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They are filled with added sugars and will not help you reach you diet goals if it is not taken in proper proportions.

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Dear Lifehacker,
I love smoothies and figure they're pretty healthy. After all, they're mostly fruit, sometimes even with some leafy greens and protein. But I have friends who won't touch the stuff, saying smoothies have so much sugar they're basically candy. What's the deal? Aren't smoothies healthy?

Sincerely,
Fruit Fan

Dear Fruit Fan,
Smoothies have an overblown reputation as a "healthy" food, but they aren't all bad either. There are ways to improve their nutritional value while cutting some of the sugar, especially if you make them yourself. But for most standard-issue smoothies, I tend to side with your friends: sugar content is often at "no better than a Coke" levels.

That's no exaggeration. A 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola has 39 grams of sugar, which is on par with Starbucks' new, kale-optional 16-ounce smoothie offerings: 32 grams in the sweet greens flavor, 42 grams in mango carrot. (I'm using Starbucks as my smoothie example because they seem to be a fair example of store-bought smoothies. I'm sure smoothie fans will share their favorite brands in the comments.)

Homemade smoothies don't necessarily fare better: the recipes in Prevention's slideshow of " 20 Super-Healthy Smoothies" average 28 grams of sugar per serving, and the number would probably be higher if their serving sizes were more realistic.

There are, of course, worse things you can drink. A Coke doesn't have any meaningful amount of vitamins or fiber, and neither do Starbucks' flavored lattes, which have the same amount of sugar as their smoothie counterparts ( 35 grams in a 16-ounce serving). Smoothies sometimes have a decent amount of protein, which can be another point in their favor. This varies widely, though. If you're hoping for protein, don't guess; check the nutrition information for your favorite brand and flavor. (If you're making your own, of course, check the label rather than assuming one scoop is the perfect amount; some powders have more protein than others.)

Ultimately the decision on whether something is "healthy" comes down to whether it helps you meet the goals you've set for yourself. If you're avoiding sugar (which I would argue helps with many goals, including weight loss and staving off diabetes), you're probably best steering clear of store-bought smoothies, and being more conscious of what you're putting in the ones you make at home.

How to Make Healthier Smoothies

Before we start talking smoothie recipes, a little reality check is in order: If you want fruit in your diet, it's okay to just eat the fruit. You can chow down on a whole pint of strawberries to the tune of 92 calories and 14 grams of sugar, versus 300 calories and 38 grams in a strawberry smoothie- and the whole fruit has more fiber. Those numbers should also let you in on a little secret: it's not the fruit that makes smoothies so energy-dense, but more often the juices and sweetened ingredients like yogurt.

But if you love smoothies, if you're using them as a post-workout protein delivery system, or if you have a hard time getting any fruit or vegetables in your diet without them, there's good news: with some smart substitutions, you can make smoothies healthier while keeping them just as delicious (or even more so). Here are some strategies:

Don't use juice as the liquid. It seems like a logical way to make your smoothie fruitier, but juice has a ton of sugar and isn't really necessary for a tasty smoothie. Let fruit provide the fruitiness, and consider other liquids: non-dairy milks (like almond milk) are low calorie, dairy milk contributes more calories but includes a good amount of protein and optionally fat, and there's always plain water as an option.

Use unsweetened ingredients, and sweeten to taste. You might be surprised how little you need-for my smoothies, usually a teaspoon of honey (5 grams of sugar) is enough for a whole blender full of unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened whey powder, and fruit.

Don't feel like you need to fill the blender to the top. For those post-workout shakes especially, just make enough smoothie to do the job. A scoop or two of unflavored whey powder, a ripe banana, and a little bit of milk or water is delicious (especially with a dash of cardamom) and minimalist.

Include fats and protein. These slow down your absorption of sugar, or in technical terms, they lower your glycemic response. A scoop of protein powder is a natural choice here, and making the smoothie with milk as the liquid helps to up the protein content. You can also add a dollop of peanut butter or almond butter, or even avocado if you're into that sort of thing. Fiber plays a similar role (and most of us don't get enough of it), so you could use oats or chia seeds or even a powdered fiber supplement. A bonus from any of these: the smoothie will keep you full a lot longer, making it more like a meal than a drink.

In the end, whether you should drink a smoothie depends on what kind of smoothie you've chosen and whether it helps you meet your goals -not what the dude at the gym or the lady next to you at Starbucks happens to think.

