Viva Vitality: Try a smarter smoothie this summer
By Pat MacItosh on May 10, 2019.
pat.macintosh@ahs.ca As temperatures start to heat up, reach for a smarter smoothie to cool you down. Medium sized fast-food milkshakes have about 700 calories and about 100 grams of sugar. That is equal to 25 teaspoons of sugar! (four grams of sugar is equal to one teaspoon). Medium sized fast food smoothies could have about 350 calories and 64 grams of sugar (16 teaspoons of sugar!). Why not try a healthy, delicious, homemade option instead? Make your own smoothies using low fat milk (or plant-based beverage if you prefer), low fat yogurt and frozen fruit. The result is a tasty treat with no added sugars. You will also avoid all the other ingredients that commercial milkshakes and smoothies may have. In addition to a lot of sugar they may add things such as corn starch, carrageenan, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, citric acid, or mono and diglycerides. If you really want to take “healthy” to the next level add spinach, chia or ground flax seeds, tofu or nut butters. Use the basic smoothie recipe below and put your own healthy spin on it. The only limit is your imagination. Basic Smoothie Recipe: 2 cups (500 mL) frozen or fresh fruit 1 cup (250 mL) lower fat milk or plant-based beverage (e.g. soy, almond, cashew) 1/2 cup (125 mL) low fat plain regular or Greek yogurt (or kefir for a probiotic boost) 5 ice cubes, makes an extra thick smoothie – optional 1-2 tsp (5 – 10mL) sugar, honey, or agave syrup, if needed – optional Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes about 3 cups. Additional options for more: Protein – Add 1 tablespoon (15mL) peanut or other nut butter, hemp hearts, or soft tofu. Use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese instead of regular yogurt. If using other plant-based beverages such as almond, cashew, or coconut beverage instead of milk or soy beverage, adding a protein option is a good idea. These other plant-based beverages only have about 1 gram of protein per 250 mL serving. Fibre – Add 1 tablespoon (15mL) chia seeds, ground flax, wheat germ, rolled oats, or bran cereal Vegetables – Add 1/4 cup (60 mL) kale or spinach Flavour – Depending on the fruit you choose, try adding a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, some grated lemon or orange zest, grated ginger, fresh mint, or vanilla extract. A homemade smoothie is an easy way to add fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals to your diet. Just make sure to use whole fruit and vegetables instead of fruit juices. You generally don’t need to add protein powder as the milk or soy beverage and yogurt will provide the protein you need. Pat MacIntosh is a registered dietitian with Alberta Health Services, Nutrition Services. She can be reached by email at pat.macintosh@ahs.ca. 21-20
