Those who want to live a healthier lifestyle quickly turn to smoothies and juices. But are they really that healthy? Can they really satisfy your hunger? And are fruit powders a healthy alternative to fresh fruit? Dietitian Celien Rombouts explains once and for all what happens to your fruit and vegetables in the mixer.
“The composition of your smoothie plays a major role in how healthy it is,” says dietitian Celien Rombouts, better known as Healthy Habits Celien. “A classic smoothie, where you simply mix pieces of fruit into a very liquid drink, is actually not the most ideal choice for your body. In principle, you are going to destroy the fibers in your fruit, while those nutrients are important for your health and keep you satiated for longer.”
Are there any nutrients in smoothies?
Are there any vitamins and minerals left in a smoothie? “Of course,” says Celien. “But in the case of fruit, you mainly drink the liquid sugars that remain when you put fruit through a blender. That’s exactly the same as drinking apple or orange juice. Vegetable smoothies actually score better in that area. But be careful with ginger shots that are currently very popular: sometimes they are hidden apple juices with barely 2 percent pure ginger. They often contain more sugar than you suspect. And the same applies to fruit smoothies that you buy in the supermarket.”
Can a juice or smoothie satisfy your hunger?
The texture of your juice or smoothie determines how long you feel satisfied. “A very liquid smoothie will keep you feeling full for less time, making you more likely to reach for an extra snack. If you want to prevent that effect and make the smoothie healthier, thicken the smoothie with cottage cheese or Skyr yogurt. The structure of those alternatives ensures long saturation. Adding oatmeal is also a smart idea. But in the best case, you just eat that piece of fruit whole to really satisfy your hunger until the next meal.”
If you normally eat a cookie as an afternoon snack, replacing that cookie with a smoothie can be a great step towards a healthier diet. If you want to replace your breakfast with it, then just not.
When is a smoothie a healthy choice?
According to the dietitian, whether or not a smoothie is healthy depends on what you would eat or drink instead of the smoothie. “If you normally eat a cookie as an afternoon snack, replacing that cookie with a smoothie can be a great step towards a healthier diet. Because that way you still get some vitamins and minerals. If the intention is really to have breakfast with a smoothie, where today you have breakfast with granola, yogurt and fresh fruit, then I would not replace it with a liquid variant. Otherwise, with your breakfast you will get exactly the right nutrients to last you for a while.”
“If you drink smoothies with the aim of living a healthier life, it is better to eat a separate piece of fruit or vegetable. On the other hand, if smoothies are the only way for you to get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals, then I’m fine with them. It depends on your situation.”
And how healthy are ‘fruit powders’?
For those who seem to make smoothies quite time-consuming, smoothie powders that are widely available today seem to be an easy and even faster solution. But how healthy is the composition of such powders, to which you only have to add water? “In principle, these products are nothing more than a powder mix of different types of fruit,” says Celien. “So I don’t immediately recommend them, because a large part of the vitamins and minerals are lost. If you have to choose between two types of smoothies, it is better to choose the version that you make yourself from fresh fruit.”
Also read:
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2023-10-15 22:46:27
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