smoothies vs fresh fruit

I have heard that eating fruit is so much better than drinking fruit juice. What about smoothies? I had an Odwalla bananna, strawberry smmothie that you get at Starbucks today. Its so much easier to drink this stuff than it is to buy fruit and eat it. Would appreciate any thoughts on this very much.

Thank you.

Mon. Nov 14, 11:51am

It's easier to drink extra calories than it is to eat extra calories. For example, most smoothies at Jamba Juice are about 500 calories. 1 apple or 1 banana however, are just 100 calories. You probably would not eat 5 apples or 5 bananas in 1 sitting, but you would consume all those calories with 1 smoothie. It just comes down to moderation and portion control. The think the Odwall bottled smoothies are small enough not to do that much damage. It's certainly better than eating a donut to fill you up!

Monday, November 14, 2005, 11:57 AM

Fruit is much better than a smoothie because your blood sugar levels stay at a more normal level than spiking up. Think of it this way. It takes a bit to eat an apple. With a smoothie, the sugar enters your blood stream at a much faster rate. Fruit is always the better choice. Plus, there isn't any hidden added sugar or frozen yoghurt or ice cream. Some of those jamba juice smoothies are total meals, but they don't fill you up like a normal meal and you end up eating more anyway.

Monday, November 14, 2005, 12:02 PM

I'll take a smoothie over plain fruit any day

The current eating philosophy for dealing with carbs is to combine it with protein so you don't get a sugar spike. Smoothies usually contain a dairy base of milk or yogurt (protein!), and you usually have the option of added protein powder. Also, since it's off-season (and therefore superexpensive) for berries, which are touted as the King of all fruits, it's probably a wash financially.

Monday, November 14, 2005, 12:07 PM

Make your own smoothies! Use a banana and some stawberries and add a little milk! Its wonderful and has no added sugar!

Tuesday, November 15, 2005, 5:28 PM

This is a great idea. I would do this every day but who wants to clean the blender? Of every dish I've had to do, I despise cleaning the blender the most and I've actually let it sit there while the fruit insists on sticking to the sides and it takes me like an hour to clean. Ok, I'm exaggerating but I think it's easier to just go to JAMBA.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005, 6:26 AM

To clean a blender... Right after you make the smoothie (not after you drink, but while everything is still liquid/soft) unscrew the bottom so water flows through, and hold by the handle under piping hot water from the faucet. Also rinse off the bottom this way. The water should get all of the visible mess off easily. Then, screw the bottom back on, and drip a little dish soap into the bottom. Then, fill with piping hot water and let it sit, all soapy, while you enjoy. Later, just dump out the soap and rinse.

I'm not sure if this is entirely sanitary, but it's as good as they do at the smoothie places in between smoothies anyway. Basically, to clean anything, though, if you get the gunk off when it's still gunk and not solid, it's never very hard...

Wednesday, November 16, 2005, 12:15 PM

stick blenders rule!

I make my own smoothies and use a stick blender. There's no carafe, you just put the fruit etc in a cup and blend until smooth. Stick blenders are usually $15 to $20 and they're easy to clean - run it under hot water to remove the gunk, then wipe off with a soapy sponge, rinse and put away.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005, 12:21 PM

Blender cleaning

What I do is fill (2/3 of the way) the blender with hot water and a drop of liquid soap. Put the top on it and place it back on the base and turn it on. Then I rinse it oou and use it again the next day. Every 5-7 days I'll take it completely apart for a thorough cleaning.

Link

Wednesday, November 16, 2005, 12:38 PM

I used to work at Jamba Juice and have cleaned many blenders. We used soap and water and a long handled bottle brush. Then we would rinse them and finally put them in a sanitizing solution.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005, 1:02 PM

This is great but I still don't want to clean the blender!!! They need one offs, like disposable blenders, good for one smoothie prep and then I can just throw it away.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005, 8:42 PM

Related Content: How To Lose Weight- The Basics Weight Watchers Points System The Fat Smash Diet The Eat To Live Diet The Beck Diet Solution How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight		How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer How To Burn Fat Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight? Tips On Using PEERtrainer Visit The PEERtrainer Community Diet and Fitness Resources
Fitness Weight Watchers Meetings Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are Writing Down Your Daily Workouts Spending Money On A Personal Trainer? How I Became A Marathon Runner		Preventive Health How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot? Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer? Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy Reversing Disease Through Nutrition
New Diet and Fitness Articles: Weight Watchers Points Plus How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program		Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne: Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough How To Delay Short Term Gratification How To Stay Motivated How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule
Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight? Are Protein Drinks Safe? Nutrition As Medicine?		Everyday Weight Loss Tips How To Eat Healthy At A Party How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight The Three Bite Rule Tips On How To Stop A Binge