Fruit smoothies

[Anonymous]

I have often quickly made a fruit smoothie in the morning.

Fat free Greek yogurt, frozen fruit, and coconut milk.

I plugged it into myfitnesspal today and realize that it has 50+ g of sugar.

Is there any difference from sugar from fruit vs sugar itself. For example is this smoothie any better than eating two donuts for breakfast?

I have a terrible sweet tooth and am trying to cut back on refined sugar and eat healthier. I am not sure though if I am just replacing sugar in form A with sugar in form B and not really being any healthier

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's better than eating two donuts. Whole fruit has fiber (which changes sugar absorption, as does the fat and protein in the yogurt) and nutrients. Donuts are just sugar bombs.

[Anonymous]

I love fruit and I love donuts but like my children, I don't love them equally. Donuts are my fave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have often quickly made a fruit smoothie in the morning.

Fat free Greek yogurt, frozen fruit, and coconut milk.

I plugged it into myfitnesspal today and realize that it has 50+ g of sugar.

Is there any difference from sugar from fruit vs sugar itself. For example is this smoothie any better than eating two donuts for breakfast?

I have a terrible sweet tooth and am trying to cut back on refined sugar and eat healthier. I am not sure though if I am just replacing sugar in form A with sugar in form B and not really being any healthier

How much protein and how much fat? 50 grams is quite a few calories for only carbs in a meal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have often quickly made a fruit smoothie in the morning.

Fat free Greek yogurt, frozen fruit, and coconut milk.

I plugged it into myfitnesspal today and realize that it has 50+ g of sugar.

Is there any difference from sugar from fruit vs sugar itself. For example is this smoothie any better than eating two donuts for breakfast?

I have a terrible sweet tooth and am trying to cut back on refined sugar and eat healthier. I am not sure though if I am just replacing sugar in form A with sugar in form B and not really being any healthier

How much protein and how much fat? 50 grams is quite a few calories for only carbs in a meal.

It's not only carbs--Greek yogurt is high in protein (but usually higher in sugar, as well). And you'd be better off with some fat in the yogurt.

[Anonymous]

Cut down on the fruit (I limit mine to one cup of frozen mango, half a banana, and some berries) and throw in leafy greens plus some more healthy fat like ground flax, flax oil, avocado, cashews, or nut butter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love fruit and I love donuts but like my children, I don't love them equally. Donuts are my fave.

I think I love you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have often quickly made a fruit smoothie in the morning.

Fat free Greek yogurt, frozen fruit, and coconut milk.

I plugged it into myfitnesspal today and realize that it has 50+ g of sugar.

Is there any difference from sugar from fruit vs sugar itself. For example is this smoothie any better than eating two donuts for breakfast?

I have a terrible sweet tooth and am trying to cut back on refined sugar and eat healthier. I am not sure though if I am just replacing sugar in form A with sugar in form B and not really being any healthier

Don't bother with these silly apps. Just use common sense. Is your Greek yogurt sugar free? You can switch out coconut milk (those really should just belong in curries) for almond milk. I use Silk. Donuts are a horrible American breakfast staple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have often quickly made a fruit smoothie in the morning.

Fat free Greek yogurt, frozen fruit, and coconut milk.

I plugged it into myfitnesspal today and realize that it has 50+ g of sugar.

Is there any difference from sugar from fruit vs sugar itself. For example is this smoothie any better than eating two donuts for breakfast?

I have a terrible sweet tooth and am trying to cut back on refined sugar and eat healthier. I am not sure though if I am just replacing sugar in form A with sugar in form B and not really being any healthier

How much protein and how much fat? 50 grams is quite a few calories for only carbs in a meal.

The one from yesterday was greek yogurt, pineapple, banana and mango - along with coconut milk.
According to myfitness pal it had 489 calories, 90 g of carbs, 5g fat, 28g protein, 68g of sugar.

All I had for lunch was two hard boiled eggs so in some ways my smoothie was breakfast and part of lunch. I had chili for dinner.

[Anonymous]

I used to make a smoothie every day that was a major sugar bomb like this. Instead of yogurt, I now use whey for protein and I try to limit fruit to no more than 1/4 a cup. I use water or unsweetened almond milk for liquid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to make a smoothie every day that was a major sugar bomb like this. Instead of yogurt, I now use whey for protein and I try to limit fruit to no more than 1/4 a cup. I use water or unsweetened almond milk for liquid.

+1 to 1/4 cup max of fruit. This is what nutritionist Kelly LeVeque recommends in her book.

[Anonymous]

Yes, there is a difference between fructose and sucrose.

Berries are lower in carbs than, say, banana, and some Greek yogurts are really sugary.

Read your labels.

[Anonymous]

Just use water instead of coconut milk.

[Anonymous]

use full fat yogurt and eliminate the coconut milk.

[Anonymous]

I can tell you the guidance Weight Watchers gives me, which makes a lot of sense.

On WW, all fruits are "free" -- don't have to count them and they are unlimited. They don't affect weight loss.

BUT

You can't drink your fruit. You have to count smoothies. They have tons of points. The fruit smoothie you make in the morning would probably take up almost a full days points. Why? Because when you blend up fruit like that and drink it instead of eating it and getting the fiber and going through the act of eating and filling your belly with the fruit and digesting and satiating, you are giving yourself a huge blood sugar high with really no long term nutritional and satiety payoff for your body. Very little bang for your buck. In other words, eat two bananas -- stay full for the morning. That's why they are free. Blend two bananas into a smoothie? Stay full for 20 minutes. Pay the points.