Are Smoothies Healthy?

Smoothies have become one of the biggest health trends we see today. Through our various sources of media, we see images of colorful and beautifully served smoothies on rustic backdrops that seem to convey a sense of hardiness and health. But are smoothies healthy? What is so healthy about them? Let’s unpack these questions and more to find out if we should or shouldn’t include them in our diet.

Why Smoothies?

Smoothies started to grow in popularity several years ago and were soon adopted into many households, restaurants, catering businesses and more. Some of the reasons for their popularity are:

Convenience

Rushed mornings during busy workdays make it difficult to have a healthy breakfast or even have breakfast at all. The idea of blending up a delicious tasting pseudo-milkshake that offers balance and healthy ingredients seems too good to pass up! Smoothies travel easily if you commute and are customizable to your preference.

Picky Eaters

Kids and adults alike have food preferences and often those dislikes include vegetables. Smoothies are an easy way to incorporate fruits and vegetables into the diet and feel good about eating something nutritious.

Recovery Food

Athletes and gym-goers, as well as those who are physically active, often use smoothies as a recovery food. Loading them up with whole food protein like Greek yogurt or protein powder is important for helping to heal their muscles. 

Are Smoothies Healthy?

Like many nutrition-related questions, the answer to this one is complicated. Drinking a smoothie is not a bad thing; however, the ingredients and the reasons motivating their inclusion to your diet are worth discussion. 

Eating solid foods allows your body to break down food which requires energy and time, resulting in a longer feeling of fullness while your digestive tract works. When food has been run through a blender the mechanical process of breaking food down is already done for your body. Which means there is no chewing or further breakdown in the stomach. As a result, digestion takes less time and many people feel hungrier sooner.

How to Include Them

Consider including smoothies along with solid food. For example, a mixed berry and almond milk smoothie could be paired with a piece of whole-wheat toast with natural peanut butter. In this way, we can round out the meal and ensure adequate balance. If you would like to make the smoothie your meal then try to include ingredients that ensure it is well-balanced with enough fiber to keep you full for a few hours. For example, a smoothie that could act as a meal might include fruit and/or vegetables, dairies, such as almond or soy milk and some protein like nut butter. Be sure to include a source of fiber like oats or chia seeds as well.

Another thing to be aware of when we’re making smoothies is the ingredients we add to them. Many healthy ingredients still have a high-calorie level attached to them that we can include in our diet in moderation. For example, smoothie recipes calling for juice, dried fruits, seeds, and nut butters can quickly amount to the caloric value equal to a meal or more. If it is not your intent to drink it as a meal, it’s important to be mindful of those ingredients. Let’s look at the impact of both ingredients and portion size on your overall energy intake.

Smoothie	Ingredients	Portion	Nutrient Value
Banana Smoothie	½ banana ½ cup soy milk	1 cup (8oz/250ml)	Calories: 115 kcal Protein: 4.6g Fiber: 2.1g
Banana Smoothie with add-ins	½ banana ½ cup soy milk 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds 2 dates	1 cup (8oz/250ml)	Calories: 304 kcal Protein: 7.5g Fiber: 8.2 g
Banana Smoothie with add-ins	½ banana ½ cup soy milk 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds 2 dates	2 cups (16oz/500ml) This is a standard individual portion sold as tumblers, to-go cups etc.	Calories: 608 kcal Protein: 15g Fiber: 16.4g

As you can see, the addition of the more energy-dense ingredients, as well as the larger portion size, significantly change the caloric value. Again, this does not mean that drinking smoothies are bad for you, it’s simply a consideration to keep in mind when choosing to include them in your diet. Wholesome ingredients add nutritional value, such as ground flax which adds fiber, and soy milk which adds protein. We all have different nutrition needs and our sex, frame, genes, physical activity level and ethnicities all play into that. For this reason and others, we can’t make a blanket recommendation on smoothies.

The Bottom Line

If you choose to include smoothies in your daily routine it should be because you enjoy them! Not because of purported health or detoxing effects. Choose to include them as a snack in a moderate portion or as part of a balanced meal. Pick your ingredients based on your needs. Are you an athlete that requires more calories? Do you have a desk job that leaves you less time to be active? Do you have access to cold storage for your smoothie during the day? Without making things too complicated, think about your own needs and enjoy a variety of smoothies as you see fit!

Plant-Based Additions

For those who are following a plant-based diet, here are some smoothie ingredient ideas for you!

• Soy/almond/rice milk
• Dairy-free yogurts
• Avocados
• Frozen cauliflower
• Fresh spinach
• Frozen or fresh fruit
• Nut butters
• Oats
• Seeds

Try out any of these to customize a smoothie you’ll love to enjoy. Let us know your favorite combination in the comments below!

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