Are Smoothies Good For Health? Let’s Find Out
Super quick and easy-to-make smoothies are a first choice for many. Highly considered a balanced meal, smoothies have won lots of hearts. They are not easy to make but are great in taste as well. Needless to say, smoothies are being marketed as healthy food and are a growing wellness trend. They are convenient, suitable for families, and adaptable to suit any taste or dietary preference.
Smoothies are typically made from puréed fruits, vegetables, juices, yoghurt, nuts, seeds, and dairy or nondairy milk. They are typically thick, creamy drinks.
A base and a liquid are the first two elements of the simplest smoothie. After that, you can mix the components any way you choose.
To give the finished product the chilly, frosty smoothness of a milkshake, frozen fruit or ice cubes are frequently added to smoothies. However, depending on the components, their flavour characteristics differ greatly.
But the question lies, ‘are smoothies healthy?’
Well, let’s dwell deep into this and find out of smoothies are actually healthy or not.
Potential Health Benefits Of Smoothies
1. They May Help Boost Fruit And Vegetable Intake
If you do not like the taste of fruits or veggies, smoothies can be a great way to increase your consumption of them. Since fruits and vegetables are a rich source of vitamins and minerals and go raw in smoothies, smoothies are a great way to naturally consume these vitamins and minerals.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend you make one-half of your plate fruits and vegetables. The body uses vitamins and minerals for hundreds of functions, including the development of tissues like skin and bones, maintenance of immune systems, damage healing, and hundreds more. Dairy is a good source of calcium and vitamin D, both of which are important for maintaining the health of our bones and joints.
Read More: The Ultimate Guide To Vitamin A- #VitaminGuide
2. They May Support Increased Fiber Consumption
Fibre is a vital factor that promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in your digestive tract and improves digestion by preventing constipation. According to preliminary research, a healthy, growing colony of gut bacteria can improve mental health, maintain good immunological function, and reduce inflammation.
Since the pulp and juice of whole fruits, which come in two pieces, are typically used to make smoothies. The fibre is located in the pulp. Because fibre gives food weight, it slows down digestion and sugar absorption, which promotes a healthy digestive system.
Read More: Brown Sugar Vs White Sugar- Which Is Better?
Potential Risks Of Smoothies
1. Excessive Sugar Intake
The level of quality and quantity of a smoothie’s ingredients make a significant difference in whether it should be categorized as healthy or unhealthy. The major drawback of smoothies is their inclination to include a lot of added sugar.
Smoothies have less nutritional density when added sugar is included. Ingesting too much-added sugar on a regular basis may raise your risk of developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease.
Moreover, when we blend or juice fruit, we’re dissolving the cell walls of the plant and revealing the natural sugars inside. As a result, the sugars become “free sugars,” which are the kind we are recommended to consume less of. Once these sugars are released, they can damage your teeth, especially if you drink juice or smoothies often.
The sugars found naturally in whole fruit and vegetables are less likely to cause tooth decay because the sugar is contained within the structure of the fruit.
Read More: Agave Nectar- Is It Really A Healthier Alternative?
Are Smoothies Good For Weight Loss?
Smoothies are widely promoted as a means of losing weight. They are claimed to be good for body detox however, we the term ‘detox’ is bought in light, the smoothies might not be the best options for you. The body has its own mechanism to detoxify itself. There’s also no solid scientific evidence to suggest the idea of a detox for overall health or well-being.
Whereas for weight loss, as long as they don’t cause you to consume more calories than you need each day, research suggests they can be useful for this purpose.
Are Smoothies Adequate Meal Replacements?
Although consuming a smoothie as a meal may be a healthy choice, it must have a variety of items that would be equivalent to a meal in order to be nutritious. Considering your smoothies consists of essential and balanced nutrient your meal contains, then they can be passed for the replacement of meals once in a while.
According to a study, smoothies used as meal replacements can be as filling as solid foods and drinking calories instead of chewing them doesn’t necessarily lead to overeating when solid foods are consumed later.
Read More: Is Skipping Meals Really Bad For You? Know The Truth!
Types Of Smoothies You Should Say NO To
Depending on your goals and your body requirement, you can opt for smoothies as you like but there is a certain kind of it that you should avoid completely or consume less frequently. Smoothies that contain an excessively high amount of sugar due to frozen yoghurt, sugary yoghurt, or high-glycemic-index fruit (like mangoes, dates, and bananas) should be avoided or their consumption should be limited.
Smoothies with these bases can cause sugar levels to spike, instantly. This instant spike could lead to a blood sugar spike and quickly becomes a recurring pattern, causing even more sugar cravings throughout the day. This leads to a weird addiction to sugar which should be avoided at all costs. According to a study, food addiction can be triggered by food that has a high glycemic index.
How Often Can You Consume Smoothies?
As per NHS the limit to consume, any smoothie and juice should be around 150ml combined. This contributes a maximum of one of our five-a-day.
Our Final Thoughts
So, here is the answer.
Smoothies are healthy to consume if they have the right proportions of their ingredients. In order to ensure that your smoothie is healthy, focus on using whole, nutrient-dense ingredients and limit added sugars and other unhealthy additives.
Even though smoothies are relatively safe to consume especially if they are made keeping all the balanced nutrients and sugar in mind, one should be replacing them often for meals. It’s important to have a balanced diet that includes a variety of whole foods.
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