Smoothie bowls are not healthy. Smoothie bowls are incredibly low in protein and fat and high in sugar, calories, and carbohydrates. Adding sweet toppings only increases the amount of sugar and calories. Despite consuming a meal’s worth of calories, the end result is frequently an unbalanced meal that makes you hungry. Indulging in excessive amounts of smoothie bowls may not be the best thing for you, too.
And any really good juice bar is sure to have smoothie bowls on the menu, for just these reasons. We are going to get into the nitty-gritty of what makes smoothies bowls so good for you.
Wider Variety of Ingredients
Since a smoothie bowl combines blended and unblended ingredients, you can add even more variety, like oats or granola. Let’s face it, some ingredients just don’t blend well. Simply check the granola’s sugar content before choosing it.
Due to its numerous health advantages, acai has also emerged as one of the most popular bases for smoothie bowls. However, because acai primarily grows in tropical climates, it must typically be frozen or already pureed before being shipped to other areas. Because of this, smoothie bowls use it frequently.
Higher Fiber Content
Although the fiber in smoothies is undoubtedly more intact than in other foods, even blending breaks down a significant amount of the fiber in fruits and vegetables. This makes it simpler to digest, which may be a good thing. However, it’s also crucial to keep the digestive juices active and at work in order to maintain the balance in the gut.
By adding whole fruits or vegetables as toppings, smoothie bowls can help to increase the fiber content of your morning meal. You’ll feel fuller and more satisfied for a longer period of time throughout the day by making the digestive system work a little bit harder!
Chia seeds, nut butter, fresh fruit, an acai bowl, banana slices, other seeds, coconut milk, raspberries, mango, strawberries, mixed berries, yogurt, dried fruit, and other fruit are all ingredients in our smoothie bowl recipe.
Excess Sugar and Other Troubling Nutrition Facts
You’ll find that many smoothie bowls are very high in calories and sugar. For reference, the Açaí Primo Bowl at Jamba Juice has nearly 500 calories and nearly 70 grams (yes, 70!) of sugar, while the According to HuffPost, the Hella Good Greens Bowl from Juice Generation has 490 calories and 46 grams of sugar.
Let’s now focus on the toppings. Only 1/4 cup of granola has 140 calories and 4 grams of sugar, according to Verywell Fit. If you enjoy adding chopped fruit to your bowl, be aware that just one banana adds an additional 110 calories and 15 grams of sugar (source: Harvard School of Public Health). Since they make up a sizable portion of the daily caloric allowance for the majority of people, all of these calories predispose you to weight gain.
Concerningly, many smoothie bowls contain a lot of sugar. Men should aim for no more than 36 grams of sugar per day, while women should aim for no more than 25 grams. This is according to the American Heart Association. According to WebMD, exceeding this limit can result in type 2 diabetes and other health problems. Furthermore, a 2014 JAMA Internal Medicine study revealed that added sugar, such as that present in processed smoothie bowl toppings like granola, can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
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A Way to Make Smoothie Bowls Better for You
But if you do enjoy smoothie and açai bowl convenience and, let’s face it, social media prowess, you can manipulate the system.
All of the nutritionists HuffPost consulted expressed caution about ingredients that naturally contain a lot of sugars as well as added sugars. Bellatti advised using unsweetened plant milks as a base for smoothies rather than sugary fruit juice. “I recommend healthful, sugar-free toppings like unsweetened shredded coconut, cacao nibs, hemp seeds and chia seeds, as opposed to sugary granolas, honey or dried fruit with added sugar,” he advised.
Keep away from fat-free yogurt if you want to add a creamy component. You’re better off sticking with full-fat, unsweetened yogurt because fat makes food more satiating.
Unflavored protein powder or protein pea milk, which has more protein than typical nondairy milks, can be used to boost the protein, according to Cording.
“I also encourage people to add vegetables in smoothies,” she said. “A 2-to-1 ratio of fruits to vegetables is a good target.” Riced cauliflower also adds that creamy, thick texture as well as vital fiber and nutrients, without what Cording calls “that funky cauliflower taste.”
“It sounds weird, but it’s really great,” she added.
Additionally, you may liberally sprinkle in some hemp and chia seeds. Those really are a nutritional powerhouse, according to Bellatti. “Hemp seeds and chia seeds are two foods I recommend that people integrate into their diets, ideally on a daily basis,” he explained. “Both provide omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy. Additionally a great source of protein, magnesium, and potassium are hemp seeds. Chia seeds can be added to anything because they are versatile and packed with calcium and fiber.”
However, moderation is essential with all the ingredients in a smoothie bowl. Cording advised limiting the total amount of toppings to one tablespoon. That translates to about a teaspoon’s worth of various treats or a full tablespoon of just one. Consider it as a garnish as opposed to a main ingredient.