Sincerely,
Lifehacker
Images by Rin Ohara and Tambako the Jaguar. is a new blog from Lifehacker all about health and fitness. Follow us on Twitter here.

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Dear Lifehacker, I love smoothies and figure they're pretty healthy. After all, they're mostly fruit, sometimes even with some leafy greens and protein. But I have friends who won't touch the stuff, saying smoothies have so much sugar they're basically candy. What's the deal? Aren't smoothies healthy?

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There are no specific criteria to define natural products.

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With a new administration taking office in 2017 and potentially a lot of very big changes for farmers and consumers just around the corner, we've rounded up a list of what we think will be some of the top food and agriculture issues for the coming year. We've also added some ideas for how you can help keep the momentum going to support the good food movement in 2017. From action on GMO labeling, to plastic bag bans to a potential shift away from policies to support local and sustainable agriculture, 2017 is shaping up to be an important year in our fight for a more sustainable food system.

1. Food Waste on the Rise

Food waste was one of the most pressing topics of 2016, and it will only continue to gain attention as we transition into 2017. The issue is two-pronged: in the United States, 40 percent of food is wasted, while one in eight people are suffer from hunger. These statistics are a symptom of an inefficient and misdirected food system. What's more, addressing the problem requires action across the entire supply chain: consumer education and advocacy to tackle food waste at home; pushing for improved approaches at the commercial level that keep food waste at the forefront; untangling the politics surrounding expiration date labeling; and re-directing excess food to where it's needed most.

The good thing about food waste? There are endless things that we as consumers can do to make a positive impact - starting in our very own kitchens! We have the agency to keep food waste in mind when shopping, prepping, cooking and saving, and collectively we can make a big difference. (In fact, here are five easy ways to reduce food waste!) If you're looking for more resources, there are countless organizations and campaigns out there to turn to for support.

2. Corporate Control and Consolidation

With the announcement that Bayer was buying Monsanto, the problem of consolidation in our food system reared its ugly head again. With the Bayer-Monsanto deal, just three companies will control 59 percent of the world's seeds and 64 percent of the world's pesticides. But this level of food system consolidation has been happening for a long time. In the US, just four companies now control 85 percent of the beef market and just four companies control 65 percent of the chicken market. Animal slaughtering and processing facilities are similarly concentrated. As we explained earlier in the year, this level of consolidation is bad for our food system (and for us!) for a lot of different reasons, from lack of competition, to food safety issues, to the loss of important localized food infrastructure.

So what can you do about it? The simple answer is to seek out local food from local purveyors, when you can. Support local farmers raising their food sustainably, seek out local farmers' markets and ask questions (we promise you - the farmers won't mind!). Try growing some of your own food if you have the time (and space), using seeds from some of the many fantastic heirloom seed companies cropping up all over the country.

3. President Elect Promises to Return to Conventional Agriculture

After the presidential election, a "talking points" document created for President Elect Trump's agriculture advisory committee obtained by journalists at Politico vowed to "defend American agriculture against its critics, particularly those who have never grown or produced anything beyond a backyard tomato plant" and return to conventional, as opposed to organic, farming methods. The memo also includes promises for the new administration to be a "active participant" in writing the next Farm Bill, fight the "good food movement" and undo Obama-era agricultural and environmental policies.

In addition, the incoming administration has added Brian Klippenstein, executive director of Protect the Harvest -a group that defends CAFOs, puppy mills and is a fierce critic of animal rights groups like the Humane Society - to the team handling transition at the USDA. Both of these moves signal a significant departure from the Obama administration's commitment to supporting sustainable, local agriculture through initiatives like Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food.

With the loss of support and commitment from the USDA on the horizon, small scale, local, organic and sustainable farmers are really going to need your help. This year, do what you can to help these important businesses and the environment with your dollars by shopping at your local farmers market or signing up for a CSA membership.

4. America Is Losing its Small Farms

The 2016 election turned the nation's attention on the support Trump found among rural voters. Some of this support came from unrest over the decline of rural economies linked to the loss of small family farms. When digging into the USDA's data, we find the number of economically viable farms has dropped as land ownership has consolidated. In 1950, the average farm size was 212 acres. In 2010, the average size of farms selling more than $10,000 per year was 1,232 acres. This trend is tied to a farm policy typified by the words of Nixon's bigoted Ag Secretary, Earl Butz, when he told farmers to "get big or get out." In 2017, we'll need to support small farmers in their fight for policies that allow them to access and retain farm land and strengthen rural economies.

