Good And Bad Smoothies
It’s summer and with summer comes heat. The kind of heat that makes you want to jump in the water and drink anything cold that you can get your hands on. Smoothies is a great drink that will cool you off and the fact that they come in many flavors helps. But along with drinking these smoothies we run the risk of packing on pounds that we desperately try to keep off.
Which is why it is a great thing to know what smoothies will help give you energy, weight loss, and keep you healthy. There are many different smoothie bars out there, but some of them don’t offer the best and healthiest ones that are out there. That is why we have compiled a list of some of the best and some of the worst smoothies for you to try.
The Best
1. Peach Perfection A blend of peaches, mangoes and strawberries
What makes it good: 200 calories, 0 grams fat
What makes it better: If you’re making this peach your liquid breakfast, ask for a scoop of fat-free yogurt to add some protein. And ask for some of the juice to be replaced with water to lower the sugar hit. This drink, which is otherwise both nutricious and tastes good, has 40 grams worth.
2. Thelma and Louise A froth of strawberries, pineapple, and the Women’s Only blast
What makes it good: 226 calories and 0.2 grams fat
What makes it better: Replace the blast with plain fat-free yogurt to up the skimpy 1 gram of protein, which will also give you some minerals and make it more filling.
3. Blueberry Heaven A blend of blueberries (antioxidant stars) and protein mix
What makes it good: 260 calories, 1 gram fat
What makes it better: Replace the protein mix with fat-free milk or yogurt; you’ll still get protein but also some calcium and other goodies. Then add Fiber Blend; combine its 8 grams of soluble fiber with what’s in the berries and you’ve likely met a third of your daily goal.
The Worst
1. The Peanutbutter Moo’d A fat and calorie sensation
What makes it bad: 530 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 83 grams of sugars.
2. The Chocolate Elvis A bloated mix of chocolate, peanut butter, and bananas
What makes it bad: 522 calories and 9 grams of fat, more than anyone needs to slurp up. Carb-conscious? There are 108 grams of the stuff.
The Hulk A vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate monster
What makes it bad: The innocent-sounding strawberry flavor has 953 calories and 29 grams of fat, more than half of it saturated, and yes, that is a small. The large? A belt-busting 1,906 calories and 58 grams. Okay, we know The Hulk is meant for people who want to gain weight (yes, it happens). But really, do they need that much fat?
The built-in reward for slurping up the best fruit smoothies? Most have at least a serving or two of fruit. And eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger. But remember that when you drink smoothies you need to have a small serving, even though some smoothie bars vary when it comes to sizes. And remember to get one with alot of protein and no special ingredients(energy boosters etc.).