3 Ingredients You Shouldn’t Add to Your Smoothie
Smoothies can be part of a healthy diet. Although they can be a nutritious and satiating drink, depending on the ingredients, there are some elements that it is better not to add.
Some ingredients are not only unhealthy, but can also contribute to a drink with excess calories, which can work against a weight management plan.
It’s also important to consider that a diet consisting primarily of shakes may not offer positive weight loss results that last long-term.
Elements to integrate into a breakfast smoothie
A breakfast shake should contain the essential macronutrients, protein, fiber, and fat. Milk, yogurt, and nuts, as well as nut and peanut butter are examples of protein sources; cereals such as oats, as well as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds provide fiber; walnuts, peanuts, as well as seeds such as chia and flaxseed are also sources of good fats.
3 Ingredients You Shouldn’t Add to Your Smoothie
1. Fat-free or reduced-fat yogurt
Some yogurts may be low in fat, but high in sugar to enhance its flavor.
WebMD notes that to offset flavor in products that have been reduced in fat, in addition to sugar, flour, thickeners, and salt are often added as well. Which adds calories.
2. Canned fruit in syrup
Fruit in syrup adds unnecessary added sugars to your smoothie. Fresh or frozen fruit is a better option for your drink. The American Heart Association (AHA) notes that added sugars provide zero nutrients, but lots of added calories.
High consumption of added sugar is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and inflammation in the body, it can increase the risk of heart disease.
3. Sweeteners
You don’t need to add sugar or other sweeteners to your smoothie, including honey and maple syrup. Just one tablespoon of honey has around 17 grams of sugar.. Use the fruit as a natural sweetener in your drink.
The AHA recommends cutting back on added sugar—for women, no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar; for men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 tsp.
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