Not only is farm policy complex, but the lobbyists and officials who influence it do not often have small farms and sustainable food in mind. You can do your part: learn where your representatives stand on food and agriculture policy based on their record on Food Policy Action's recent scorecard and support organizations that help farmers like Farm Aid and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

5. GMO Labelling (Kinda) Coming to a Store Near You

The controversy over whether and how to label food made with genetically-modified ingredients reached a fever pitch in 2016. Just a month after Vermont's first-in-the-nation GMO labeling law went into effect, the President signed a bill that superseded it, referred to by labeling proponents as the Dark Act. The good: within two years all food products sold in the US will need to indicate whether they're made with GMO ingredients. The bad: those labels can come in the form of awkward QR codes, phone numbers or website URLs. That puts the burden on the consumer, requiring them to have a smart phone or computer handy while they work their way through supermarket aisles.

While the federally-required labels may be of questionable value, there are other existing GMO labels you can look for if you want more certainty...and simplicity. Keep an eye out for the Non-GMO Project label, and remember that if a product is labeled USDA Organic, it can't have any genetically modified ingredients.

6. Should Hydroponics Be Organic?

When the national organic standards were established in 1990, National Organics Standards Board[NOSB] members envisioned a future full of enriched soil supplying the country's agricultural needs. Fast forward to 2016 and new methods of farming that don't involve soil - methods such as hydroponic farming where produce is grown in water - are challenging the notion of what it means to be certified organic. NOSB members are in the process of evaluatingwhether or not to let soilless farmers into the organics club. Proponents say "they make smart use of resources and thus have less negative impact on the natural environment." Soil-based farmers are pushing back, saying, produce from these systems "is generally grown under artificial lighting, indoors, and on an industrial scale."

Ultimately, you vote with your dollars. Whether you're after personal health or a healthy environment, hydroponic and organic foods are just two menu choices to consider in your quest for a sustainable future.

7. States Take on Plastic Bag Problem

The ubiquitous and nearly indestructible plastic bag is a target of anti-pollution efforts. The states of California and Hawaii have bans on the product, while many cities and counties have either bans or fees in place in an attempt to curtail their use. Several states have pending legislation regarding bag regulations that may indicate that 2017 will continue the momentum in expanding regulations in how goods are packaged at the point of sale. Municipalities may also look at rules regarding the treatment of bags; however, that will not be occurring in Arizona, Idaho and Missouri where the state preempts municipalities from taking action on plastic bags and other "auxiliary containers."

Fortunately, you do not have to wait on regulations when deciding on how you are going to get your grocery items home from the store. You can stop pollution at the source because there are many options for reusable bags, totes and "auxiliary containers" that you can take to the store and reuse again and again.

8. New Water Bill Buoys Agriculture

It was the driest of times, it was the wettest times, and the bipartisan bill called the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) will significantly affect US infrastructure and policy, agriculture especially. Approved in mid-December, WIIN totals $9 billion and has lots of pros ( Flint gets $170 million) but some cons. Take California and Florida. WIIN allows drought-ravaged farmers to divert more irrigation water their way from the Bay Delta during floods. This is good for some farmers, but not for the Delta region where farmers, ecosystems and fisherieswill lose water on which they all depend. Likewise, Florida gets a $2 billion boost to help agriculture clean up water that causes toxic algae and restores the Everglades. At the same time, a directive stops negotiations between Florida, Georgia and Alabama as they worked towards a compromise over disputed river water that isn't flowing to Florida and is destroying its oyster industry.

Most of the water in the United States goes towards agriculture, and food comprises the vast majority (at least two-thirds!) of your personal water footprint. If you're eager to find out your water footprint and learn ways to reduce it, take the Water Footprint Calculator at WaterCalculator.org.

9. Consumers Push Companies Towards Better Animal Welfare

In 2016, farm animal welfare continued to grow in importance with an increasing number of mainstream consumers taking interest and action when it comes to the conditions in which farm animals are raised. A new national survey released over the summer by the ASPCA revealed that more than three in four Americans are concerned about farm animal welfare. And in November, an overwhelming number of Massachusetts residents voted yes on a groundbreaking ballot measure that bans specific types of farm animal containment. Sure, Massachusetts is one of the country's bluest states, but protecting animals from harm is an issue of concern that crosses party lines - which provides some hope at a time when our country seems more divided than ever. Agribusiness leaders across the board have taken notice and are implementing improvements to animal welfare in their supply chains. We wholeheartedly expect concern and action regarding animal welfare to continue in 2017.

