Smoothies/shakes

fteale
fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Are they a waste of calories? I tend to try to only drink water or tea (usually green or peppermint) so I don't add any liquid calories that don't fill me up. Or can you have a smoothie and feel like you've had a whole meal, in which case, what is the benefit of having that meal in liquid form?

Replies

  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    I do replace meals with smoothies. The benefit is that it tastes delicious. lol
  • tawojcik
    tawojcik Posts: 67
    Lots of protien and nutrients without the bad "stuff". My protien shake in the morning keeps me full unitl lunch on less than 200 calories.
  • caranik83
    caranik83 Posts: 3 Member
    I have a smoothie for breakfast about 3 days a week and it's great and it definitely fills me up. Here is what I usually use and it usually comes to about 250-300 calories, maybe a few more depending on what I have in the freezer:

    1 cup frozen straberries
    1/2 cup frozen mixed berries or pineapple
    1/2 medium banana
    1.5-2 tbsp. Bobs Red Mill ground flax seed
    1/2 scoop Bodytech- Vitamin Shoppe Whey Tech Vanilla Protein Powder

    Add water to your desired thickness (I like ot spoon mine out rather than drink it so I don't add a ton of water) and blend!

    I think they are filling, but sometimes as a snack I will eat some low sugar oatmeal with 10 almonds, or just the almonds if I'm not overly hungry. The smoothie should give you about your daily intake of fruits and it tastes great!
  • cowpacino
    cowpacino Posts: 77 Member
    they can be a waste of calories depending on what goes into them. I have whey protein shakes a lot of times after a workout, and add things like yogurt and berries to it, I don't consider that a waste of calories. If I were to go to Jamba Juice and get a peanut butter shake I would consider that a waste of colories
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    i have used powder meal replacement in my smoothies. I only do this when i dont feel like eating or dont have time or if I am craving a chocolate milk treat and i have this instead.
  • jbug100
    jbug100 Posts: 406 Member
    I really felt the same as you. Didn't want to waste my precious cals on a drink. Then a friend of mine convinced me to try a protein shake. I have to say that I am a convert. I don't think I have actually eaten lunch in a week. I love my protein shake! It is sooo tasty and filling. I say give it a shot and see what you think. The only thing is I tend to suck it down pretty fast sometimes, so that satiety signal has not had time to kick in and I sometimes eat something after the shake. I need to foncus on drinking slowly.
  • KidP
    KidP Posts: 247 Member
    If you make a smoothie from bad ingredients, then sure, it's a waste of calories. There are loads of delicious smoothy recipes out there that are jam packed with super-healthy stuff. I have 2 per day & love them (one as part of my breakfast & one as an after work snack). I tend to use Vega products combined with fruit in mine, but you don't have to go that route. If you want some interesting & healthy recipes, check out Brendan Brazier's Thrive Diet book. It's worth it for the smoothy & energy bar recipes alone. I tend to feel great shortly after drinking one - i suspect it's easier for your body to absorb the nutrients in a liquid form, though i could be wrong.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I thought blending fruit breaks down the cellulose and therefore they don't contain the useful fibre fruit does when eaten in it's natural state.
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