Why We’re Wary of Smoothies

When one thinks of a healthy food item to incorporate into their diet, smoothies are one of the most common things that may come to mind. Smoothies are trendy and well accepted as health-conscious in today’s society, but there are a few key reasons why we are wary of smoothies. Instead, we emphasize sticking to eating whole pieces of fruits, and here are the reasons why. First off, smoothies can be a greater risk of spiking blood sugar compared to whole pieces of fruit, and much more quickly as well. Since smoothies are blended, the fruit is pre-digested, and we avoid the step of mastication or chewing. The liquid texture then goes into the bloodstream more quickly and can cause high blood sugar spikes. This quick spike in blood sugar can impact satiety levels, causing you to wonder why you still feel hungry even though you just had a 16 oz smoothie.

Another thing to be aware of with smoothies is the fiber content. When fruit is blended, some of the fiber held in the fruit and skin is broken down, resulting in loss of fiber content. Not only this but the benefits of fiber are lost as well in the process. Digestion is slowed down and more regulated by fiber, thus playing into the faster digestion and blood sugar spikes caused by smoothies. Whole fruits still have all their fiber intact, and consumption of whole pieces of fruits promotes the health of the GI tract.

Smoothies purchased at juice bars and cafes, as well as bottled smoothies sold in grocery stores, can contain very high amounts of sugars. These smoothies can often be hiding added sugars as well, as they may be sweetened with honey, agave, fruit juices, or flavored yogurts. For example, a small “Apple ‘n Greens” smoothie from Jamba Juice contains 45 grams of sugar. As a reference, that equals just over 11 teaspoons of sugar! For these reasons, we recommend eating your fruits whole. While they may be tasty, refreshing, and a convenient way of incorporating a variety of fruits into your diet, there are many things to be wary of as well. Smoothies oppose the body’s natural means of digesting and processing fruits, leading to blood sugar spikes and eliminating some of the benefits of fiber.

Written By: Elizabeth Hoffman, Nutrition Intern Fall 2021

Works Cited:

Rabin, Roni Caryn. “The Downside of Smoothies.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 June 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/28/well/smoothies-good-bad.html#:~:text=And%20if%20you're%20drinking,food%20into%20blood%20sugar%2C%20Ms.

Worley, Becky. “Surprise Diet Sabotage: Are Smoothies Actually Healthy.” ABC News, ABC News Network, https://abcnews.go.com/Health/surprise-diet-sabotage-smoothies-healthy/story?id=40692771.