While shopping, look for welfare certification labels, like Animal Welfare Approved (AWA), that are aligned with your animal welfare values. AWA demonstrates the highest standards of animal welfare. You can also ask your farmer, rancher and butcher about their meat and the conditions under which the animals were raised.

10. Trying To Figure Out: What Exactly Does "Natural" Mean?

When you're grocery shopping and you see something marked "natural," what comes to mind? Does it mean fresh, whole ingredients to you? Maybe it evokes and image of a sunny farm with green pastures and rich, dark soil? Does it actually mean anything? The truth is, there is no legal definition of "natural" where food is concerned. A number of consumer groups are asking why the label is even allowed on our food given the confusion it causes consumers. This past year, the FDA asked the public to weigh in on how to define the term and whether it should (or shouldn't) be used on food labels. The agency ended up receiving 7,600 comments, all of which you can read if you're so inclined.

The next time you're shopping and you reach for an item marked "natural," you'll know that the label guarantees little to nothing about how that food was grown or raised. Instead, check out tools like the Environmental Working Group's Food Scores database to get honest information on everything from nutrition to sustainability.

Looking Forward predictions contributed by: James Rose, Gabrielle Blavatsky, Robin Madel, Peter Hanlon, Kyle Rabin, James Saracini, Kate Johnson and Kai Olson-Sawyer.

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Top 10 Issues of 2017 for Food and Farming

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With a new administration taking office in 2017 and potentially a lot of very big changes for farmers and consumers just around the corner, we've rounded up a list of what we think will be some of the top food and agriculture issues of for the coming year - plus some ideas for how you can help support the good food movement in 2017.

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Blended smoothies does not give you all the fibers that you need

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Smoothies aren't as nutritious as you think   Business Insider

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Healthy drinks you may find in your local gym may not be so good for you

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The serving size we use for smoothies are often very wrong. So, if your planning to be healthier be conscious about the serving sizes.

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I feel we've reached peak smoothie. You can't even look at Instagram now without seeing a healthyite with a home-made superfood concoction in one hand, yoga mat or boxing gloves in the other.

At increasing numbers of exercise classes, there's now the option of a post-workout shake to greet you at the end of your sweat-sesh, and at every hip health food café worth its nutritional credentials, the superfood smoothie now has a menu and zone of its own (at Deliciously Ella 's new Mae café in London, the smoothie-making area is the same size as the rest of the food counter).

The trend has leapt on to our kitchen work surfaces too - the NutriBullet has replaced the Nespresso machine as the must-have kitchen gadget (one was bought every 30 seconds on Black Friday before Christmas).

Meanwhile, the Vitamix Professional, the £650 Rolls-Royce of the blender world, has become the ultimate wellbeing status symbol with its ability to blend anything to a smooth consistency (they say it can even blend an avocado stone).

Smoothies, the health brigade proclaim, are a way to cram loads of healthy ingredients into one hit. Avocados, nut butter, dates, health powders - it's all natural. So it's got to be good for us, right?

Well, no, not exactly. One friend of mine complained recently that she bought a smoothie maker and had gained a stone in weight since.

Another told me a tale about a 'Snickers' smoothie she had after a tough workout that contained huge dollops of almond butter, bananas, honey and cacao nibs.

'It was so good,' she said, 'it tasted like Ben & Jerry's - and it was all natural.' But we agreed that it had almost certainly wiped out her hour's workout in one sticky gulp.

Overloading our bodies with so-called natural foods is something that nutritional therapist and Stella columnist Amelia Freer has been concerned about for a while. 'People are loading up their smoothies with up to five portions of fruit. While it's great to get nourishing foods into our bodies, we aren't thinking this through,' she says.

Freer isn't a fan of counting calories, but is a big fan of being sensible around food. 'Basically we are overeating, and even though the ingredients are natural, they can still be incredibly fattening if eaten in large quantities,' she says.

The type of ingredients that Freer is talking about are bananas, high-sugar fruits, nut butter, dates, maple syrup, coconut butter and avocados, all of which, while from natural sources, won't help us fit into our Frame jeans if eaten in excess.

