Which smoothies are a healthy choice?

Smoothies have become so popular.  Especially among young people who want to grab and go.  My daughters like to make smoothies for a quick breakfast that they can take with them on their commute.  If you are buying a smoothie from a Fast-Food establishment, which ones are a healthier choice?  What ingredients make a smoothie a healthier option?

Consumer reports notes that smoothies can be very healthy and nutritious as a snack or a meal.  Especially if you make them at home and know the ingredients going into the smoothie.  Some Fast-food smoothies can be healthy but others not so much. 

Consumer Reports , Delish and others offer some good advice and guidelines to follow when ordering a better-for-you smoothie.

What is the ideal smoothie? 

The ideal smoothie is made with whole fruits and vegetables, unsweetened dairy or plant milk or yogurt, and maybe some healthy add-ins like nut butters or seeds, according to registered dietitian, Amy Keating.  I would modify this to say that real dairy, milk from cows, is much more nutritious, has more protein and a much higher quality protein than plant-based milks.  Yogurt made from cow’s milk is also a healthy choice. 

What is not-so-healthy about some Fast-Food smoothies?

Some Fast-Food smoothies are loaded with added sugar including agave, plant-based milks that are sweetened with added sugar or raw sugar.  Some people think raw sugar is healthier than white table sugar but not so.  According to Myfitnesspal:  Although raw sugar may seem like a healthier option because it is less processed, it has the same nutrient profile as it refined counterpart [white table sugar] – both contain trace amounts of micronutrients and have the same number of calories, carbohydrates and sugar per teaspoon.  It is not easy to tell how much added sugar is in Fast-Food smoothies as they are not required to list this.  Sugar in a smoothie can be from the natural fructose in fruit or juice or the lactose in cow’s milk which is not considered unhealthy.  Or, it can be added sugar in agave, the added sugar in the plant-based milks, white table sugar, raw sugar, or some syrup such as corn syrup.

Some guidelines to order a better-for-you smoothie:

•  Look for whole fruits and veggies in the ingredient list.  If whole fruits or veggies are listed as the first ingredient that means that the smoothie is mostly whole fruits and veggies.  It is OK to see fruit purees listed, as long as they are from 100% juice with no added sugar.
• Skip the add-on “boosts”.  Say no to supplements, enhancers, especially when it is not clear what they are.  A smoothie made from whole fruits and veggies already is adding good nutrition to your day.
• Do not hesitate to ask for substitutions.  Say no to added sugars like agave.  Instead ask for it to be left out or ask them to add some fresh pineapple as your sweetener.

What are some Fast-Food Smoothies that are healthier choices?

•          Jamba Strawberries Gone Bananas.   This smoothie is made with 100% juice, frozen strawberries, and frozen bananas.  Choose the kid’s 10 ounce serving.  Although “total sugars” are listed, these are not “added sugars”.   To add more nutrition, ask for some non-fat Greek yogurt or peanut butter to be added.  Delish noted that “generally, Jamba Juice smoothies don’t contain corn syrup, artificial flavors or preservatives.”   

Serving Size	10 ounces
Calories	150
Saturated Fat	0 grams
Carbs	36 grams
Total Sugars	27 grams
Fiber	3 grams
Protein	1 gram

• Tropical Smoothie Café Detox Island Green.  Give yourself a vitamin A boost as it is made with spinach, kale, mango, pineapple, banana and some fresh ginger.  Apparently, the only smoothie on the menu without the added raw sugar.  If you choose to order a different smoothie, ask for no raw sugar. 

Serving Size	24 ounces
Calories	180
Saturated Fat	0 grams
Carbs	43 grams
Total Sugars	29 grams
Fiber	5 grams
Protein	4 grams

•          Smoothie King Veggie Lemon Ginger Spinach.  Made with mango, pineapple, juice blends:  papaya, white grape/lemon, spinach, kale, carrots, ginger, and the sweetener, stevia.  [KK1] Stevia is not an “artificial” sweetener but is highly processed.

