
Over the next months I will be rekindling my collaboration with Sarah from Inside Out Health and Fitness In a refresh of ‘Sarah’s Super Foods’ Sarah will be sharing ‘How to Eat Like a Jedi’ to coincide with the Change for Life initiative. Each post will be at the beginning of the month to give you chance to give them ago…We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section! September takes a look at smoothies…
Spotlight On Smoothies
Once considered the ultimate in healthy living, smoothies have become better known lately for the problems they present.
This is mainly because they are loaded with sugar-all be it sugar from fruit. Your body cannot distinguish between fruit and table sugar and both affect your body in the same way. A fruit smoothie tends to contain as much sugar as a can of coke and delivers this sugar in one sharp insulin-spiking hit. With the recommended fruit intake at around 3 portions a day maximum, you’re likely to have exceeded that number in your first few sips!
Smoothies also lack the gut friendly, bowel moving fibre that whole fruit gives us. It’s also the fibre present in pre-blended fruit that keeps its sugar from hitting you in one big rush. Once blended, the glucose becomes “free sugar” and is no better for you than the type found in said can of coke.
So if you’re thinking of a smoothie, load it with green goodies such as kale, spinach and watercress. Ditch the fruit and try ginger or cinnamon for a different kind of flavour!
If you really must have fruit, use milk or yogurt to provide at least some sugar slowing protein with your drink
Smoothie ideas:
Find out more about staying fit and healthy at Inside Out Health and Fitness
You can learn how to ‘Train Like a Jedi’ at Inside Out Kids in collaboration with Change For Life
We love green smoothies, and your three recipes sound fabulous!