Let's Talk Sugar

Yes, fruits and vegetables contain sugars too, but they are processed differently by your body, thanks to the fiber and other nutrients that help minimize the sugars’ impact on your blood sugar.  

If you are concerned about keeping your sugar balanced when making a smoothie, consider these four tips.

1. Choose low-glycemic fruits such as berries, apples, pears, avocado, lemon, or lime. 

2. Limit high-glycemic fruits to 1 serving, such as banana, dried fruit, mango, and pineapple. 

3. Be mindful of the liquids you choose for your smoothie. Look for 100-percent coconut water without added sugar or unsweetened non-dairy milks and liquids. 

4. When adding in a higher glycemic fruit, be mindful of how much and what it’s paired with.

For example: instead of pairing a banana with another high-fructose fruit like pineapple or mango, choose one or two of those fruits, or change the proportions, and add a vegetable, along with protein and fat to balance the sugar content.

To put this suggestion into action it might look like:

• 1 cup coconut water or unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1 cup pineapple
• 1 cucumber
• 1 handful of spinach
• ½ avocado

Yes, smoothies can be "high in sugar" when you add a ton of high-sugar fruits or ingredients with added sugars like certain protein powders or milks. Finding the right balance of ingredients, adding vegetables and healthy fats, such as avocado or nut butter, can help balance the sugar content of a smoothie.