To really not get the whole fruit/smoothie thing?

[FedupofbeingtoldIcantusemyname]

I always feel like I'm missing something in these conversations.

Obviously eating too much whole fruit or smoothies is not good as both contain lots of sugar.

However I really can't understand those people that assert that smoothies are soooo much worse for you than regular whole fruit.

Surely if you eat, say 1 apple (50 calories?), 1 banana (100 calories) and drink a 250ml glass of milk (100 calories) it is calorifically identical to drinking a smoothie made with 1 apple, 1 banana and 250ml milk. Isn't it?

I am assuming, in this example, that the smoothie is home made in a blendy thing (like I have) that just chops everything up to liquid rather than a juicer.

Aibu?? Why are they supposedly so bad for you? Surely the fibre etc in the fruit in the smoothie doesn't leak out or evaporate if you make it and drink it straight away? Am I completely wrong?

Smoothies are an accessible way to consume more fruit and veg, and many people will get better nutrition from them by including them in their diet compared to not having that fruit and veg at all. If I make one in my blender, it's thicker than a commercial one in a carton that will actually go through a straw, so presumably my homemade one will retain a better proportion of the fibre, but still not be equal to the ingredients in their raw state.

Some people will find them useful to enhance their intake of calories and nutrients. Some people will over estimate the benefits and underestimate things like the calories which could be the difference in situtations like a calorie controlled diet.

The cap on 1 out of 5 a day is a simple but crude way to deliver a message that they are not the ideal way to meet all their fruit/ veg needs.

The amount of benefit they will bring will depend on your nutrional needs and context.