Homemade Smoothies - yay or nay??

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Kalley1959
Kalley1959 Posts: 287 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I hate eating breakfast so I've been making smoothies. I can get some of my veggies and most of my fruit. I also add protien powder to it.

What do you think? Is it good or bad? why?
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Replies

  • bdurls
    bdurls Posts: 128 Member
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    I sometimes have protein smoothies for breakfast. Some days I'm just not very hungry in the morning and this works for me! I don't see anything wrong with it. I use yogurt, frozen fruit, banana, and protein powder.
  • sarahmaryfearnley
    sarahmaryfearnley Posts: 366 Member
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    Awesome in the mornings especially for us none breakfast lovers.
  • jplucheck
    jplucheck Posts: 275 Member
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    I drink a protein smoothie everyday, I don't think I would be able to keep up eating breakfast without it. Get way to get that first meal of the day!
  • Sharon009
    Sharon009 Posts: 327 Member
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    Yay! I make them with sugar free chocolate pudding mix (for flavor and thickness), milk and natural peanut butter.
  • cindaroses
    cindaroses Posts: 117
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    I think it is a great breakfast. I like adding some kale and a banana with vanilla protein. The kale makes it taste just a little "green" but very tasty. I know it doesn't sound good, but I tried it and love it.
  • starracer23
    starracer23 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    YAY all the way!!

    ** I have been juicing for a week now. I will then put the juice in the blender and add a banana and strawberries and ice and make a smoothie from that....DELICIOUS and very filling. (no protein, nothing but fruits and veggies). It's a very clean smoothie :D
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    I love my smoothies! I didn't think it would keep me full enough but I find it's great for it, I do a scoop of protein powder in mine too.
  • kportelli70
    kportelli70 Posts: 67
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    I always have one after a workout. Protein is the best thing for your muscles after exercising.
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    I drink protein powder in water a lot of times, and sometimes I'll blend some berries in if I have berries that are going bad. I am not a fan of smoothies in theory, though. I get a little add-crazy with the high-cal ingredients.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I can't imagine a reason why it would be bad.

    I think protein powder is a pretty big scam, but a smoothie in and of itself isn't bad. I add chocolate peanut butter to mine for protein and some sweetness.
  • kiesh82
    kiesh82 Posts: 131 Member
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    I can't see why it would ever be bad if you're putting the right things in it. Now if you're eating 1000 calorie sugar laden smoothies every day that's another story entirely, lol.
  • Marquettedominos
    Marquettedominos Posts: 107 Member
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    We drink whole food smoothies 3-4 times a day. It is a great way to get those veggies ya just cant seem to eat.
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
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    I go through phases where breakfast is a really hard concept for me. I use one cup of fat-free yogurt, ice, and fresh fruit. Perfect for me, although a bit high in sugar sometimes.
  • sarahmaryfearnley
    sarahmaryfearnley Posts: 366 Member
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    yum, thanks for the reminder. I just had a green smoothie for breakfast.

    3 handfuls spinach,
    1 handful cale,
    8oz carrot juice,
    1/2 a banana,
    ~6 strawberries,
    shaky shake of flax seeds

    280 cal, 2330mg of potassium, 1226% vit A, 319% vit C. I'm done for sugar today - the banana kills me but I want to run today and so really want the potassium.
  • Marquettedominos
    Marquettedominos Posts: 107 Member
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    yum, thanks for the reminder. I just had a green smoothie for breakfast.

    3 handfuls spinach,
    1 handful cale,
    8oz carrot juice,
    1/2 a banana,
    ~6 strawberries,
    shaky shake of flax seeds

    280 cal, 2330mg of potassium, 1226% vit A, 319% vit C. I'm done for sugar today - the banana kills me but I want to run today and so really want the potassium.

    IMO if you are active I would not even count the sugar from the banana.

    Just for a bit more info if you're interested in exactly how it all works.

    Its down to differences in how they're processed.

    You have Sucrose (Normal sugar) & Fructose (Found in fruit).


    Sucrose is a 50-50 combination of Glucose & Fructose. Glucose is what our bodies run on, your brain, muscles etc everything is converted into that in the end. The problem is, Glucose is absorbed very quickly into the blood stream. When the level of glucose in our blood stream rises to quickly our bodies reaction is for our pancreas to release a hormone called insulin & mop it all up where it will then store it in our muscles and Liver for energy to use later.

    When our blood sugar level rises to quickly though, our body overeacts. It sends out to much insulin & mops up to much sugar from our blood. To little sugar in the blood = hunger very quickly.

    So the problem with Normal sugar is simply the fact that it makes people to hungry. People dont feel satisfied after they eat it...so they eat more..and more..= to many calories & their bodies dont really need the energy. Its just overeacting because of getting to much at one time.


    Fructose however is different. Because our bodies do not run on Fructose, it has to be converted into Glucose in the liver before we can use it. That way the speed its released into the blood stream (If its needed) is much more controlled...the pancreas wont overeact...it wont release to much insulin & you wont get hungry straight away.
  • bancheemom
    bancheemom Posts: 4
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    Wow! Great answer. I'm always prone to those no-sugar, no-carb diets; but I hate that they don't allow fruit. I would usually understand because fruit=sugar... but now I understand why a healthy diet (regular, not deprivation based diet) would have fruit in it. Thanks!
  • Kalley1959
    Kalley1959 Posts: 287 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your replies. It helps a lot. I am very aware of the calorie & sugar counts of the smoothie. I thought it was weird when I heard this person say that smoothies were bad and too many calories. The way I look at it is that I just can't stomach breakfast but I can drink a smoothie ... better then not eating :)
  • dandur
    dandur Posts: 267 Member
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    This site has some great shake recipes that are just smoothies with ice added. You can leave out some of the toppings.

    http://www.dashingdish.com/category/recipes/shakes/

    I've tried a few of them and you'd swear you're drinking an ice cream shake.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I'm not a fan of smoothies, but as long as it's not high in sugar I can't imagine why it would be bad.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your replies. It helps a lot. I am very aware of the calorie & sugar counts of the smoothie. I thought it was weird when I heard this person say that smoothies were bad and too many calories. The way I look at it is that I just can't stomach breakfast but I can drink a smoothie ... better then not eating :)

    If you are not hungry (I'm assuming that's why you can't stomach it) why is better to eat than not eat? I only eat when I'm hungry.

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