Serving Size	20 ounces
Calories	310
Saturated Fat	0 grams
Carbs	80 grams
Total Sugars	60 grams
Fiber	6 grams
Protein	4 grams

• Panera Bread Peach & Blueberry Smoothie.  Made with fresh blueberries, mango puree, peach puree, white grape and passion fruit juice concentrates, and unsweetened almond milk.  No added sugars.  For a healthier option choose Panera’s Strawberry Banana smoothie made with whole-milk Greek yogurt.  This would add 7 grams of a high-quality protein to your smoothie.

Serving Size	16 ounces
Calories	210
Saturated Fat	2 grams
Carbs	49 grams
Total Sugars	41 grams
Fiber	4 grams
Protein	2 grams

     

•        Freshii Freshii Green. Made with banana, kale, pineapple, avocado and almond milk.  Has added sugars as the almond milk is sweetened.  It would have been healthier if made with real cow’s milk and this would have added some high-quality protein.  Other options in this chain have honey or frozen yogurt. 

Serving Size	12 ounces
Calories	200
Saturated Fat	1 gram
Carbs	38 grams
Total Sugars	20 grams
Fiber	7 grams
Protein	3 grams

The Delish article reviewed the McDonald’s smoothies and noted these “are made with a fruit base that contains fruit purees and juice concentrates, as well as tons of sugar and artificial flavorings.  They reviewed other brands as well but did not clarify if the “sugars” were added sugars or sugars naturally present in the fruit or milk.   

For those who want to make healthy smoothies at home, the American Heart Association has some healthy smoothie recipes on their website at recipes.  The Blueberry Mango Smoothie provides 13 grams of high-quality protein, some fiber and only 188 calories per serving.  Making this smoothie with real cow’s milk and Greek yogurt adds calcium, vitamin D and high-quality protein to your day. (See:  What are some top high quality protein foods? )

Blueberry Mango Smoothie   2 servings

        3/4 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
          3/4 cup fat-free cow’s milk
          3/4 cup frozen, unsweetened blueberries
          3/4 cup frozen mango chunks
         1 Tablespoon honey
         Splash vanilla extract

Directions:  Add small ingredients to a blender.  Process until the mixture is completely smooth.  If the smoothie is too thick, add additional milk.  Pour and serve immediately.

Conclusion:  If you are out and about this week, stop to buy a healthy smoothie as a snack or a meal.  At home, try the Blueberry Mango Smoothie or another smoothie from the American Heart Association website.   

 

Sources:  Consumer Reports , Delish , registered dietitian , Myfitnesspal , Smoothies , Delish , Delish , Smoothie    Image Sources:  Blueberry Mango Smoothie , Panera Bread , How to choose a healthy smoothie

What beverage is best for hydration?

Summer is nearly here and hydration becomes even more important in hot weather.  Last summer I blogged on hydration and it is one of my most popular posts. 

What beverage or food is best for hydration? 

• Water?
• Juice?
• Cow’s milk?
• Eating some watermelon?

Most people will answer “water” as being the best for hydration.  And most people would say drinking the 8 glasses of water a day is all one needs to do to stay hydrated.  But is water really the best beverage for hydration?  Are there other ways to stay hydrated like eating a slice of watermelon?  What about kids?  Some kids are not the best about drinking water throughout the day.  What else can parents do to help keep their kids hydrated in hot weather?

What is the first sign that you need more fluids/water?  Believe it or not the first sign that your body needs more water or fluids is thirst.  Thirst is your body telling you that you are becoming dehydrated.  Another sign is the color of your urine – the darker the color, the more dehydrated you are.  Here are some early warning signs that you are getting dehydrated:

•  Thirst
• Thirst and then feeling lightheaded
•  Your mouth feels dry
•  You feel tired
•   Urine is darker

How much water/fluids do you need?

From my post, Is water the best for hydration? , I noted the Institute of Medicine recommends women consume about 91 ounces, about 11.3 cups of fluids each day and men should consume 125 ounces a day, about 15.6 cups.  But this is from FOOD and BEVERAGES so you don’t need to be guzzling this much plain water each day.  This fluid intake would include all fluids, coffee, tea, juice, milk, and foods high in water like watermelon.  In fact, about 20% of our “water” needs come from the foods we eat.

What beverages are best for hydration?

