People searching for nutritionally sound selections are more and more turning to fruit smoothies for a tasty, refreshing serving of fruit. The truth is, smoothie gross sales have skyrocketed 139 % within the U.S. since 2002, based on BusinessWeek, and estimates are that the market will balloon to $4 billion by 2012.
The brand new curiosity in smoothies is sensible in numerous methods as they often present a wholesome snack different and even a meal substitute if ready correctly. Additionally they present a tasty and enjoyable method of getting your each day serving of fruit in a comparatively small and handy package deal.
Nevertheless, whereas most smoothies are made a minimum of partly with actual fruit, many ready-to-drink varieties embody added sugars and syrups that drive up calorie counts.
Working example — one smoothie retailer provides a 40-ounce smoothie that incorporates 1,100 energy and 256 grams of sugar. That’s greater than half the energy the common grownup wants in a whole day. As well as, lots of the ready-to-drink bottled varieties discovered on grocery cabinets include high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, synthetic colours or added sugars.
To benefit from the well being advantages of an actual fruit smoothie with out undesirable energy, take into account the next choices:
– You probably have time in your palms, and cash in your pockets, go the “do-it-yourself” route. Buy recent fruits like oranges, bananas, pineapples and strawberries, and mix with milk or fruit juice to make your individual from scratch. This fashion, you realize precisely what goes into your smoothie.
– For a extra handy, but nonetheless wholesome, different to recent preparation, search for all-natural frozen blend-and-serve varieties akin to Chiquita Frozen Fruit Smoothies (Chiquitasmoothie.com). These varieties are made with actual fruit, they usually include no added sugars, preservatives or synthetic flavorings. They price lower than $1 per serving and supply lots of the dietary advantages of recent preparation.
– For those who’re already out the door and wish to indulge, search for all-natural varieties obtainable at smoothie retailers. Ensure that they’re sweetened with fruit and haven’t any added sugars. Portion is vital right here, as many retailers have “super-sized” their choices. Order a 16-ounce measurement or smaller.
Briefly, fruit smoothies is usually a welcome boost to a well-balanced weight-reduction plan. Nevertheless, remember that simply because the product says “made with real fruit” doesn’t essentially imply that it’s wholesome.
