Why Smoothies?

GoRun2

So why do people that are trying to lose or maintain their weight drink smoothies? I've always heard that you shouldn't drink your calories (except wine of course). I'm sure there is logical reason for this.

Is it because they can get a lot of fruits and vegetables down without having to chew?

I personally like to chew. Drinking things may fill up my stomach but I don't feel satisfied.

Al_Howard

Makes you think it's a milk shake?

myallforjcbill

In the summer ones made with frozen & fresh fruit are rather refreshing and healthy in moderation. We add yogurt, milk and sometimes protein powder.

beachwoman2006

GoRun2 wrote: »

So why do people that are trying to lose or maintain their weight drink smoothies? I've always heard that you shouldn't drink your calories (except wine of course). I'm sure there is logical reason for this.

Is it because they can get a lot of fruits and vegetables down without having to chew?

I personally like to chew. Drinking things may fill up my stomach but I don't feel satisfied.

Probably the reason you mentioned -- get a lot of fruits and veggies in without having to eat them. I have a friend (who has high blood pressure and diabetes) who drinks a quart of V-8 juice a day because it gets all of his veggies in at one time. Yeah. Right. And it also gets him almost ALL of his recommended sodium per day (1924mg/2000mg).

I'm with you. I prefer to eat my calories rather than drink them.

podkey

Yup not only does chewing add to our satisfaction quotient but also adds in important digestive enzymes to what we chew. Chewing also helps to alleviate GERD too.
I can easily drink up 3 bananas and 3 oranges but eat them??? Uh not so fast.

klmackey893

As a way to hide Kale or brussel sprouts with some ground up fruit?

88olds

I used to make the WW smoothies. I thought they made a pretty good snack. There was no free fruit when I started. I think I could make 1 with strawberries and crushed ice that came to 3 pts. A pretty good return on 3 pts.

Like Al said, I could fool myself into thinking it was a passable milkshake substitute.

But the Smoothie and juice business seems to me to be kinda nutty. It’s generally a bad idea in weight loss to turn stuff into juice. But it has to do with this- there seem to be a lot of smoothie bars here in Key West. I only glance at them, but they look like a chance to drop $10 pretty quick.

And the smoothie reminds me of the muffin. How did the muffin get to be considered a healthy pick? It’s cake.

countcurt

I know WW's position is that smoothies are 'less satisfying' than eating the fruit whole, but I don't necessarily share the feeling. I make a fairly low calorie smoothie using non-fat greek yogurt, frozen berries and diet orange soda. I find it very tasty and extremely filling. In the summer, it's a great thirst quencher and filling snack. It's no longer a zero point food in the new WW program (unlike in the past where WW's position was, count points if that works for you, don't count them if that works for you), but that doesn't impact my decision making.

Of course, I'm well aware that, like frozen yogurt, commercially vended smoothies have really bastardized the concept. I almost never consume these.

linmueller

I'm with countcurt on this one. I find them very satisfying, esp in summer. I make mine with FF Greek yogurt, skim milk, 1 sp of vanilla or chocolate protein powder, 1 banana, 5 strawberries, and a 1/4 c of blueberries (all frozen). I'd easily eat that much fruit, so no difference there, and because it's really cold, I eat/drink it slowly. I'll start having them for Bfast as soon as it stops being so cold here in MI!

klmackey893

I'll start having them for Bfast as soon as it stops being so cold here in MI!

That will around July 6th won't it

beachwoman2006

I do have to bring up the point that I used to LOVE my "faux frosty" made with a cup of skim milk, 2 Tbsp of sugar-free chocolate pudding mix, 1/2 cup of fat-free Cool Whip, added to a blender with crushed ice. These were "free" on the Core plan.

The main reason I never really liked the WW Smoothies that they always seemed "grainy" even after I mixed them in the blender.