And don't get her started on the latest Instagram trend for smoothie bowls - a move on from the traditional smoothie in a glass, these are gloriously coloured bowls of liquidised fruit decorated with yet more fruit, nuts and the latest superfood sprinkles. 'They look really pretty,' Freer says, 'but people are overdoing it.'

We all know the importance of fruit in our diets, but a lot of it can equal a lot of fructose, which is, essentially, still sugar.

So is drinking a smoothie better for you than a juice? Some experts argue that it is since the fibre content (the roughage and skin that are filtered from juices), will slow down the absorption time, which in turn reduces blood-sugar spikes and keeps you fuller for longer. A shot of fructose-laden juice without this fibre can cause blood sugar levels to rise dramatically, which in turn can lead to fat storage.

According to James Collins, a leading nutritionist at the Centre for Health and Human Performance on Harley Street, there is also evidence to show that when directly compared against each other, fructose is marginally worse for you than glucose with respect to fat gain (although he stresses that both are sugar and not good for us when eaten to excess).

One of Collins's aims is to help people get back to eating real food rather than falling for the latest diet fads. He feels that many people are focusing on health trends and in the process forget the basics of how to eat healthily.

'The problem with so-called superfoods is that people think the more you have, the better they are for you. This isn't true. In fact, throwing a high proportion of health foods into your diet can stop you achieving the body you want. It's always much better to eat real, whole food, as you will get better feelings of satiety.'

He does feel that smoothies can have a place in our diets, but they need to serve a purpose - it's no good having them on top of all your other daily food. Ideally, they need to replace breakfast or be used to refuel post-workout. 'Otherwise, you are adding extra calories that could get stored as fat,' he says.

The post-workout smoothie has become a fitness phenomenon of late, first made cool by Barry's Bootcamp, the ultimate high-intensity workout chain. Barry's has always offered clients a shake from its Fuel Bar at the end of a class - and with names like Miami Mango Madness and the Rockie Mountain Mudslide Protein Shake, they have reached cult status and inspired other fitness brands to follow suit.

However, not everyone is getting the carb-to-protein ratio right. So what should an ideal post-workout smoothie look like? For Collins, it's some protein, such as Greek yogurt or protein powder, carbohydrate in the form of berries and some almond milk or water. A breakfast smoothie to keep you powering through until lunch might contain rolled oats, a handful of berries (never more than a handful, says Collins), half a banana or mango and some almond milk.

Gabriela Peacock, a former model and nutritional therapist at The Grace private health club in Belgravia, agrees that a smoothie should replace your breakfast, not be eaten in addition to it. Her breakfast smoothie consists of a handful of berries, half an avocado, coconut or almond milk, a few nuts, and a small pot of yogurt or protein powder.

'The protein will keep your energy levels higher for longer and will slow down the release of the carbs [ie the fruit],' she says. She sometimes throws in a handful of spinach which she says can be great for sneaking in vegetables for kids.

What other rules should we adhere to if want to fit into our Kiini swimwear this summer? Watch your portions, for starters. Amelia Freer uses one fruit to 4-5 portions of vegetables, otherwise it equates to too much sugar. On the same note, she advises only using half a banana or half an avocado.

As for sweeteners such as honey or agave syrup, they should be avoided: Freer uses cinnamon instead, which has many health benefits and is thought to actually lower blood sugar levels.

Gabriela Peacock recommends laying out everything you're about to whizz up first, rather than chucking it in the blender straight from the fridge. 'This way you'll see that it's a whole meal,' she says.

After all, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
Susannah Taylor is editor-in-chief of getthegloss.com
How to ace your shake

Do

Use a maximum of one teaspoon of nut butter: a tablespoon can add up to 100 extra calories.

Throw in one fruit at most. Fruit is very good for us but it contains a lot of natural sugar.

Swap honey or agave syrup for a sprinkling of cinnamon. Agave syrup has a high fructose content despite being low on the glycemic index, while cinnamon is said to actually lower blood-sugar levels.

Add in protein powder or yogurt, but not both. 'Protein is important,' says Amelia Freer. 'But you don't need to add lots of different types.'

Don't

Add more than a handful of berries. Any more than that and you might be overdoing the sugar content.

Use just any old protein powder - choose a good-quality one for maximum benefits. Try neat-nutrition.com or bodyism.com.

Don't use smoothies as a snack. 'Always ask yourself the function of your smoothie,' says nutritionist James Collins. If it's just because you fancy one, then think again.

