Are Smoothies Good for You?

Can smoothies be good for you? When it comes to Smoothie King and our smoothie blends, the answer is a resounding yes! You’ll get the health-maximizing benefits of natural, real fruits with 0 grams added sugars. Such a healthy approach, however, is not common to many other smoothie shops. Simply put, it depends on the smoothie. We’ll go over some key factors in what makes a healthy blend.

Sugar

We can all agree that sugar should be consumed in moderation, especially added sugars. Flavored yogurts and canned fruit all have the image of good health, but more likely than not, these products contain added sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, or another form. Packed with sweet flavors and healthy carbohydrates, fruit is the best natural sweetener. Plain and simple. If you are mindful of carbs, stick with raspberries, blackberries, and the berry family in general. Fruit should be the number-one ingredient for a nice, healthy taste.

Whole Fruits and Veggies

When asking, “are smoothies good for you?” a good rule with any healthy diet is that whole ingredients are best. If given the option, always opt for whole ingredients. Think oats, plain Greek yogurt, raspberries, blueberries, mangoes, spinach, almonds, etc. If you look on the ingredients list of a product and cannot read or pronounce the word without stumbling over it, there’s your red flag signifying that it probably shouldn’t go in your smoothie. A food item with unfamiliar ingredients is not only highly processed, but it can also contain unnecessary calories and fillers.

Protein

If you focus on protein first, you’re well on your way to making a healthy smoothie. Now, what does protein do? First and foremost, it supports muscle repair after it has been broken down through exercise and weight training, which is normal in any fitness regimen. Second, when you consume adequate amounts of protein, you feel fuller, and that fullness can help reduce cravings and suppress your appetite. Because protein takes longer to digest, that full feeling lasts much longer than it would after eating highly processed carbs. This naturally stops you from overeating.

Protein is an essential nutrient that you can find in dairy or plant-based forms. Whichever route you go, take note of the ingredients in your protein powder. When picking a protein to add to your smoothie, do some research on what is actually in the protein blend.

Excess Calories

This can be the hardest concept to wrap your head around, especially if you are staying away from added sugar, focusing on whole foods, and prioritizing protein. No matter how healthy food is, the body will always store excess calories as fat. You know the saying, “too much of a good thing is a bad thing?” If you consume more calories than your body burns through normal function and movement, weight gain is inevitable. Now, counting calories and restricting certain foods is not always necessary to have a healthy lifestyle. There is more to life than weight gain and weight loss. However, if you follow basic health principles, it is much easier to avoid overeating, and this comes into play when making a good, wholesome smoothie.

Are Smoothies Good for You at Smoothie King?

Let’s go over this one last time. Are smoothies good for you? In general, yes, but it fully depends on the ingredients. At Smoothie King, we try to avoid added sugars, include whole foods, have great protein options on hand, and try to keep calories within reason. The best part: our smoothies taste good! The days of deciding between health or taste are over. Don’t compromise a healthy lifestyle for poor taste. Find a location near you, and come in and see just how much we care about making great-tasting smoothies for your health.