JUICES and smoothies are a popular choice for a speedy breakfast or a nourishing snack, but are they too high in sugar?
All fruit, fruit juices and smoothies contain naturally occurring sugar called fructose. Fructose from whole fruit doesn’t add to your intake of free (or added) sugars, but in fruit juice and smoothies, it does. This is because when we blend or juice fruit, the plant cell walls are broken down, exposing the natural sugars within. This turns the sugars into free sugars, the type we are advised to cut down on and not exceed 30g per day.
Whole fruit contains fibre, vitamins and minerals which are good for our overall health.
Smoothies retain the fruit as well as fibre, vitamins and minerals but in juices this is usually lost – especially the fibre. You can still take juices or smoothies as part of an overall healthy diet which contributes to fruit and vegetable intakes, but this should be limited to no more than one per day at a 150ml portion size.
Some shop-bought smoothies can be sold in sizes way larger than the 150ml portion size. Think of the Innocent smoothie brand which is sold in 750ml bottles. This contains 70g of free sugars which is over twice the recommended level. You’re not meant to drink the full bottle, but instead a 150ml portion size, which would provide 15g of free sugars. If you drank the full bottle every day you would have no teeth left.
Fruit juices with bits usually have a little more fibre, but not lots in comparison to smoothies or fruit in its solid form. Food products with less fibre and more sugar can have a negative effect on our blood sugar. This is why if drinking fruit juice with breakfast, for example, it’s better to drink this at the end of your meal rather than the start.
Lee McCusker (BA; MSc; MSc; MSc; ANutr; SENr) is a registered nutritionist from Belfast and can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Email: attentivenutrition@
gmail.com
