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Juices and smoothies can cause harm. Be sure to understand that with the wrong combination of ingredients these drinks will in fact spike your blood sugar level in record time. Quick to drink and easily absorbed you could be consuming way more calories than your body needs.
After adding a Nutribullet type blender and a cold press juicer to our kitchen over the summer, it was immediately and glaringly obvious that these so-called health-food machines could in fact cause massive problems if not used correctly. Hayley, my 18 year old daughter who is studying nutrition was reading me a Vogue Australia article by a nutritionist explaining how to ensure your smoothies and juices are healthy. With all the information I have learned from my friend Amanda Bryce (BPharm MPS AACPA ACNEM) in our Wellbeing Series plus my knowledge of food, nutrition and cooking over the past 35 years I concurred with everything this lady said. You can read the full article from the link below.
The biggest culprit in this scenario is fruit! Now wait. Before you say, but fruit is good for me. Yes, of course I don’t dispute that. But eaten whole as nature creates it and in moderation, ensures that your body gains most benefit nutritionally.
An orange juice would contain about 4 medium oranges to fill a standard glass. So let me pose a question. Would you eat 4 oranges in one go? Probably not.
So if you are consuming these drinks with the majority of components being fruit as well as eating regular meals (all be it healthy and fresh) you may be struggling to see weight loss or are experiencing weight gain. Over consumption of sugar can also cause visceral fat which forms around our organs, so is invisible.
Ensure your wonderful tasting, health giving, fresh wholefood drinks are consumed more as a treat as opposed to everyday. Unless of course, you are an elite athlete or you don’t consume fruit or vegetables in any other form.
Include these drinks as part of a regular healthy diet BUT make sure they contain more vegetables than fruit.
Blended smoothies include fruit and vegetable fibre and will keep you fuller for longer. Bind the ingredients together with something fatty (good fat) like avocado, almond milk (or almond butter) or plain yoghurt. Your drink will give you pleasure in the flavour and texture department. Add a small amount of fruit to just take off the edge, as opposed to making it a sweet drink. It’s amazing how quickly tastebuds get used to less sugar. Flavours may even start tasting more vibrant as sugar often masks taste.
Juices are a power-house of quickly absorbed vitamins and minerals but with the fibre removed. So not as good for your gut. High in calories (if fruit based), you will probably feel just as hungry after a juice compared to drinking a glass of water. If you eat well and include lots of vegies in your diet already, these drinks really are simply a treat. And nothing wrong with that, occasionally.
So use lots of green vegetables…kale, spinach, cucumber, capsicum, mint, parsley and bok choy for example. Add sweetness with a little fruit…half an apple or pear, 6 grapes, half a banana and you’ll be doing your body a favour. Even add water! Now there’s a thought.
Check out my suggestions for Green Smoothie and Green Juice using fabulous greens to keep you vital. Enjoy!
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narelle martin
says:loved your article will forward it onto a few of my friends
admin
says:Thanks Narelle glad it was of use 🙂