Don't use fruit juice as a mixer. Try coconut water, nut milk or plain old water instead. Fruit juice is very high in sugar and should be banned from smoothies.

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I feel we've reached peak smoothie. You can't even look at Instagram now without seeing a healthyite with a home-made superfood concoction in one hand, yoga mat or boxing gloves in the other.

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STORE BOUGHT SMOOTHIES ALMOST AS UNHEALTHY AS SOFT DRINKS

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STORE BOUGHT SMOOTHIES ALMOST AS UNHEALTHY AS SOFT DRINKS

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With the added sugars they are high in calories making no difference.

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Zijn smoothies even ongezond als frisdrank? | gezondheid.be

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Smoothies zijn gepureerde fruit- of groentedrankjes. Veel mensen beschouwen ze als een gezond tussendoortje, een gezond alternatief voor frisdrank of zelfs als een volwaardig ontbijt.

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A lot of businesses promote a healthy drink but they contain a lot of calories and added sugars.

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A bottle of Naked Juice might seem pretty healthy - they're brightly colored and printed with fruits and veggies - but yesterday PepsiCo was sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) for misleading consumers with claims that the drinks are healthier than they actually are, according to Business Insider.

The CPSI argues that Naked Juices uses deceptive terms and taglines like "only the best ingredients" or "the goodness inside" to market the juices and smoothies, when really they're just made from cheap, nutrient-poor fruit juices. Oh, goodness.

Naked Juices also rattle off the impressive list of different fruits and vegetables that are jam-packed into the drinks on the side of the bottle. For example, Naked claims that a 15.2 ounce bottle of the Pomegranate Berry Pure Fruit drink has 1½ pomegranates, 23 blueberries, ½ apple, 34 red grapes and 34 white grapes inside.

They also label that the juices have "No Sugars Added," which could very well be true, but even without added sugars, all that fruit adds up to about 61 grams of sugar, which is 20 more grams of sugar than a 12 oz. can of regular Pepsi soda. The first ingredient on the alleged "Pure Fruit" drink is also, "pomegranate juice from concentrate," not even real pomegranates - womp, womp.

"Unfortunately, these products not only lack substantial nutritional value, but the marketing tactics mask what the product actually is - a sugary beverage, similar in nutritional composition to soda," says Jackie London, MS, RD, Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

London also says the bigger issue is that the FDA needs to reexamine its definition of the claim, "No Sugar Added" on food labels. "About 67% of Americans are overweight or obese, so convincing consumers that it's safe and healthy to eat non-nutritive sources of concentrated, naturally-occurring sugar, and added sugars in the form of 'fruit juice puree' or 'fruit puree' it simply irresponsible," she says.

PepsiCo told us in an email that the CSPI's lawsuit is "baseless," and ultimately stood by their ingredients and marketing strategies. "All products in the Naked portfolio proudly use fruits and/or vegetables with no sugar added, and all Non-GMO claims on label are verified by an independent third party," they said in an e-mail. "Any sugar present in Naked Juice products comes from the fruits and/or vegetables contained within and the sugar content is clearly reflected on label for all consumers to see."

Ultimately, the CPSI would like PepsiCo to pay back customers who have purchased Naked Juice beverages, as well as adjust its marketing to be more transparent.

Naked Juice drinks are most definitely a no-no, but London points out that even when you drink a fresh-squeezed fruit or vegetable juice, you usually drink way over the recommended ½ cup or four ounce serving size. "Plus, the concentrated sugar in juice is still higher in calories and lower in nutritional value than eating a whole fruit," she says. "You're much better off eating whole produce, which is chock-full of filling fiber and a slew of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are crucial to maintaining and promoting health." Sorry, folks, that's just the naked truth.

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naked juice healthy. naked juice not healthy

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Sorry, But Naked Juices Aren't as Healthy as You Think

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A bottle of Naked Juice might seem pretty healthy - they're brightly colored and printed with fruits and veggies - but yesterday PepsiCo was sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) for misleading consumers with claims that the drinks are healthier than they actually are, according to Business Insider.

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Because of the arbitrary terms of natural products and GMO, a lot of things can be seen as healthy.

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Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., with more than 900 stores worldwide and growing at a rate of 100 new stores per year according to a press release, announced its Cleaner Blending initiative last week. The company, which boasts "Smoothies With A Purpose," will remove added sugar from more than 50 smoothies and will eliminate artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial preservatives, and added hormones from all smoothie ingredients and introduce non-GMO fruits and veggies. The updates will roll out over the next year and a half. But while removal of added sugar is a good thing-both Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association advise a strict limit-ditching some of the other items doesn't serve a worthy purpose.