The bottom line is that while smoothie and açai bowls may look stunning on Instagram or at your local juice shop, they don’t necessarily deserve the health halo that many influencers have bestowed upon them. Grab one if you want an indulgent dessert or an occasional treat, but don’t use it as your only means of achieving better health.
Smoothie Bowl Mistakes to Avoid
Adding Too Much Fruit
On the whole, fruit is good for you.
However, when it comes to smoothies, people may end up consuming a lot more fruit than they normally would.
This entails a larger intake of carbohydrates, which may have an impact on your blood sugar levels.
“Consuming too many carbohydrates at one time, such as a smoothie with a large content of fruit, may raise blood sugar levels,” says Erin Palinski-Wade is a R.D., CDE.
“Consuming too much of any food, fruit included, can lead to an excess in overall calorie intake and promote weight gain,” she adds. “Although the fruit looks smaller after being blended down, you are still eating the entire serving.”
Ignoring Portion Sizes
When you add ingredients to the blender, they might fill it to the top, but once they’ve been blended, they might only fill it halfway.
So why not include even more fruit, yogurt, and other items?
The volume of all those lovely ingredients is reduced during the blending process, but that doesn’t mean you’re eating less.
The key to a balanced meal is correct portion sizes, so adding in a bunch more stuff can throw that balance off.
Think about it: A smoothie bowl containing a medium-sized banana, one cup each of strawberries and blueberries, 1.7 ounces of oats, and 200 ml of 2-percent milk contains about 460 calories and 1.4 ounces of sugar.
Your smoothie has nearly 900 calories now after you’ve added a half-avocado, a tablespoon of peanut butter, and a handful of chia seeds.
That could be almost half of your recommended intake of calories for the day, depending on your age and gender.
Your smoothie bowl’s overall composition can be significantly changed by a few ostensibly insignificant additions.
The good news here?
When you add vegetables to a smoothie bowl, you can consume several servings of vegetables quite conveniently.
“If you want to increase your intake of greens like spinach, smoothies, and smoothie bowls can be a brilliant way to simply increase your intake of these foods that you normally may not eat enough of,” Wesszer says.
Not Putting Skin in the Game
People skip the skin of fruits and vegetables for a variety reasons: They don’t like the taste and/or texture or they’re worried about consuming pesticides.
However, save the skin whenever you can!
It can be a source of even more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and compounds like resveratrol (the pigment that gives grapes their red color) that have antioxidant properties.
“If you remove the skin of the fruit or vegetable before blending it, you will be losing some nutrients and fiber,” says Palinski-Wade.
“The fruit and vegetables still have a good source of fiber even after the skin has been removed, though. That said, I would still recommend blending certain fruits and vegetables with the skin on in a high-powered blender for the most nutrient-dense smoothie,” she explains.
“When you blend fruit, you increase the surface area of the food, which allows digestion to occur more easily and may allow the natural sugars to be absorbed at a faster rate,” she adds.
There’s also evidence that liquified food doesn’t satisfy hunger as well as solid food.
But don’t throw your blender out the window just yet.
“How quickly the carbohydrates and sugars are digested and the overall effect on blood sugar levels are ultimately determined by the smoothie’s fiber, protein, and fat content.”
However, eating liquids has its own advantages as well.
An analysis shows that some nutrients may be more easily absorbed by the body when consumed in liquid format.
Chugging (or Spooning) Your Bowl Down
“Often people don’t feel as full when they drink their calories versus chewing and eating them, so you may find that smoothies don’t fill you up as much and that you need to eat more,” Rumsey says.
Take it slow because a bowl doesn’t contain a lot to chew on.
“While it can be simple to down a smoothie quickly, try to give it at least 20 to 30 minutes. This will give your stomach time to signal to your brain that it is full,” suggests Rumsey.
In fact, research suggests chewing may decrease hunger and food intake.
Adding some crunch with healthy toppings (in moderation) can also help you slow down and savor your bowl.
Adding Too Many High-calorie Toppings
Speaking of toppings, the typical smoothie bowl is topped with additional fruit, nut butters, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, etc. — all of which can add up to be more caloric than the smoothie part of the bowl!
Even though toppings can increase the nutritional value, it’s important to moderate your use.
Slow Down and Enjoy
The claim that smoothies are too simple to consume quickly and result in significant blood sugar spikes is one of the most common criticisms of them. The intense energy surges and drops brought on by this blood sugar spike may make it difficult to function throughout the day. Smoothie newcomers frequently say they don’t feel overly satisfied after eating one.
This is because chewing is associated with satiety in human psychology, so when you only drink something to replace a meal, even though you may be getting a lot of calories and protein, your body may not necessarily recognize it as food.
A smoothie bowl typically requires a spoon to eat because of its thicker base and unblended toppings. In addition to making you consume it more slowly, this will help you feel fuller and happier because of the crunchy toppings.