Ask someone what beverage would be best for hydration and most people would answer, “water”.  Nothing wrong with drinking water to hydrate but researchers have found other beverages are actually even better for hydration.  Researchers in Britain studied how long different fluids stayed in your body and they came up with an Oral Rehydration Score.  (Read more at:  Is water the best for hydration? ) Four beverages were found more hydrating than water:  Pedialyte, fat-free (skim) cow’s milk, whole cow’s milk, and even 100% orange juice.  The researchers did not test fake milks like Almond Milk, but that would be an interesting study.  Apparently, the nutrients in beverages like cow’s milk and 100% juice help your body retain water.

Beverage	Oral rehydration score
Water	1.0
Pedialyte	1.5
Fat-Free (skim) Cow’s Milk	1.5
Whole Milk	1.5
Orange Juice	1.1

I am not surprised that real 100% juice is great for hydration, as I find a glass of real orange juice on ice is a most refreshing drink after a walk on a hot summer’s day.  100% juice is about 85% water which makes it a great choice for hydration.  Along with some water you get vitamins and antioxidants.  Be sure it is 100% juice and not a juice drink.  (See:  Are you drinking real juice or fake juice?) 

Another study, this one from St. Andrews University in Scotland, compared hydration of different beverages.  They found water is good at hydration, other beverages that contain some natural sugar, some fat or protein are even better choices for hydration.

Why is cow’s milk more hydrating than water?

How well a beverage hydrates is related to its nutrient composition.  For example, [cow’s] milk was found to be even more hydrating than plain water because it contains the sugar, lactose, some protein, and some fat, all of which help to slow the emptying of fluid from the stomach and keep hydration happening over a longer period.  Additionally, milk has some sodium and sodium helps your body retain water. 

Why is Pedialyte hydrating?

Oral rehydration solutions like Pedialyte contain some sugar, and electrolytes like sodium and potassium.  The sugar and electrolytes help “promote water retention in the body”. 

What about coffee?  Is coffee hydrating?

Many people think drinking coffee dehydrates you.  Apparently, it depends on how much java you drink.  A regular coffee with about 80 milligrams of caffeine- roughly what you would find in 12 oz. of Folger’s house blend – would be pretty much as hydrating as water, according to the research at St. Andrews University.  But drinking 2-4 cups of coffee can lead to losing some excess fluid as the caffeine does have a short-term but mild diuretic effect.  This is especially true for someone who is not a regular coffee drinker.  Interesting that adding a tablespoon or two of milk to your coffee can help offset the diuretic effect of coffee.

What about tea? 

For hydration choose caffeine-free teas.  Drinking tea is about as hydrating as drinking plain water and the tea adds some antioxidants to your day. 

What foods are hydrating?

Many foods have a high-water content.  Medical News Today has an article, Hydrating foods:  The top 20 and their benefits.  Not only are some foods high in water content but the following foods have at least 85% water. 

• Vegetables with a high-water content:  cucumbers, iceberg lettuce, celery, tomatoes, Romaine lettuce, zucchini, watermelon, spinach, kale, broccoli, carrots
• Fruit – strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, peaches, oranges, pineapple, apples.  Watermelon is a great choice as it is 92% water, what a great way to stay hydrated on a hot day.  And watermelon is low in calories – only 46 calories per cup. 
• Milk – cow’s milk is a great source of water and more hydrating than plain water.

How can parents/caretakers keep kids hydrated in hot weather?

1.  Remind kids to drink some water – the “Y” I go to has kids bring in their own water bottles and they remind them to drink water throughout the day.
2. Foods – serve kids hydrating fruits and vegetables like those listed above.  Most kids love watermelon on a hot day.
3. Milk – serve some real cow’s milk at every meal as MyPlate recommends.  Real cow’s milk is great for hydration and great for many nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.
4. Juice – serve kids some 100% juice on ice – a very refreshing drink and if 100% orange juice, you get some vitamin C and other nutrients. Or dilute 100% juice with some sparkling water.
5. Popsicles – my daughter told me about some great tasting popsicles made from 100% juice.  Outshine Fruit Bars are made from real fruit and real juice, no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial colors and my daughter says they taste great.  Only 40 calories so anyone can enjoy this treat. 
6. Fruit Infused water – good for parents and kids.  Have kids help make the infused water and they will be more likely to drink it.  Check out these 23 infused water recipes.  Try the Summer Squeeze of strawberry, lemon and mint or the Sun-Kissed Apricot and Berries infused water.  For extra vitamin C, enjoy the Citrus Burst of orange and lime infused water.   

