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It’s not unusual to find fruit juices and honey, agave, sugar or maple syrup in smoothie recipes. According to Trinh Le, a registered dietitian for MyFitnessPal, we should avoid these and substitute other healthy alternatives. We have 6 tips (my favorite is number 5) and two recipes below for you today.
Trinh points out that …
Not all smoothies are created equal: The average restaurant fruit smoothie carries anywhere between 10-20 teaspoons of sugar!
The best way to enjoy this sweet treat is to prepare your own, and to sip it in moderation (we’re talking about a 1-cup serving). To slash sugar in your homemade smoothies, try to use as little of these common high-sugar smoothie ingredients as possible:
She then lists several fruit juices and natural sweeteners.
Here are Trinh’s 6 Tips to Scotch Sugar from Your Smoothies without losing flavor:
1. Start with a creamy base.
2. Spoon in your favorite nut butter.
3. Sprinkle chia or flaxseed to vary texture.
4. Toss in some mild vegetables.
Neither of the recipes below has any veggies, so you could add some with little impact on the calorie count – they’d still be wa-ay under 200 cals per serving.
My Favorite Tip is Number 5
5. Spice it Up
I love to add ginger and cinnamon to my smoothies. I’ll have to try some of the other spicy suggestions.
And the final tip …
6. Choose lower-sugar fruits.
Trinh adds …
Even if your agenda is to slash sugar from your diet, fruit is the the last place we’d pick (this is why it’s our last tip). The amount of sugar in fruit is low, and fruit is naturally packed with valuable vitamins and minerals. If you’re still concerned, then reach for lower-sugar fruits.
Recipe 1: Berry Peanut Butter Smoothie
Serves 2
Ingredients:
6 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) fresh or frozen Raspberries
2 tablespoons reduced-fat Milk
2 tablespoons smooth natural Peanut Butter
1 teaspoon Honey
1 cup Ice cubes
Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and share it with a buddy. Or save it for later. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information (per serving)
Calories: 152; Total fat: 9g; Monounsaturated fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 1mg; Sodium: 48mg; Total Carbohydrate: 17g; Dietary fiber: 6g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 5g
Recipe 2: Silky Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 cups fresh Strawberries, trimmed (8 ounces)
1/2 medium Banana, sliced
1/2 cup soft Tofu (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons plain low-fat Yogurt
1 teaspoon Honey
1 cup Ice cubes
2 tablespoons ground Flax Seeds (optional)
Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth.
Pour into 2 glasses and share it. Or save one for later. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information (per serving/1 cup)
Calories: 122; Total fat: 3g; Monounsaturated fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 1mg; Sodium: 16mg; Total Carbohydrate: 28g; Dietary fiber: 2g; Sugar: 14g; Protein: 6g
Source: MyFitnessPal.com
Photo: DrinkMeHealthy
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