Why YSK: many countries have issues with weight, such as mine with 74% of US adults being overweight or obese. The global weight loss industry is over $200 billion yearly, with many influencers, pills, and surgeries promising quick results with little effort. These often come with side effects, or don’t work long term.
Studies suggest filling yourself with foods low in caloric density and high in fiber, like fruits and vegetables, can help reach and maintain a healthy weight. It’s good to have these foods available in our living spaces to make the choice easy. Your taste buds will likely adapt to love them if you’re not there yet.
I have a lot of friends who have a fruit smoothie every morning and wonder why they aren’t losing weight. Bananas, apples, and grapes in particular are to be avoided. Most berries are okay.
The main problem with smoothies is that they make it easy to really overconsume fruit sugars. People generally put way more fruit into a smoothie than they would normally consume in a single sitting. Having some grapes with a salad or a banana with eggs and toast is fine. Dumping a banana, 1 cup berries, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/4 orange juice, and a teaspoon of honey in a blender then chugging it in the span of a couple minutes is problematic.
Are they also adding full fat yogurt, milk and peanut butter? Skipping protein powder?
A smoothie could easily hit 700+ calories if made mindlessly.