Feeling thirsty on a hot day?  Time to hydrate.  I always have some water with me at the gym, in the car, wherever I go.  At home, I like to stay hydrated with real 100% juice, real cow’s milk or fruit and vegetables as well as infused water.  I met an older couple at a doctor’s office waiting room.  They each had a water bottle with a number on it.  I asked what the number was for.  The wife said they number 8 water bottles for each of them every morning and they try to drink all 8 by evening.  Now this is couple who takes their hydration seriously.  One doesn’t have to number water bottles but staying hydrated is important to good health.

Conclusion:  This week ask 10 or so of your friends and relatives what beverage is best for hydration.  I bet the answer you get is “water”.  Ask them to guess again.   I think they will be surprise to learn water is good but not the best beverage for hydration.  Do any of those you poll guess correctly?  Stay hydrated this summer and help your kids stay hydrated in the hot weather.

Sources:  signs, Is water the best for hydration? , Institute of Medicine , Researchers , Oral Rehydration Score ,   Is water the best for hydration?  , St. Andrews University,  Are you drinking real juice or fake juice? , milk , solutions , java , tea , Hydrating foods:  The top 20 and their benefits. , 92% water , MyPlate , Outshine Fruit Bars , 23 infused water recipes , Summer Squeeze , Sun-Kissed Apricot and Berries , Citrus Burst  Images:  Blueberry orange infused water , Popsicles , Cow’s milk 

Blueberry Orange Infused Water

1/4  cup fresh blueberries

        1/2 cup  orange, cut into thin slices

Instructions:

1.   Fill a glass, bottle, mason jar, pitcher, or carafe with ice and fruit.  Fill to the top with water.
2.   The water will start to take on flavor after about 15 minutes, but wait 30-60 minutes for best results.  Refill with more water until fruit flavor is gone.
   

Note:  Citrus fruits may turn the water bitter in about 4 hours.  However, I have used lemon wedges in my water over many hours and it still tasted good. 

 

Fast Food – sandwiches to skip and some to enjoy

 

The next time you are out and about, look at the lines at the Fast-Food places.  Many people have their favorite sandwiches and Fast-Food meals they like to choose.  WebMD has a great slide show on the Worst Sandwiches – not only the worst but “Double-Fisted Diet Wreckers”.   One doesn’t have to be on a diet to be concerned about healthier choices at Fast-Food places.  I had many students in my class that actually needed more calories in their day as they were very active.  Some were athletes and as noted in a previous blog, a carpenter who easily took in 5,000 calories a day.  Playing basketball, my daughter burned up so many calories, it was a struggle getting in enough calories each day.

Some Fast-Food sandwiches pack in the calories, fat, and the sodium.  Let’s look at some popular Fast-Food places and look at poor choices and then some healthier options.

Burger King

Poor choice:

• Triple Whopper with Cheese.  Yes, it does have some lettuce, tomato and onion but the 3 beef patties add up to a lot of calories (1299) and almost 90 grams of fat.   Sodium is also high.

Better choice: 

•           Original Chicken Sandwich.  Not only a better choice but WebMD indicates it is “among BK’s healthiest sandwiches”.  The chicken patty is breaded and topped with lettuce and some mayonnaise.  It comes in at about 680 calories with about 39 grams of fat and less saturated fat than the Triple Whopper.  Want less fat and less calories?  Skip the mayonnaise as just 1 Tablespoon of mayonnaise adds about 100 calories to the sandwich. 