Take the company's commitment to removing artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. Despite rampant misconceptions, whether a substance is synthetic or naturally derived has no bearing on its healthfulness, toxicity, or anything else. As I described in an August column , all substances, natural included, can be harmful in certain situations, at high enough doses or certain modes of action.

When asked which artificial substances Smoothie King will eliminate, the company was not prepared to provide a definitive answer. "We've outlined our commitment to removing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives by the end of 2018 and as a part of that we are analyzing all of our ingredients to identify those artificial elements," said a representative via email.

I spoke with several RDs about the initiative, and some of them explained that, nutrition-wise, getting rid of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives doesn't matter. In addition, "let's not forget food waste is a huge problem. Without it, we could feed another 1.3 billion immediately," says Milton Stokes, RD and Director, Global Health & Nutrition Outreach at Monsanto. "Preserving and preservatives prevent food waste. I don't like when food brands malign tools that are fine to use."

Nearly every RD I consulted immediately pointed out that smoothies tend to be high in calories, with or without added sugar. " I checked out some of their different offerings and even the 'Slim blends' are pretty calorically intense," says Leah McGrath, RDN, a Corporate Dietitian at Ingles Supermarkets in several states in the Southeastern U.S., via email. "For example the 20 ounce (the smallest size) 'Greek Yogurt Strawberry Blueberry' has 310 calories and despite their claim of 'no added sugars' has 58 grams of sugar." McGrath adds that, as a dietitian, she encourages people to eat their calories instead of drinking them. "Have an 8 ounce glass of milk or a Greek yogurt and a piece of fruit or a serving of vegetables and you'll be more satisfied, get fewer calories, the same or similar fiber and feel more satisfied ... and probably spend less money."

Some of the large smoothies on the menu clock in over 1000 calories, and that count will likely remain high even with removal of added sugar. " My concern with smoothies is that I've seen it slow weight loss efforts," explains Amber Pankonin, RD, Licensed Medical Nutrition Therapist and President of the Nebraska Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "People think they can use it as a meal or snack but then don't find it as satisfying."

Getting rid of GMO fruits and veggies, of course, is meaningless at best and misleading at worst. First, as I've explained and and ( ) again, whether an ingredient is derived from a genetically engineered crop has no bearing on its nutritional profile, safety, environmental impact, whether the crop is under patent, or which company sells it. The GMO acronym, which stands for "Genetically Modified Organism," is largely arbitrary, since practically everything we eat, including organic and heirloom varieties, has been altered genetically in wholly unnatural ways. Plants bred with mutagenic radiation or chemicals, for example, are very much genetically modified but are considered "non-GMO" because they weren't created with modern molecular genetic engineering techniques. The only fruit or veggie on the Smoothie King ingredient list that could possibly be considered "GMO" is its papaya juice blend. Given that genetic engineering saved the Hawaiian papaya industry after a virus nearly wiped it out, it makes little sense for a smoothie company to reject the fruit. "We are working on gathering all of the documentation to make the claim that our fruits and veggies are free from GMOs," Smoothie King explained.

The same goes for eliminating "added hormones"-it's appealing from a marketing standpoint but doesn't change anything with regard to nutrition. "What hormones were they adding before?", asked Stokes incredulously. The answer is none. "[F]or no added hormone dairy, we will be using milk products sourced from cows that have not received growth hormones," Smoothie King explained. Used to supplement natural levels of somatotropin, a protein hormone found in all mammals, rbST extends cows' lactation period, as explained in the International Food Information Council Food Insight blog . Milk from cows treated and not treated with rbST, and even organic milk, are similar in composition. According to the FDA, there is no way to differentiate between them. It's also important to note that plant based milks, like soy and almond milk, contain naturally-occurring hormones, as do fruits and vegetables.

In addition to removing added sugars, the other redeeming part of the Cleaner Blending initiative is ditching styrofoam cups. Ultimately, taste will most likely determine the success of the Smoothie King initiative. "[I]f it doesn't taste good, consumers will not eat it," says Pankonin. "I think removing added sugars is a great initiative but I wonder how their customers will respond?"
Kavin Senapathy is a communicator and mom of two based in Madison, Wisconsin. Follow her onFacebookandTwitter.

