Innocent Smoothies

woolywood

I have started taking Innocent smoothies as part of my breakfast but I am not 100% sure how good they are. Once items are mass produced like this I get sceptical about them.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Woolywood

123ame

they are pretty good
http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/things_we_make/super/carton_detox/

Alopex

woolywood wrote: »

I have started taking Innocent smoothies as part of my breakfast but I am not 100% sure how good they are. Once items are mass produced like this I get sceptical about them.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Woolywood

Good for you. one downside compared to home made smoothies is they are pasteurised.

Maybe try eat normal fruit and have an innocent smoothie occasionally as a sensible treat

EileenG

Just be aware that you are getting an awful lot of sugar in one go. Even if it's sugar from fruit, it's still sugar.

My instinct would be to eat the fruit rather than the smoothie.

woolywood

Thanks for the replies, what is the problem with the smoothie being pasteurised.

Regards
Woolywood

Alopex

woolywood wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, what is the problem with the smoothie being pasteurised.

Regards
Woolywood

Some of the naturally good stuff in the fruit gets killed off by it. not the end of the world like, just making your own would be slightly superior

EileenG wrote:

Just be aware that you are getting an awful lot of sugar in one go. Even if it's sugar from fruit, it's still sugar.

My instinct would be to eat the fruit rather than the smoothie.

innocent don't add juice most of the time. its just fruit blended and every bottle/carton states whats inside so you'd know when buying it

EileenG

http://www.sparkpeople.com/calories-in.asp?food=innocent+smoothie

So one portion provides 36.5g of sugar, and only 3g of fibre. That's a lot of sugar. And note the negible amounts of protein and fat to slow the absorbtion of all that sugar.

lachin

EileenG wrote: »

http://www.sparkpeople.com/calories-in.asp?food=innocent+smoothie

So one portion provides 36.5g of sugar, and only 3g of fibre. That's a lot of sugar. And note the negible amounts of protein and fat to slow the absorbtion of all that sugar.

Eileen, even though it's a natural sugar is it still bad for you in that it will still cause insulin spikes?
I'm finding it really hard to get my head around the idea that fruit isn't as ideal as I thought

Ouchette

What's the difference, nutritionally speaking, between a whole piece of fruit and the same piece of fruit blended up? By the time you've chewed the piece of fruit, isn't it all much the same anyway? The only thing I can think of is the the peel or core might be included in the blended version.

Just something I've been wondering.

Andromeda_111

I think with a smoothie you are more inclined to eat more fruit in one go than you would if they were eaten whole and some can be quite high in fructose. If you tried to eat your 5 a day as 80% veg and 20% fruit and make your own smoothies with that mix you'd be more inclined to be eating a lot less sugar.

Ouchette

So it's just a matter of portion control really? That makes sense.

EileenG

Ouchette wrote: »

What's the difference, nutritionally speaking, between a whole piece of fruit and the same piece of fruit blended up? By the time you've chewed the piece of fruit, isn't it all much the same anyway? The only thing I can think of is the the peel or core might be included in the blended version.

Just something I've been wondering.

If you eat the fruit whole, you'll get more fibre than if it's been juiced which is going to take out some of the fiber. Also, you'll eat it more slowly, and won't get the same sugar hit at one time.

Ideally, eat fruit which doesn't have airmiles. Fruit that grows in Ireland, like strawberries, apples, pears, etc have more fiber and less sugar than things like grapes and bananas which has to be imported from the other side of the world. And notice which the Smoothies use most of.

Ouchette

EileenG wrote: »

If you eat the fruit whole, you'll get more fibre than if it's been juiced which is going to take out some of the fiber.

But that's for juices, not for smoothies where the whole fruit goes in, right?

EileenG

With such a low fiber content, they are obviously straining out the pulpy stuff.

dudara

Ouchette wrote: »

But that's for juices, not for smoothies where the whole fruit goes in, right?

Any form of processing, be it juicing or just blending, will start to break down the fibre & structure of the fruit. This will mean that the sugar is released and hits your bloodstream quicker. As EileenG said, the best way to eat fruit is au nateral.