Why Commercial Smoothies Are High on Sugar Content?
Despite the lack of any health risks or the healthy vibe associated with consuming smoothies, their nutritional reputation of being high in sugar remains a fact. Then how can one make their breakfast or dinner smoothies a low-calorie preparation? The key definitely lies in cutting back on the added sugars. Most store-bought versions of smoothie drinks pack in a punch and contain around 2.26 ounces of artificial sweeteners per single bottle. This means that one would be consuming nearly more than two times the amount of sugar found in most candy bars or commercial chocolates.
Additionally, many smoothies, blends, or beverages are not just intended to be an add-on to a meal, but rather a meal replacement itself. They can not only overdose on added sugars but also on the calories that they consume at once because, usually, many individuals tend to drink them the same way as other thirst-quenching drinks like water or iced or flavored teas. Hence, rather than intending to hope for healthy weight loss, consumption of so many calories and added sugars in a sip can predispose a person to gain weight.
What Are the Options for Low Calorie and Nutrient Dense Milk Base?
The first foundation for preparing a smoothie should be a low-calorie base. A low-calorie nutrient-rich base can ensure that the beverage can be a healthy drink as well. If one has a blender at home and some ice, it is effortless to prepare their own delicious frozen smoothie drink. Given below are some ideas for preparing a low-calorie base for a smoothie. A person can also add fresh fruits as add-ons to the smoothie or mixes to maintain a healthy weight and also to ensure that the low-calorie smoothie base is further low in sugars or completely sugar-free to avail maximum nutrition benefits.
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Unsweetened Form of Almond Milk: Almond milk is a great plant-based proteinaceous source and is also sugar-free. These are available in their refrigerated or shelf-stable carton versions at grocery stores. Almond milk yields approximately 40 kilocalories per single cup and makes a great base for preparing not only smoothies but any creamy drinks, such as milkshakes, that are low in fat and calories. Individuals who prefer a sweeter tinge to their drink can choose from a variety of commercially available sugar-free almond milk varieties and then add a pinch of no-calorie sweetener.
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Unsweetened Form of Coconut Milk: Coconut milk is not only a great option for vegan diets and as a plant-based milk rich in folate, but it is also creamy in consistency. It can be a good sugar-free option to choose for preparing any creamy blended drinks or beverages. Commercially available coconut milk that is unsweetened or free from added sugars can yield roughly the same number of calories as natural coconut milk, which is approximately 62 kilocalories per 3.5 ounces. Like almond milk, coconut milk is available in its shelf-stable versions and as refrigerated milk.
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Soy Milk: The calorie content of soymilk is higher in comparison to both almond milk and coconut milk. It almost yields up to 43 kilocalories per 3.5 ounces and contains up to 0.1 ounces of natural sugars. But the advantage of soy milk is that it is a good source of plant-based protein that can also keep an individual highly satiated. Because the milk also contains natural sugars, the sweet flavors can be a bonus in comparison to other plant-based milks. One does not even have to add any no-calorie sweeteners.
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Fruit Juice Drinks as a Base: A person does not always have to use plant-based milk as their low-calorie base for preparing nutrient-rich smoothies. The alternative healthy base would be a reduced-calorie fruit juice drink obtained from any flavors of oranges, pineapples, peaches, guavas, and apples. If one wants a refreshing smoothie, one can skip the fruit juice as a base and use coconut water instead. One cup of coconut water has roughly only 43 kilocalories and is high in potassium content, folate, and electrolytes.
What Are the Beneficial Add-Ons in a Smoothie?
Apart from the low-calorie base, some add-ons can be used in the smoothie to make it nutrient-rich:
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Frozen Fruit: Pieces of frozen fruit are always beneficial as add-ons for smoothies because they not only retain the flavor of the drink, but most fruits like mangoes, cherries, peaches, clementines, guavas, and berries can also add the much-needed fruit fiber, multivitamins, and nutrients into the daily smoothie. One can even add kale and spinach, rich in vitamin C and vitamin K into the smoothie to make it nutrient-rich. Cucumbers are the most frequently added fruits into smoothies because they can easily balance out the flavors of the low-calorie milk base. For example, one can try a combination of cucumber and kale or apple, berries, and grapes to give their smoothie the much-preferred fruit or veggie-rich flavors.
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Lemon or Lime Juice: Adding a dash or pinch of citrus fruits can add the much-needed citrus or acidic flavor to the blended drink which can be quite rejuvenating and soothing to the taste buds as they are rich in vitamin C, which can also boost immunity.
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Flavor Extract: Extracts like vanilla or coconut can be flavorful and delicious add-ons to a low-calorie smoothie.
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Stevia or Monk Fruit: These can serve as no-calorie sweeteners, which we discussed above in this article for adding the low-calorie milk base. They are natural fruity options that can satisfy even a sweet tooth and do not add sugars.
Conclusion
The key to healthy weight loss is opting for a nutrient-dense and balanced diet. To make any beverage or smoothie more nutritious, one needs to cut back on added sugars, and fats and be aware of the number of calories one consumes in a drink, per serving. Low-calorie plant-based protein-rich milks like almond, coconut, and soy, which also contain heart-healthy fats, would serve as an ideal base for the daily homemade smoothie.
