To think smoothies are more than one of your five a day

[feellikeahugefailure]

I've just had a smoothie with a handful of grapes, two kiwis, handful of spinach, handful of kale and a handful of frozen mango. At least 80g of all the fruit and probably 40g of the leaves. This is 4 portions right?

[treaclesoda]

I know this sounds like an urban myth but I promise it's not. A relative of mine ended up hospitalised a few years ago with multiple health problems, one of which was difficulty swallowing. It was worrying, there was concern from the doctors that it could be a symptom of cancer of the oesophagus. He was a middle aged man, lived on his own, wasn't interested in cooking or food, so had been living on smoothies in the hope that he was 'being healthy'. As a result, he had lost the muscle control to properly chew and swallow solid food because he did it so rarely. He had to re-learn the skill of eating solid food.

I know that sounds like I made it up, but honestly I didn't. (Although he did have other multiple health issues, so they probably contributed as well)

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

I read somewhere also that stuff in a Nutribullet is better than an ordinary blender. Have no idea if that's just marketing guff.

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

If blending vegetables removes the fibre, surely cooking them does too??

[ICJump]

I want soup, pea and ham, damn you 36 degree day!

But basically a smoothie is juice. Slightly chunky juice. Eat the apple and celery ect.

[RunnerOnTheRun]

Massive massive dose of energy there, EatenEaster. I do that occasionally especially on a workout day.

[RunnerOnTheRun]

Soup does NOT remove the fibre.

[margaritasbythesea]

Interesting thread. So are you better off, or as well off, using just two ingredients? I tend to get one of my leafy vegetables into my diet each day in a smoothie because I don't like them boiled and I do like them with pineapple. I put other things in, it seems misguidedly, for variety of vitamins. I'm quite happy to eat this other fruit whole. It sounds like putting more of the two things in would be better.

[chantico]

"Have no idea if that's just marketing guff."

I think it is. It's just a fast and currently fashionable blender.

Other posters have explained why the changes to the fibre mean that you shouldn't count smoothies as more than 2 a day.

OP mentioned the Panorama programme about soup. That is not relevant to maximum way of counting smoothies.

I suggest OP, that you eat some of the ingredients, and get the benefit of the fibre (aim for mix of soluble and non-soluble).

[MumOnTheRunCatchingUp]

It's protein you need after exercising..... Not a hit of sugar!

And why focus on '5 a day'? It's supposed to be more but the government see 5 as achieve able when 10 ( or is it 12?) is optimal

[RunnerOnTheRun]

It's protein you need after exercising..... Not a hit of sugar!

It's not a one size fits all, there are definitely times when you need quick release carbs. Protein is also essential and that is usually in the form of a top quality protein powder added to the shake in my case.

[MackerelOfFact]

I was always under the impression that it was juice that only counted as one portion, as it leaves behind the pulp and roughage. With a smoothie though, it's all included.

If the blending destroys the fibre, presumably chopping, grating, peeling, mashing etc has an effect too?

I've just had a banana, peanut butter, blueberry and spinach smoothie with almond milk, and have chicken and vegetable soup for lunch. I know that a smoothie is very sugary and calorific to have as a drink or a snack, but it's not a bad breakfast, surely?

[ovenchips]

OP You are asking about how many of your 'five a day' your smoothie counts as? I Would agree with you that it's four.

The NHS guidelines are 'doctored' (ho ho). They say juice only can ever be one portion to deter someone from drinking a litre of pasteurised or long life juice (quite a processed product with few micronutrients left in) and think they have had their five a day. They say potatoes don't count so again people don't have 5 portions of chips a day and think they have it covered.
What you have had - fresh raw fruit and veg does all count. If you cooked it and pureed it (essentially soup) it would also still count.

But the NHS guidelines are essentially targeted for people whose diet does not include that - people who would routinely have next to no fruit or veg (apart from potatoes).

Fresh juices/ smoothies that you make yourself do count. Have you looked at juicing / smoothie enthusiasts such as Jason Vale to see what they say?

[RunnerOnTheRun]

I just quickly googled and came across this article from the Nutrition Diva. Quite like it, I would tend to agree.

Does Blending Foods Make them Better or Worse For You?
I'm afraid there's no simple answer. Blending or juicing foods can make certain nutrients more absorbable. It may decrease the effectiveness of some fibers but increase the effectiveness of others. Honestly, I think this falls into the (rather large) category of things that probably aren't worth worrying about. If you enjoy smoothies or fresh juice, feel free to include them in the rotation. They can be a good source of nutrition. And for tips on how to get the most out of them, please see my previous episodes on How to Make the Perfect Smoothie and Juicing for Health and Nutrition

But I wouldn't suggest liquifying all of your fruits and vegetables. Eating solid foods provides other benefits, such as increased satiation and satiety and better blood sugar control. The debate over whole fruits vs. juice reminds me a bit of the debate over raw food diets. While raw foods have some nutritional advantages, cooking foods provides other benefits. For best results, include both in your diet!

