Verdict on homemade smoothies?
clafairy1984
Posts: 253 Member
For the last week or so, I've made a daily morning smoothie. All fresh ingredients, whole fruits and veg used to keep the fibre in. However, I've read that smoothies can be bad, due to too much sugar etc. This morning's smoothie for example contained, half a banana, an orange, handful of berries and kale and water. Sometimes used almond or coconut milk. They average areound 200 cals per smoothie. This morning I had with it a slice of whole wheat toast topped with half an avacado and tomato. Is this a good thing to be doing, or are smoothies bad? I'm finding they help my IBS and give me but more energy in the morning. I enjoy them too, but concerned they're not as good for me as I think.
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Replies
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Smoothies are neither good nor bad, if they work within your general calorie intake. It's true that fruit contains a lot of sugar, but because with a smoothie you are blending (not juicing), at least you also get the fibre from the fruit, making you feel full for longer. And fruit does contain a lot of nutrients, so in that sense you could consider it a "better" choice than getting sugar from products that do not contain the same amount of sugar. That said, your body processes sugar the same, so you may want to watch it if there is a reason to watch your overall sugar intake and as a part of the total amount of carbs you are getting (versus the other important macronutrients, protein and fat). TL:DR; if you like having smoothies and they make you feel good, and if it fits your daily calorie intake, go ahead!0
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Smoothies don't have to be bad. It is all about what you put in them.
And a small amount of sugar isn't wrong either. Just make sure you weigh everything you put in - Half a banana could be anything from 30g - 90g!
My favourite smoothie is:
Coconut Milk - 300ml
Spinach - handful
Porridge oats - 20g
Chocolate protein powder - one scoop, 25g
Cocoa powder - 1teaspoon (use a measuring spoon, no heaping
)
Ice
This makes a wonderful chocolate smoothie. You can add half a banana if your sugar allowance allows as well, to make it creamier.
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My colleague showed me a bottle of smoothie she was drinking, talking about how healthy she was being. I asked how much sugar was in it, and she said "I dunno, it doesn't say!" - well it did say, she did't understand that sugar was part of carbohydrates - 45g of sugar. In a 330ml drink. So I said "Oh yea, look, it's 45g" and left her to her own thinking. Her answer was "Well, at least it's good sugar.."
Hmm..
I can't find the stats at the moment, I'm sure a fellow MFPer will do the honours for me, but there is a certain percentage or amount that you should have from fruit, and a certain percentage or amount you can get from other sources. Because, sugar is sugar. If you drink an entire carton of smoothie, or juice, you've had a load of sugar. The benefits of getting sugar from fruit, is that you get all the other benefits of that fruit as well.
I'm sure there's also a difference between how different sugars (fructose, glucose etc) are processed by the body, but as I haven't taken the time to read up on the subject properly, I'm not going to comment,0 -
Lots of ifs here!
Smoothies will contain only what is put into them. Nothing "bad" happens to the fruit when you mash it up in the blender - it's just "pre-chewing". Storebought smoothies may contain added sugar, read the label. Homemade smoothies are mainly made from fruit, milk etc, and will therefore only contain naturally occurring sugar. However, sugar is sugar, and is treated the same way in your body. However, fruit and milk contain nutrients like vitamins and fiber - unless you are talking about juicing - refined sugar is just carbohydrate and provide only energy (calories).
Unless you have medical reasons to watch your sugar intake, and your doctor has told you to, there is no reason to not have smoothies if you like them.0 -
If you like the taste of them and they fit in your goals: good.
If you're eating them just because you think you "should" or they're making you miss your calorie/macro goals: not so good.0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »Lots of ifs here!
Smoothies will contain only what is put into them.
I am an ABSOLUTE advocate of smoothies, but only HOME MADE.. I start with at least 2 cups of spinach or Kale, maybe a carrot or 2 then add just enough fruit to achieve the sweetness I need to make it palatable, If I am having a "HUNGRY DAY" I add some flax seed for extra fiber, then plain old water to get the right consistency. my average smoothie is only about 250 calories for 12 oz. and keeps me full for a good 4 to 5 hours.
just add your sugary items last a little at a time until you get an idea how much to put in there. or if you are really concerned about the sugar intake, use a little stevia to sweeten, no sugar, no calories, but also no nutrients.0 -
Mine don't have a lot of sugar.
