Avoid These In Your Smoothies
People always think of smoothies as being healthy, but did you know just a few common add-ins can quietly turn them into overly sugary drinks? If you really want to focus on nutrition, you can't just add things that will make it taste good. Here are five things you definitely should keep out of your smoothies.
1. Flavored Yogurts
Yogurt may be marketed as a health food, but the truth is, the flavored ones you see at the grocery store are typically full of added sugars. They also likely have artificial flavorings and thickeners that don't exactly make your smoothie simple and wholesome. Opt for plain yogurt if you want to keep things healthy.
2. Fruit Juice
Fruit juice can make smoothies taste good, but they're not exactly bringing health benefits to the table. These drinks contain a lot of concentrated sugar, all without the actual fiber that can be found in the whole fruit. Using water, milk, or unsweetened plant-based milk is often a more nutritious option.
3. Sweetened Protein Powders
You shouldn't just look at protein value when reading the nutritional facts on various protein powders; you'd be surprised many come with plenty of added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and a long list of ingredients. While they may sound helpful, they can make a smoothie more processed than it needs to be.
4. Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt
Adding ice cream or frozen yogurt may improve texture (and obviously the taste), but it also introduces extra sugar and saturated fat. This can quickly shift a smoothie from a healthy snack to more of a dessert. For a lighter result that still tastes just as good, frozen banana or plain Greek yogurt works very well.
5. Syrups and Sweet Sauces
This might be obvious, but it's a good reminder that honey, chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, and similar additions are both unhealthy and can easily overwhelm the natural flavor of fruit. They also increase the sugar content without adding much nutritional value.
