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All Smoothies Are Not Created Equal |
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Written by Danielle Smith
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So you probably think smoothies are a nutritious fast-food alternative. Well yes and no. 
If you are comparing apples and oranges or in this case typical fast-food cheeseburgers or fried chicken, the smoothie will always be a superior choice.
A quarter pound cheeseburger or 2 pieces of fried chicken have between 400-600 calories, 30-40 grams of fat and about 1100 milligrams of sodium. And who foregoes the fries when eating burgers or chicken? Not I, so you can add another 380 calories, 20 grams of fat and 220 mg. of sodium for a medium fry. The average smoothie has a mere 0-6 grams of fat with the peanut butter varieties weighing in at a moderate 17 grams. Most smoothies contain little sodium with the highest found around 200 mg. Obviously grabbing a smoothie is a healthier choice than typical fast-food fare.
That said, let’s compare apples to apples or in this case blueberries to blueberries. I found three smoothies containing blueberries: Blueberry Heaven ™ from Smoothie King®, Blue Lagoon™ Low Fat Smoothie with Turbinado from Tropical Smoothie Cafe®, and Berry Blast ™ from Vitality Juice & Java Bar ®. The smoothies are 20-24 ounces and nutrition information was obtained from their menus.
www.dietfacts.com
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Blueberry Heaven
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Blue Lagoon
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Berry Blast
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Calories
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260
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330
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168
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Fat
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1g
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0.9g
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0g
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Carbohydrates
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58g
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79.7g
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16g
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Protein
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7g
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1.1g
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26g
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This table clearly illustrates the vast differences among smoothies. The smoothie with the least amount of calories has the most protein and the least carbohydrates. Well, without boring you with the subtleties of the glycemic index the higher protein choice is going to be your best bet for a satisfying, lean lunch. The high carbohydrate versions will zap your energy levels and you will find yourself hungry faster. In addition, excess carbohydrate will be stored in the body as fat. If you aren’t planning on running a marathon after your lunch break I’d avoid the first two. If you are like most of us with five more hours of relatively sedentary work after lunch then choose the high protein option. These are just three examples in a dizzying array of smoothie outlets and flavors. So next time you grab for that smoothie; buyer beware.
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