Smoothies calorie content

Smoothies are a great way of consuming the daily recommended portions of fruit and vegetables. Making a smoothie does not alter the nutritional content of these fruit and vegetables; all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Athletes and athletic models find that drinking smoothies is a great way to recover and energize after a workout, while getting essential nutrients and protein (they usually make it with whey protein powder). Although fruit and veggies are low in calories, when they are blended in a smoothie with accompanying whole milk, ice cream, honey or tons of sugar, the calorie content shoots up. This is particularly the case with commercial smoothies.

The smoothie industry has been growing dramatically over the past decade; in the United States there were less than 1000 smoothie bars back in 1997, a number which has expanded more than five times today. The leading commercial smoothie manufacturers in the States are Emerald City, Smoothie King, Jamba Juice, and Freshens. In the UK Innocent and Usmoothie dominate the smoothie market....this country has also been holding annual British Smoothie Championships!

Commercial smoothies are targeted at kids in school and young adults; and naturally they are loaded with sugar and fat. For example Emerald City's "The Blender" smoothie has 1270 calories from all the ice cream, milk, chocolate, peanut butter, and banana. Another way commercial smoothies boost the calorie content is because of their supersize containers. Most smoothies are sold in huge 24-ounce cups. In a normal-sized glass or 12-ounce cup, the calorie content of a fruit smoothie sweetened with sugar is still 200 calories. While some stores allow customers low-sugar options, it is best to make your own smoothies at home using fresh fruit and veggies.



To make healthy smoothies use skimmed milk or yogurt as the base instead of whole milk or ice cream. Most fruit concoctions don't need added sugar; like a banana-strawberry-papaya blend or a kiwi and passion fruit mix. Smoothies are a wonderful way to improve the taste of bland vegetables, like mixing up peppers and chilli with strawberries, bland coconut with sweet pineapple, adding mint to a melon-cucumber blend, or throwing in the strong taste of cardamom or ginger into a flat smoothie. Smoothies can be made thicker by adding wholegrains or tofu; smoothies made with frozen fruit or crushed ice also have a thick texture. Last year in the UK, the British Nutrition Foundation and the Department of Health ruled that of the recommended 5 portions a day of fruit and vegetables, a 250ml serving of smoothies can count for 2 portions. Meaning you can have a tasty smoothie instead of eating a vegetable salad and one whole fruit.