I do 1.5 cups of mixed kale/spinach
hemp seeds or chia seeds
milk or avocado
ginger and turmeric
a handful of berries or a tube of zip fizz vitamin powder (orange flavor)
and water
so a bit of sugar in the milk, and a bit in the berries if I use that.
They also have a bit of protein, some good fat, omega 3s, and lots of yummy things chock full of micronutrients.0 -
I have an aunt that makes them with ICE CREAM. Yes, those people are out there. She adds chia seeds to make them healthy.0
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clafairy1984 wrote: »For the last week or so, I've made a daily morning smoothie. All fresh ingredients, whole fruits and veg used to keep the fibre in. However, half a banana, an orange, handful of berries and kale and water. Sometimes used almond or coconut milk. They average around 200 cals per smoothie. This morning I had with it a slice of whole wheat toast topped with half an avacado and tomato. Is this a good thing to be doing, or are smoothies bad? I'm finding they help my IBS and give me but more energy in the morning. I enjoy them too, but concerned they're not as good for me as I think.
No food is bad or good. It just "is."
If you like the smoothies and they help you get through your day according to your plan, keep doing them.
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You wanted to save money on groceries, right? One way is to eat the stuff you would put in a smoothie. You can pack a lot of stuff into a smoothie that would by themselves make great snacks or side dishes for two whole days. There's nothing magical about drinking smoothies every day.0
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melonaulait wrote: »You wanted to save money on groceries, right? One way is to eat the stuff you would put in a smoothie. You can pack a lot of stuff into a smoothie that would by themselves make great snacks or side dishes for two whole days. There's nothing magical about drinking smoothies every day.
This is a great point. With a smoothie, I can easily eat -- in one sitting -- the fruits that I would otherwise eat over a couple of days. If you're trying to save money, smoothies may be counter-productive. Using frozen fruits and greens can make them less expensive.0 -
So true. Smoothies with lots of fresh fruit are expensive.melonaulait wrote: »You wanted to save money on groceries, right? One way is to eat the stuff you would put in a smoothie. You can pack a lot of stuff into a smoothie that would by themselves make great snacks or side dishes for two whole days. There's nothing magical about drinking smoothies every day.0 -
melonaulait wrote: »You wanted to save money on groceries, right? One way is to eat the stuff you would put in a smoothie. You can pack a lot of stuff into a smoothie that would by themselves make great snacks or side dishes for two whole days. There's nothing magical about drinking smoothies every day.
I have just switched to using frozen fruits instead of fresh, and tend to chuck in leftover greens from the day before or odds and ends from the fridge. this has saved a little bit.
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Personally I have never understood the purpose of a smoothie over just eating the food. All you are doing is using a blender to chew the food for you. It is great for people in their twilight years that are no longer able to chew food for themselves.
Other than that, if it fits in your calorie goals, and you don't mind the extra work to make a smoothie and then clean up after, go for it.0 -
It's personal. If you find them tasty and convenient and filling, great!
I tried them for a while and enjoyed the taste, but I just don't find drinking calories nearly so filling as eating them, even when the fiber is kept as with a smoothie. I also missed eating my breakfast. And, for me, a mostly fruit-based breakfast (especially if low in protein) tends not to be as filling, so I prefer a piece of fruit or some berries as a side (with a vegetable omelet, for example) rather than as the main part of my meal.
But these are all things about me, not a reason that a smoothie would be a bad choice for someone else.0 -
beemerphile1 wrote: »Personally I have never understood the purpose of a smoothie over just eating the food. All you are doing is using a blender to chew the food for you. It is great for people in their twilight years that are no longer able to chew food for themselves.
Other than that, if it fits in your calorie goals, and you don't mind the extra work to make a smoothie and then clean up after, go for it.
I know for me, it's just a personal preference. I don't necessarily like eating chunks of pineapple or blueberries by their lonesome but if I mix them together (in a smoothie) I think they taste pretty good. Same thing with spinach. I don't really like eating spinach leaves, not sure why. I just don't... but when im about to make a smoothie, i'll pack the spinach in there like nobodies business. And I can't stand Kale on it's own (or in a salad or whichever other way) so I will grind it up in a smoothie and I am more then happy to eat (drink) it that way.
Also, it was super convenient when I was still working full time. I was always super busy in the morning so I would throw a bunch of stuff in the blender and then take my cup with me and have my breakfast each morning during my hour long commute.
