Snack Bars and Smoothies

When it comes to your waistline, some food items can be your best friend or your worst enemy depending on how they’re prepared or how they’re consumed. Yesterday we explored the pros and cons of bagels and sports drinks and today we continue the Two-Faced Foods series as we explore the pros and cons of snack bars and smoothies.

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 1 CLICK HERE

Granola / Granola Bars / Cereal bars: Granola and most snack bars fall under the category of foods that can be good for you depending on the brand and how they are prepared. In this case, you’re best line of attack is to be vigilant about reading labels. Some granolas and granola bars are extremely high in fat and/or sugar. Other varieties are made with lots of whole grains, little or no fat, and are sweetened with natural sweeteners like honey, fruit, and fruit juices. Look for varieties of bars or servings of granola that ring in under 200 calories, with at least 4 grams of fiber, less than 4 grams of fat, and under 10 grams of sugar. If there is protein in your granola or snack bar, even better! Combining protein and fiber in a snack will keep your blood sugar labels stable and keep you satisfied between meals better than either one of the nutrients alone.

Smoothies: Smoothies can be light and refreshing or heavy and calorie-laden depending on what’s in them. Obviously fruit-based smoothies are going to be lighter than, say, choco-peanut butter varieties, but it goes further than that; even fruit smoothies become major splurges when they are sweetened with sugar syrup and thickened with whole-fat yogurt or ice cream instead of ice. Just for example, the “original” size “Peanut Butter Moo’d” smoothie at Jamba Juice has 840 calories, 21 grams of fat, and 122 grams of sugar! You might think you’re being smart if you order their “Orange Dream Machine” instead because this smoothie boasts ingredients like soymilk, orange juice, and frozen yogurt, but beware: the “original” size version of the “Orange Dream Machine” is still waaay-up there with 490 calories and 101 grams of sugar! The scary thing about drinking your calories is that our bodies have a hard time interpreting liquid calories. If you were to sit down and eat something with 490 calories (say, a bagel and cream cheese), your body would be able to recognize when you are getting full and send you signals to stop eating. With liquid calories, you’ve consumed the whole lot before you’re tummy even knows it!

If you want a smoothie that truly is light and healthy you can make it yourself, so you control what goes in it, or look for better options at smoothie bars (i.e. Jamba Juice has a “Jamba Light” section of their menu with lower calorie options). A waist-friendly smoothie will be sweetened just with fruit or a little natural sweetener; berries are incredibly sweet but contain few calories and a lot of fiber. A light smoothie will get its body and creaminess from ice and maybe one of the following: a banana, some plain, fat-free yogurt, light soymilk, unsweetened almond milk, skim milk, or even a sprinkle of oats blended in. Finally, be careful of serving sizes. You can fit a lot of food into a cup when you blend it. Make sure your not drinking more ingredients in each smoothie than you would be willing sit down and chew!

Make sure you check back tomorrow for Two-Faced Foods: Part 3!

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 1 CLICK HERE

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 3 CLICK HERE

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 4 CLICK HERE

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 5 CLICK HERE