Heart Matters

5 reasons why smoothies are not a shortcut to a healthy diet

13 April 2016

Reading: how many smoothies a day

Smoothies have a reputation as a bit of a wonder drink – one which isn’t always founded on facts, as we explain.

1. However much you drink, it won’t count as more than one of your 5-a-day.

Read more: how to make fresh pineapple juice

According to new national recommendations, smoothies can count as no more than one of your 5-a-day – even if you’ve put 5 different fruit and veg in them. And if you have a glass of juice on the same day, you can’t count them both.

2. Having a massive smoothie for breakfast doesn’t mean you can just eat chips and cake for the rest of the day.

Healthy choices at one point in the day don’t cancel out the effects of salt, sugar and saturated fats in less healthy choices you have at other times – the idea is that they replace these foods or leave less room in the diet for them. Including fruit and veg in our diets throughout the day means there is more chance of that happening.

3. Smoothies are high in sugar.

Read more: how to make iced coffee drinks at home | Family Cuisine

If you blend fruit, the natural sugars are released from within the cell walls of the fruit and become “free sugars”. Free sugars include any added sugars (including honey and maple syrup) and are the kind we should all be cutting down on to protect our teeth as well as lower our energy intake to help maintain a healthy weight. Even if they have some added vegetables like spinach or kale, they are still likely to be high in sugar.

• Watch our animation to learn more about free sugars.

4. You can quickly have too much of a good thing.

According to the national Eatwell Guide, a serving of smoothie (or juice) is 150ml. That’s the same as a “mini” can of cola and less than half the size of a standard can of soft drink. It’s smaller than the little smoothie bottles you can buy and almost certainly a lot smaller than one you’d buy in a café. Remember, sharing is caring so split your smoothie with a friend or keep some for the next day if you are at home.

5. Drinking smoothies doesn’t mean you have a healthy, balanced diet.

We all need to eat more fruit and veg, and a 150ml portion of smoothie is one way to help you towards that, but it’s not the only thing to think about when it comes to eating well. We also need to eat high fibre and wholegrain carbohydrates, as well as some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, lean meat and other protein foods, as well as low fat dairy products and small amounts of healthier, unsaturated fats. To go with your breakfast smoothie, what about a poached egg on wholegrain toast, or ring the changes with a bowl of porridge topped with berries?

Read more: Energy-Boosting Protein Shake for Women – Balanced Nutrition In a Glass

• Discover 12 soft drinks ranked best to worst.
• Read our guide to getting your 5-a-day.
• Get our list of 10 colourful foods that aren’t good for you.