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I've been doing smoothies for breakfast every day for about the past 2 years. I change up the recipe usually every week or so so that I don't get bored. I just prefer doing that because it's good on the go. I make it before I leave the house in the morning, drink on the way to work and finish up once I get there. If I made food that I had to prepare and eat, I'd either need to wake up earlier in the mornings or wait until after I got to work. My smoothies are all about convenience, and they're tasty :-)0
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clafairy1984 wrote: »For the last week or so, I've made a daily morning smoothie. All fresh ingredients, whole fruits and veg used to keep the fibre in. However, I've read that smoothies can be bad, due to too much sugar etc. This morning's smoothie for example contained, half a banana, an orange, handful of berries and kale and water. Sometimes used almond or coconut milk. They average areound 200 cals per smoothie. This morning I had with it a slice of whole wheat toast topped with half an avacado and tomato. Is this a good thing to be doing, or are smoothies bad? I'm finding they help my IBS and give me but more energy in the morning. I enjoy them too, but concerned they're not as good for me as I think.
Doesn't sound like much protein. I add protein powder to mine and keep an eye on the carbs so that they are not much higher than the protein.
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kshama2001 wrote: »clafairy1984 wrote: »For the last week or so, I've made a daily morning smoothie. All fresh ingredients, whole fruits and veg used to keep the fibre in. However, I've read that smoothies can be bad, due to too much sugar etc. This morning's smoothie for example contained, half a banana, an orange, handful of berries and kale and water. Sometimes used almond or coconut milk. They average areound 200 cals per smoothie. This morning I had with it a slice of whole wheat toast topped with half an avacado and tomato. Is this a good thing to be doing, or are smoothies bad? I'm finding they help my IBS and give me but more energy in the morning. I enjoy them too, but concerned they're not as good for me as I think.
Doesn't sound like much protein. I add protein powder to mine and keep an eye on the carbs so that they are not much higher than the protein.
I prefer this, but don't have IBS
Fewer calories, more protein, don't have to drink it ...
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Diet is difficult as it is, I like smoothies, so I drink them, makes my life on a diet a little special while getting loads of vegetables. About saving money: I go to the market and buy loads of veggies&fruits for as cheap as I can. At home I make portions with loads of kale,spinach, fresh ginger, carrots, red beets and fruits. I pack them in freezerbags, throw them in the freezer and whenever I want a smoothie it's cheap, fast and I add either water, lowfat yoghurt, fresh oj, PB or whatever Im in the mood for. Your smoothie is icecold which is good for calorieburning (supposedly).0
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I actually want to get a blender myself, it's been on my wish list for some years already... But I'm not making it a part of my daily menus. I just have a few smoothie recipes I'd like to try (like banana and date smoothies, mmm...), and it is almost essential for some of the vegan cooking I like to do too.0
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I would just watch what you are putting into the smoothies. If you like them great, but maybe try to cut out some of the fruit until you are at the point where you are putting the smallest amount of fruit in them but still enjoying them.
I don't have anything against them, and many instructors and trainers at the gym I work at have protein smoothies every day. I just don't have time to make them a regular thing. When I do drink them, I do lots of spinach, some carrots, even cucumbers and green peppers as I find there taste isn't too overpowering and easy to cover with minimal fruit added. Then I toss is a bit of banana or berries and some protein powder.0 -
They are more of a treat for me. I can't really eat ice cream, so I sometimes will make a smoothie as a sort of "milkshake" although it's full of veg, fruit, protein powder, yogurt, any mix of that stuff and more. It's not something that keeps me full for long and it can be expensive to stuff all that in a blender and only get a cup back lol.
*And no kale. I pick a better, more nutritious and flavorful green. Kale is way overrated and just not good - and I eat most veggies and a lot of them, even when not trying to lose weight.0 -
beemerphile1 wrote: »Personally I have never understood the purpose of a smoothie over just eating the food. All you are doing is using a blender to chew the food for you. It is great for people in their twilight years that are no longer able to chew food for themselves.
Other than that, if it fits in your calorie goals, and you don't mind the extra work to make a smoothie and then clean up after, go for it.
The Idea of the smoothie is that I think most people would never eat 2 cups of kale, 2 whole carrots, 1 bananna, and 1/2 cup of mango. In a whole day. (I know I wouldn't) plus cooking the kale or carrots takes out a LOT of nutrients. I personally get way more nutrients in 1 smooothie than I ever did in cooked meals.
