2. Smoothies
When smoothie shops popped up all around the country a dozen or so years ago, we thought we’d discovered a delicious, nutritious treat to be enjoyed without guilt. All that fruit has to be a good thing, right? Well, yes, but the other stuff added to smoothies kick the calorie count out of the nutritional ballpark.
Peanut butter can be a healthy addition – in strict moderation. A heaping spoonful can add 200 calories and 16 grams of fat. Many smoothies are made with fruit juice, adding approximately 24 grams of sugar per cup, and some also contain high-fructose corn syrup. Solution: choose low-fat milk or water as your smoothie liquid, and if the fruit you use doesn’t add enough sweetness, try a natural sweetener like stevia.
Other common smoothie add-ins include ice cream or sherbet that can contain up to 100 grams of sugar per 20-ounce smoothie. Solution: use regular yogurt and ice instead.
