Are smoothies really so terrible?

[Idaofmarch]

It dawned on me when the children (15 and 10) went back to school that they were struggling to get up to 5 a day fruit and veg.

It's a challenge to get DD (15) to eat anything in the morning and DS (10) likes toast and bagels and eggs but I've had no success with other healthier options.
I send them both to school with a piece of fruit (which may or may not get eaten) they have school meals of variable quality with occasional random veg, and we have an evening meal with 2 veg (3 if it's mince based and I can chuck everything in).

So... I've been making them both a smoothie in the morning. Bit of apple juice and water, banana, blueberries, strawberries or raspberries, a carrot and a block of frozen spinach or broccoli.
They drink the lot.

I've been feeling quite pleased with myself until my sister's super judgmental partner told me that I was basically giving them diabetes in a glass and it was essentially the same as full fat coke. He's really annoying for lots of reasons unrelated to this, but is a personal trainer and presumably knows about nutrition.
It's worth noting that they each play lots of sport and are on the lower end of the healthy weight range.

I've just googled smoothies and apparently they are terrible for you so he's not completely talking out of his arse like usual.

Which is the better option- smoothie or not hitting 5 a day? Annoying chap suggested sending the 10 year old into school with a pot of lightly steamed mange tout for his snack ("crispy and delicious!") which won't be happening, and neither of them will countenance packed lunches.

I'm trying not to let my dislike of him impact how I feel about this....

Love the Catherine Tate posh mum sketches

We love smoothies in our house but never have fruit juice in them, as it’s just pure sugar. We have milk, yoghurt, some Huel sometimes (DH likes it, I can tolerate) and frozen smoothie mix fruit. They are yum, filling, and definitely feel healthy.

Our hygienist said a good trick for the fruit acid issue is eating cheese after. She told me to give DS some cheese to have after his apple in break time to protect his teeth.

Give them multivitamins. Cut out the sugar-in-a-glass. Job done.

I make a really nice smoothie with spinach, apple, pineapple, lime and celery. I have a different homemade one each morning.

I think having one reasonable size smoothie per day is fine. Especially as other have said if you replace the juice with milk etc. I think the problem comes when the sizes are too large, can easily add up to hundreds of calories.

My Dd17 doesn't have time to eat breakfast but will quaff a healthy milkshake.
Her favourite is half a pint of milk, a banana, 30 g Ready Brek and 70 g blueberries.

I think smoothies are quite healthy as you get the fibre of the fruit/veg in there too. Whereas with fruit juice the fibre doesn’t go in, so it’s not good for your blood sugar.

I have not read all the replies and someone else have probably said this - smoothies on count for 1 of your 5 a day due to the lack of fibre.

150ml of smoothie (or fruit juice) only counts as one of your five a day. If you drink 300ml it won't count as two portions. It doesn't matter how many fruits or veggies are in it either.
So it seems to be a good way for your DC to get one of their portions but they still need four more.
It explains it all here: www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day-what-counts/

Ooh, cross post!!

Fruit blended into smoothies doesn't lose its fiber because you're using the whole fruit, rather than extracting just the juice; however, removing the peels does remove some of the fiber. For extra fiber and nutrition, add some leafy green vegetables, such as baby spinach or kale, along with a spoonful of chia Seeds.

I add a tablespoon of flax seeds and soya yogurt to mine to up the protein a bit.

I’d recommend watching Jason Vale’s Super Juice me , it’s available on YouTube. It’s amazing and shows the benefits of getting as much fruit and veg in you even if it’s through juices and smoothies. Honestly watch it.

Often make smoothie in the morning for breakfast but use oat/almond milk instead of juice, banana, and frozen berry mix. Excellent easy breakfast!!!

Nothing wrong with a smoothie the fibre and vitamins are extremely important, and outweigh the concern over sugar. I would imagine the total sugar content in a smoothie is less than that of a bowl of frosties, a waffle, or chocolate spread or honey on a round of toast. Noone questions these things but feel welcome to bang on unnecessarily about fruit sugar.

I think it sounds fab! Maybe just swap the juice/water for ost milk. It’s delicious!

@Missdotty waffle mixture contains 1tsp of sugar and the batch makes 5-6 waffles. So not equivalent to a bowl of Frosties. But I agree with you that a smoothie is not too bad in the breakfast stakes, particularly if you include veg as well as fruit. Milk, yoghurt or peanut butter would all add some protein and fat to balance out the carbs. But a smoothie is fine.

I make them 3-4 times a week. We use a mix of mango, pineapple, celery, handful of spinach and some chia seeds. Sometime a piece of avocado if we have it in.

And we blend it with water. Not juice or milk.

I’m a type one diabetic, I do have smoothies that I make myself.

Generally if you have no more than 2 portions of fruit (and no more than half a banan) you’re okay sugar wise.

I do
1/2 an avocado
Handful of frozen blueblerries
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup cauliflower (I use frozen)
1/2 cup ice
Teaspoon of chia seeds

Or
1/2 banana
40g frozen strawberries
Tablespoon peanut butter
Scoop of protein powder
1 cup almond milk

Or
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup fresh spinach or three blocks of frozen
1 cup frozen berries
Thumb of fresh ginger
1/4 dairy free yoghurt

OP you experiment with adding some veg and seeing if your DC like it. If you include some leafy green veg the iron works really well with the vitamin C in the fruit.

I love

one or two bananas
big teaspoon of peanut butter
nice cold whole milk

Not that healthy, but YUM :)

mushing up good food into baby food is a great way for adults to get fat while thinking they are eating properly. If an adult has functioning teeth and swallow then far better to use them to get nutrition and fibre without eating too much. Certainly never eat sugary commercial smoothies which are marketed as 'health' food.

but if you've got fussy kids at risk of scurvy, then whatever works. That combo sounds revolting but each to their own! You note that they are active and not fat so sounds fine.

Shocking about of misinformation in these replies! Blended fruit doesn't "keep its fibre content because you aren't removing the pulp from the drink" - that pulp is fruit cells that have been destroyed by the blending process and is therefore unable to act as healthy fibre!

Just give them a multivitamin! Smoothies are fine as a treat but they are not a health food!

Sadly your nob of a BIL is right.

Add a gooseberry and cinnamon yo-ghurt