I know a lot of people just plain don't like the leafy green veg. add some fruit flavors to it though and suddenly it is much more appetizing
I think the reason a lot of us are overweight to begin with is because we focus our eating more on the Main course,( the meats and carbs) than on the veggies.0 -
I always do one with my dinner, but I wouldn't call mine a smoothie. Coconut water, lemon, kale, cucumber, carrots, and radishes. I think it's a great way to get fiber and more veggies and is really filling. I could eat it but feel it tastes way better blended together than eating all that raw. You do have to be careful when adding yogurt, protein, fruit, etc. Not because any of it is bad, but because it's easy to get more calories than you think. I personally don't find a 400 cal drink as filling as 400 cal food.0
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lynnstrick01 wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »Personally I have never understood the purpose of a smoothie over just eating the food. All you are doing is using a blender to chew the food for you. It is great for people in their twilight years that are no longer able to chew food for themselves.
Other than that, if it fits in your calorie goals, and you don't mind the extra work to make a smoothie and then clean up after, go for it.
The Idea of the smoothie is that I think most people would never eat 2 cups of kale, 2 whole carrots, 1 bananna, and 1/2 cup of mango. In a whole day.
I think many would. I make an omelet with a couple of cups of spinach (or kale or chard) plus some other vegetable (like broccoli) and eat that with some fruit, often (berries or a clementine or apple, currently). I also make sure to eat a good many vegetables with lunch and dinner (more than with breakfast, typically).
I don't agree that they are less healthy if cooked. There are some nutrients that are more accessible from cooked vegetables, which is why eating a variety tends to be the way to go, IMO. (see, e.g., http://www.vegetariantimes.com/blog/nutrition-face-off-raw-vs-cooked-spinach/)
If you enjoy smoothies and find it easier to eat enough veg that way, go for it! I just want to make it clear that if you are someone like me who prefers eating them whole and frequently cooked, that is absolutely fine too -- there's no need to force yourself to eat smoothies if they don't fit in your life.0 -
OH NO, I didn't mean that cooked is BAD, I was just always told that the heat of cooking reduces some of the nutrients, But I guess maybe some of that depends on HOW it is cooked. I am certainly no expert, and I wasn't really saying smoothies should be forced on anyone, it was just that the previous person had said he didn't get the whole idea of smoothies.. i was just explaining why I think they have become so popular.0
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melonaulait wrote: »I actually want to get a blender myself, it's been on my wish list for some years already... But I'm not making it a part of my daily menus. I just have a few smoothie recipes I'd like to try (like banana and date smoothies, mmm...), and it is almost essential for some of the vegan cooking I like to do too.
I was going to buy a Ninja blender last month but discovered my Cuisinart food processor worked fine for the type of smoothies I make.
Banana and date smoothies like this? http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-banana-date-cardamom-smoothie-recipes-from-the-kitchn-207636
Sounds yummy, and REALLY high in sugar. I may try that...with protein powder and fat to balance the carbs.0 -
lynnstrick01 wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »Personally I have never understood the purpose of a smoothie over just eating the food. All you are doing is using a blender to chew the food for you. It is great for people in their twilight years that are no longer able to chew food for themselves.
Other than that, if it fits in your calorie goals, and you don't mind the extra work to make a smoothie and then clean up after, go for it.
The Idea of the smoothie is that I think most people would never eat 2 cups of kale, 2 whole carrots, 1 bananna, and 1/2 cup of mango. In a whole day. (I know I wouldn't) plus cooking the kale or carrots takes out a LOT of nutrients. I personally get way more nutrients in 1 smooothie than I ever did in cooked meals.
I know a lot of people just plain don't like the leafy green veg. add some fruit flavors to it though and suddenly it is much more appetizing
I think the reason a lot of us are overweight to begin with is because we focus our eating more on the Main course,( the meats and carbs) than on the veggies.
OK I would never eat kale...what with it being disgusting and cattle fodder that has been imbued with a lot of nonsensical properties over and above other green leafy veg
That said ...that is not a whole lot of veg ...I eat over a kilo of vegetables daily ..with chewing ...
I think it's normal to eat a lot more than you've specified0 -
OK, I just gave my opinion, and now we have yours0
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