[SevenSeconds]

Mackerel - yes, peeling and mashing etc does remove some of the goodness compared to raw veg.

[lougle]

Coming vegetables doesn't break up the fibre - if they're still whole, the body has to break them down before it can digest it to release the nutrients. Smoothies have broken the food down so all the body has to do is digest it.

[JasperDamerel]

I think I'm going to keep up my smoothie habit, too. They are my running late breakfast, and I'd rather have my glass of blended spinach, blueberries, oats, pear, seeds, milk and an egg than a bowl of cereal, slice of toast, or grabbing a piece of fruit from the bowl on my way out of the house. And I would only count that as two portions anyway, so I have no reason to quibble.

[feellikeahugefailure]

Thanks Oven and runer.

Some of the comments on here even Dr GmcK would blush at.

Juicing is very different to whole food smothies. All these destroying fibre / less fibre posts are ridiculous. The same about of fibre will be in whole fruit veg as in whole / veg fruit blended, many say the blended makes the fibre more absorb able. When you chew a grape you hardly break up the skin so it passes through, with a blended your going to digest more of the skin.

It may contain less nutrients if its blended, and left to sit. But if its drank straight away there will be hardly any difference IMO. All fruit veg starts to loose nutrients from the moment its picked anyway.


The NHS guidelines are 'doctored' (ho ho). They say juice only can ever be one portion to deter someone from drinking a litre of pasteurised or long life juice (quite a processed product with few micronutrients left in) and think they have had their five a day. They say potatoes don't count so again people don't have 5 portions of chips a day and think they have it covered.
What you have had - fresh raw fruit and veg does all count. If you cooked it and pureed it (essentially soup) it would also still count.

Yes exactly! The 5 day is a bit silly anyway, isn't it just 5 as the actual amount they came up with is 10 but they thought no one would follow that. I think its 7 or 10 in france.

[OurBlanche]

It's officially 13 in Canada, but Drs and nutritionists out there use our 5, as it is a more user friendly target.

The truth about smoothies is really complex, as runners post points out. My answer would be fine, go for it, but be aware of the sugar hit. Could you switch it around with a high protein meal and see if there are any changes in your physiological response?

[feellikeahugefailure]

Thanks OB, I totally agree with it being complex - I loved runners post.

TBH what works with my body after alot of exercise is to have a natural sugar hit, lots of fluids. Leave it half an hour to digest then have a meal with protein and fat. I might try adding oats / cococnut oil to see how my body takes to it. Anything else i should try?

[ovenchips]

Yes, my understanding is that the five in five-a-day is not the optimal number of fruit and veg at all. But it is the number that policymakers thought would be more motivating and achievable by the group they were targeting (people who eat next to no fruit and veg apart from potatoes).

[OurBlanche]

Probably not. I too eat a mini meal and then a more balanced one after a work out. When I was an instructor I would crave piping hot jacket potato with fridge cold sour cream, red pepper and spring onions. So I know that what you want can sometimes be quite odd

Try the oats, it might prove interesting. They should slow down intestinal transit... which would mean your later meal might be less needed, so you could concentrate on protein for repair.

But, I'd only suggest that because I dislike the usual amount of sugars in smoothies. If you are measuring that then, hey ho! My Fitness Pal is pretty accurate, if you are not currently measuring... thought their preset sugar levels etc are odd, you can reset them, if you are of a mind to.

[AnnaGrant]

I have a smoothie every morning, pretty much. I aim for porridge but my children always seem to eat it all 😕 Anyway, like you I try to mix veg into the mix, my usual breakfast smoothie is a banana, half an avocado, a large handful of spinach leaves, oats and coconut/almond milk. The sugars are released much faster than if I'd ate them but I run straight after school drop off so need a fast hit of energy. Plus, avocados disgust me and it's the only way I can stomach eating them 😂 I could it as two, even if I have more fruit or veg in. Then I try to eat the rest of my fruit and veg

[gatewalker]

Not all sugar is bad. We've jumped on the sugar bandwagon the same way our govt jumped on the fat one - only to have to backtrack now because butter and avocados are not the same as margarine, for example.

Fruit sugars are 'built' differently, and while it's not a great idea to eat too much of anything, they have been unfairly demonised.

[OurBlanche]

Oh! My objection isn't to the sugars in themselves, but the physiological needs post exercise.

Some people believe a sugary hit after a workout doesn't touch the sides (more weird diet 'truths' that won't go away), others get hooked on the extra buzz. OP seems aware that what her body needs is protein and some fats but likes to use a sugary hit to bridge the gap between end of exercise and her digestive system kicking back in again (it shuts down during exercise and can take about 30 minutes to start processing again).

I can't do that, I end up whizzing around as though I have taken speed

[snowymountaintops]

I need protein after I've run - big bowl of chilli or something.

I do like the odd smoothie though but tend to add lots of water so that it's not so gloopy.