Not all smoothies are equal….
Are you sceptical about the latest smoothie recipe online or in store? How to decipher between a smoothie and a fruit juice should be very simple, but it may not be as easy as it seems.  The key is to know the difference between a fruit packed juice or a smoothie.
A smoothie acts as a well-balanced meal and should be worth the investment, making you feel satisfied, content and controlling your impulse eating…As long as the ingredients in your fruit smoothie are nutritious and you limit your serving size, smoothies can actually be good for you.

A smoothie can make a super healthy breakfast on the run or a nutritious mid-afternoon snack.  Whether you use them as meal replacements for a healthy diet, for hydration pre workout, or after a tough workout, there is a seemingly endless variety of recipes to choose from.

Just cause it’s a smoothie, it may not be so good for you…
The calories in a smoothie can range from homemade smoothie recipes providing 200 to 400 calories per serve with whole foods and no added sugars, whilst the store-bought smoothies may contain as many as 1,000 calories per serve with cream and sugar. Some smoothie concoctions are outrageously high with ingredients like coconut cream, peanut butter, avocado, fruit and maple syrup claiming natural and healthy, but are super dense and can hit the 800 calorie mark.

 Store-bought fruit smoothies may contain other ingredients, such as high-fructose corn syrup and heavy cream, that are not healthy for you.

Does fruit really cause weight gain?
Who do you know who has excessive weight from eating too much fruit? Answer – No ONE!!! Most of the calories in smoothies come from the dense add on’s, like nut butters, dairy and added sugars……  but fruit contributes calories, too….So when your adding 2 -3 fruits in that nutri-bullet, think one fruit and maybe a few berries, keep your serve to an apple or small banana in size… Keep the skin on when possible for high fiber and the nutrients your body needs for good health, ….  If you’re watching your waistline use a heap of berries instead….

Be looking for those dense add no’s….
Avocado is low in sugar but high in fat, peanut butter can easily add some super quick calories and well if your adding all these oils and seeds into the same smoothie all at once because you are told they are good for you……. The calories are now screaming sky high….

Nutrients in Fruit Smoothies
Drinking a smoothie instead of dipping into the cookie jar, still gives you the sweetness you crave but with a host of healthy nutrients…. A definite plus for all…. Fruits and vegies are all good sources of nutrients,
Including complex carbohydrates for energy, fiber for gut health and keeping you full, vitamin C, in high demand right now, vitamin A for eyes and immunity, potassium for blood pressure and muscle function,,,,,,phytochemicals fighting free radicals…and more

Other super ingredients to look for in your smoothie whether you are making at home, buying in store or in a powder form such as nuts, seeds and nut butters, providing heart-healthy fats, protein and vitamin E, chia seeds providing omega-3 fats, manganese and magnesium, yoghurt and plant based dairy alternatives for protein and calcium, cocoa in unsweetened powder or nib form has a high level of  antioxidants and iron, and oats always seem to play part in any good smoothie providing manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and thiamine.

If you are like me and most of my clients, we generally take a smoothie every single day…….. Convenient and easy is the key. But you also want to know it’s good for you with a lot of extra value that you wouldn’t be able to get on your own….. it’s not so easy to make that smoothie from scratch so sometime an available trusted option makes it a good option.

SO, if your time poor you don’t need to turn your nose away or put that nutra bullet in the back of the pantry but rather you can rely on some trusted complete smoothie powders that contain the right ingredients……. They need the oats, the protein the hero ingredients that bump up that smoothie value and nutrition…. It also has to taste super good, low calories….and natural…