush in our gut anyway..

yarwell

Christine_72 wrote: »

I've read something similar to this @yarwell , but it doesn't make sense. How could It lose/change the nutrients in the 5 minutes it takes me to make and drink a smoothie? It all turns to mush in our gut anyway..

It isn't about the nutrients really it's about the uptake rate of sugars. Fruit juice is a "free sugar" because most of the non-nutrient insoluble fibre has been separated and the sugars are not contained in a cellular structure.

They're walking a tightrope already in pretending that fruit and fruit juice are different when this is not necessarily the case (depends on the fruit for starters). If they are to claim harm from drinking full sugar coca cola then they would struggle to deny harm from fruit juice, smoothies aren't far away and objectively the effect of fruit is probably pretty similar.

However I now have some kittens to drown and puppies to shred so I can claim redemption after saying something bad about fruit ;-)

lemurcat12

Here's the report: https://www.bda.uk.com/media/pressreleases/150717why5

I can't tell if smoothies would be considered free sugars or half free sugars or not, but looking at it pragmatically I wouldn't bother including them. If you read the report, as well as the WHO's report, the issue is calories. Eating a diet high in free sugars when not monitoring calories tends to result in consuming too many calories. That's why fruit is different -- not because the sugar is meaningfully different, but because eating lots of fruit and veg tends to be associated with less likelihood of obesity (the Nurses Study is one source for this). What about smoothies? I suspect there's not a lot of research on this point, but in that they tend to be a breakfast for people in search of a fast breakfast, I'd suspect it has more to do with what they replace and how filling they are perceived to be by the particular person eating them. (If they aren't filling, since they are often adopted as part of a diet strategy, I'd hope the person would replace or modify them.)