Is one of the biggest health food misconceptions the obsession with smoothies and bowls of fruit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dad wears a continuous glucose monitor, so it's really enlightening as to what does and does not lead to glucose spikes.

Fruit is not an issue -- he does not have to limit fruit.

Fruit juice is an automatic spike -- he only has juice if his level is dangerously low.

Pizza always leads to a crazy spike. It's way worse that other bread products for some reason. (He can have a sandwich with no problem -- even pasta is not nearly as bad as pizza.) Really irritating because pizza is just such an easy dinner when everyone is tired.

There are lots of desserts that actually aren't much of a problem too. Small bowl of vanilla ice cream or a simple flavor is basically fine. Not the crap loaded with candy or fudge. Cakes that are more European in nature are also basically fine in moderation -- American birthday cakes with the crazy frosting are terrible though. (If you've ever made home-made buttercream, it's a really appalling amount of powdered sugar that goes into the frosting!)

Whisky is fine. Wine is basically okay in moderation. Pretty much any decent beer is really bad.

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How can wine be OK but beer is not? Alcohol is alcohol. Beer has carbohydrates, which can actually be a good thing. Beer was a staple food/drink for Americans in the days before clean water and sewerage were common.

[Anonymous]

The biggest misconception is that additives, preservatives, and too much fat, sugar and salt are OK.
We are dying from non-food additives in food and too much calories. These cause hormone disruption, cancer, diabetes and cardiac disease.

[Anonymous]

A smoothie isn't anything in and of itself. I mean, people are defending their Greek yogurt + berries smoothies versus Smoothie King extra-large sugar bombs and they are not, pardon the literal analogy, an apples to apples comparison. The problem is most people are dumb and think of smoothie as some kind of term of art when it can be any old thing that's blended together. And when someone is conflating their sugar bomb smoothie with someone else's balanced macronutrient smoothie (and don't get me started on what different people think constitutes a single serving), everyone starts yelling at each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I make a smoothie with a bunch of spinach, a banana, and a bunch of frozen mango. And water. I feel like it’s pretty healthy.

Quick google search:
Banana = 14 grams sugar
Mango (1) = 24 grams sugar

Snickers bar = 20 grams of sugar

thats not a healthy smoothie!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
No you don't understand. Pigging out on sugary fruit, juice and smoothies is healthy because it's better than candy, Häagen-Dazs and Burger King. Plus it looks so pretty! How can it be unhealthy if it gets a lot of likes by idiots on my social media.

Wow. How warped a relationship do you have to have with food to use this phrase?

[Anonymous]

Any non-diabetic who is remotely concerned about the naturally occurring sugar found in fruit is an ignorant nutjob. Fruit is good for you, people.

[Anonymous]

Not dried fruit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any non-diabetic who is remotely concerned about the naturally occurring sugar found in fruit is an ignorant nutjob. Fruit is good for you, people.

Expand to no pre-diabetic, no glucose intolerant, no metabolic syndrome, not overweight... So, very small population Oh, and you know what they say - there are no healthy people, only those who yet to be diagnosed.

moderation is a key as with everything. Smoothies the way most people do them are far away from moderate fresh fruit consumption

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any non-diabetic who is remotely concerned about the naturally occurring sugar found in fruit is an ignorant nutjob. Fruit is good for you, people.

As a diabetic I can tell you that many “health foods” including smoothies are really not different than a large spoonful of sugar straight from the sugar bowl. Sugar is sugar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any non-diabetic who is remotely concerned about the naturally occurring sugar found in fruit is an ignorant nutjob. Fruit is good for you, people.

As a diabetic I can tell you that many “health foods” including smoothies are really not different than a large spoonful of sugar straight from the sugar bowl. Sugar is sugar.

???

But fine people. You all win. Fruit is the devil and Americans are unhealthy and overweight and stupid because we have all been blending too many bananas and mangoes. I am converted, hallelujah!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is she putting that much sugar in a smoothie? It should be mostly protein.

It's not added sugar, it's the fruit itself. When you blend it you're mainlining all that sugar into your bloodstream. And really, those pretty bowls overflowing with 5 servings of high-sugar fruit aren't much better.

Your body needs sugar, better from fruit than candy

Our bodies need glucose but absolutely don't need sugar in the form of fructose or sucrose, i.e. sugars from fruit and candy. Fruit obv has lots of vitamins which are beneficial, but concentrated fruit juice is high in fructose, which is metabolized by your liver like alcohol. You don't need fructose just like you don't need alcohol, but fruit is beneficial in appropriate amounts, i.e. eating whole fruit and not drinking a liter of fruit juice a day.

And blending fruit is not the same as Juice.

Blended fruit has less fiber than whole fruit. A blender does what your body does to fruit - breaks down the fibers that hold the fruit together. When you let the blender do the work, your body has less work to do, and you digest the fruit faster. I recommend adding protein and fat to a smoothie to help your body digest more slowly and prevent a blood sugar spike.

[Anonymous]

A general rule of thumb is that anything that really makes you go "Mmmmmm..." should be eaten in limited quantities. I think fruit is healthy for people who can eat in moderation. Last night I had a package of grapes, 3 apples, an orange, a banana, 2 figs, 4 Medjool dates, and a dozen prunes. I was happy but I know that much sugar, in any form, is unhealthy.

[Anonymous]

It really depends on whether you are having Smoothies as a treat, as a lifestyle, or as a weight loss program. They are not a good weight loss program for many of the reasons cited here (don't stay in your stomach that long and don't fill you up). As a treat, I don't rule anything out. As a lifestyle, I think this would be hard on your pancreas.

[Anonymous]

Can someone rate my smoothie:

Almond milk
Protein powder
TONS of spinach
Almond butter
Small amt of flax seed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone rate my smoothie:

Almond milk
Protein powder
TONS of spinach
Almond butter
Small amt of flax seed

yuk