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Smoothie King Blends A Little Substance With Lots Of Hype In New Marketing Initiative

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Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., with more than 900 stores worldwide and growing at a rate of 100 new stores per year according to a press release, announced its Cleaner Blending initiative last week.

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De gezondste bar van Groningen! Food & Juice vrij van suiker en E-nummers!

" The healthiest bar of Groningen! Food & Juice are free from sugars and E-numbers!"

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Bij Feel Good houden we van puur en écht eten, uit de natuur. Dus geen chemische toevoegingen in de vorm van E-nummers en geraffineerde suiker. Eten en drinken waar je lijf blij van wordt! Kom...

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NEW MARKETING STRATEGIES TO SELL SMOOTHIES/ HEALTHY JUICES

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NEW MARKETING STRATEGIES TO SELL SMOOTHIES/ HEALTHY JUICES

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Businesses are developing new ideas in order to keep transparency and a good reputation.

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Campus Dining Services (CDS) was recently named the Tech Accelerator of the Year by the editors of Restaurant Business magazine for its outstanding use of technology innovation in the food service industry.
Among other innovative tech elements, the Village Center Dining and Community Commons features windows of electrochromic glass that automatically tint in proportion to the intensity of the sun and a bicycle that allows diners to burn calories while blending their own smoothies.
The Village Center Dining and Community Commons, which opened in Williams Village in January 2017, took top honors in the nontraditional category. The building, which was a collaborative effort between Campus Dining Services and Housing Facilities Services, was intentionally designed with features that incorporated sustainability, functionality and technology.

The electrochromic glass in the west and southern-facing windows are just one of the several innovative tech elements that helped the Village Center stand out. These walls of glass automatically tint in proportion to the intensity of the sun-allowing for year-round, world-class views of the Flatiron mountains while reducing the need for indoor lighting and window coverings.

The other significant innovative building feature is the biodigester. This technology breaks down dining food waste into "gray water" that can be safely re-added to the waste-water supply. This helps reclaim the water inherent to food waste (approximately 70 percent of food waste is water) and reduces the need to sort and transport food waste for composting.

"We were surprised and honored to win innovator of the year," said Paul Houle, director of Campus Dining Services.

"This award was a true collaboration between our dining and housing facilities staffs, and it's just amazing to be selected among other dining organizations, restaurants and food industry businesses across the United States. It was satisfying and humbling to be recognized as the best."

Housing & Dining Services continues to work toward bringing innovation and technology into its facilities by working collaboratively and embracing new and exciting ideas.

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CU Boulder gets top honor for food service technology

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Campus Dining Services (CDS) was recently named the Tech Accelerator of the Year by the editors of Restaurant Business magazine for its outstanding use of technology innovation in the food service industry.

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"The Smooth Brothers will take you back to the days where food was real & fresh, service was personal and most importantly; it fueled our mind and body with the proper vitamins and nutrients. We're here to take you back in time, with class. We're here to show you the Smooth side of life!"

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The Smooth Brothers. 1.7K likes. Fresh Smoothies & Juices - OPEN - Zwanestraat 31, Groningen

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Annika Hoogeveen Photography added a new photo - with The Smooth Brothers at The Smooth Brothers.

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Blend your smoothie by pedalling. Businesses are promoting a healthier lifestyle.

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Pedal-powered smoothies were on the menu at the Healthy Kids Community Challenge Youth Forum held at the WFCU centre Friday.

What do you get when you mount a blender on a bicycle?

Pedal-powered smoothies were on the menu at the Healthy Kids Community Challenge Youth Forum held at the WFCU centre Friday.

Jennipher Gee, a health promoter with the Windsor-Essex Community Health Centre gave students the chance to try out a "blender bike." The contraption marries physical activity and healthy eating.

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Pedal-powered smoothies on menu at youth forum

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Pedal-powered smoothies were on the menu at the Healthy Kids Community Challenge Youth Forum held at the WFCU centre Friday. What do you get when you mount a blender on a bicycle? Pedal-powered smoothies were on the menu at the Healthy Kids Community Challenge Youth Forum held at the WFCU centre Friday.

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Groningen has a business where they deliver a right proportion of smoothies at your door.

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Ben jij een health addict en gek op smoothies, maar vind je het ook zo'n gedoe om eerst langs de groenteboer te gaan, vervolgens alles te wassen, te schillen, in stukjes te snijden en dan ook nog eens met je vieze handen de blender aan te zetten?