 

Burger King	Triple Whopper with Cheese	Original Chicken Sandwich
Calories	1299	680
Fat	90 g	39 g
Sodium	1829 mg	1380 mg

McDonald’s

Poor Choice: 

• Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese.  WebMD says this choice is even worse than the Double Big Mac.  Why?  The 2 beef patties, 2 slices of cheese, pickles and onions provide 740 calories which is a little more than the Double Big Mac which clocks in at 730 calories.  But the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese has more fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Better Choice:

•  Filet-O-Fish sandwich.  Although it is fried it has less calories even with the cheese, lettuce, tomato and some tartar sauce.  It comes in at 390 calories, 19 grams of fat, only 30 grams of cholesterol and 580 milligrams of sodium.  According to McDonald’s this sandwich is made with wild-caught fish.  

McDonald’s	Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese	Filet-O-Fish Sandwich
Calories	740	390
Fat	42 g	19 g
Sodium	1360 mg	580 mg

 

Chick-fil-A

Poor Choice: 

• Spicy Deluxe Chicken Sandwich.  A not so good choice as the chicken is breaded, fried with a buttered bun and some cheese.  Calories and fat aren’t as high as some other options at 550 calories and 25 g of fat but sodium is still high at 1810 mg. 

Better Choice: 

• Grilled Chicken Sandwich.  A much healthier option as it comes with grilled chicken, tomato, lettuce and even a multigrain bun.  Only 320 calories, less sodium at 680 mg and only 6 grams of fat.  Add in some fruit, some milk and you have a pretty healthy meal. 

 

Chick-fil-A	Spicy Deluxe Chicken Sandwich	Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Calories	550	320
Fat	25g	6 g
Sodium	1810 mg	680 mg

Subway

I am still mad that Subway no longer offers the oven roasted chicken patty.  It was my favorite Subway sandwich.  I added some provolone cheese and just about every vegetable offered and got it on the whole grain bun.  As Dennis Lee wrote in his article in October 2022, “The sandwich chain no longer offers oven roasted chicken breast, and people are only finding out now, months later…..  Apparently, nobody was going to tell us about the discontinuation of the oven roasted chicken breast, and it went out with a whisper.”  People in the Twitter universe complained as did customers on Facebook.  Why a Fast-Food place would take away one of its most popular options is beyond me.  They do offer other chicken choices but, in my opinion, these choices aren’t nearly as good. 

The calories and nutrition information below are for the 6-inch sub.  If you order a 12-inch sub, then double everything.

Poor Choice: 

• Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt.   Subway is actually known for its healthier choices.  At least one can get an assortment of veggies, although I have seen many customers skip over every veggie option and just ask for extra mayo.  (As noted above, each extra Tablespoon of mayo adds about 100 calories to the sandwich.)  The 6-inch Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt comes in at 570 calories, 29 grams of fat and 1280 mg of sodium.  Remember, calories can be higher if more ranch dressing is added is added.

Better Choice:

• Black Forest Ham Sandwich.  A pretty low-cal option at only 260 calories, with only 4 grams of fat and not too bad on the sodium at 810 mg.  Choose mustard for the condiment as mustard is low in calories and skip the mayo to keep calories in check.

Subway	Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt	Black Forest Ham Sandwich
Calories	570	260
Fat	29 g	4 g
Sodium	1280 mg	810 mg

Conclusion:  It is very hard to eat out and eat healthy.  So much Fast-Food is fried and loaded with fat and salt.  But there are better options to choose.  Skipping the fried foods and choosing grilled is almost always is a better choose.  And one doesn’t have to order the fries which are also loaded with fat and sodium.  At Subway I order the chicken, cheese on the multigrain bread, load on the veggies and then choose some baked chips or whole grain Sun Chips.  We often take our sandwiches home and drink real cow’s milk as our beverage.  You also want to take off the wrappers as fast as you can.  Why?  Because of the “forever chemicals” in many fast-food wrappers.  (See:  What dangerous chemicals might be in fast food wrappers? ).   When we get home from Subway, we immediately unwrap the sandwiches and remove the wrappings to try to limit the forever chemicals.  It may be healthier to eat your Fast-Food at the restaurant to limit the time the fast-food is in the wrapper.  More and more restaurants are taking out these dangerous chemicals which is a good thing.

Sources:  slide show , calories , Sandwich , choice , sandwich , article , What dangerous chemicals might be in fast food wrappers?    Image Sources:  Original Chicken Sandwich , Filet of Fish  , Grilled Chicken Sandwich