Q: If I mix fruits and vegetables in a smoothie, do they lose nutrients or fiber?
A freshly blended smoothie ticks all the boxes: it’s quick to make, easy to consume, and a versatile base for whatever fruits and vegetables you have on hand.
And if mixing your produce can help you eat more of it, that’s a good thing, said Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University. According to surveys carried out between 2017 and 201886 percent of adults in the United States do not consume the recommended 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables each day.
But are nutrients lost when fruits and vegetables are cut into pieces by the blade of a blender? We asked experts to help us break it down so you can get the most out of your smoothie.
How mixing affects nutrients.
Unlike juices, blending can incorporate all edible parts of fruits and vegetables – including the skin, seeds and pulp – so a smoothie can be very similar nutritionally to eating the whole produce, a said Mary Ann Lila, professor of food, bioprocessing and nutritional sciences at North Carolina State University.
And the mixture shouldn’t break down any vitamins or minerals found in fruits and vegetables, Dr. Lila said. It also won’t immediately harm certain antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. compoundslike anthocyanins and flavonols, she said.
Fruits and vegetables are also good sources of fiber, which Most of us could benefit from increased consumption of. And whether you ate a whole apple or in a smoothie, “you consumed exactly the same amount of fiber,” said Balazs Bajka, a gut physiologist at King’s College London.
However, mixing breaks the fiber into smaller pieces, which will affect how it moves through your digestive system, he said. Some types of fiber, when cut into pieces, can disperse more quickly through your gut and slow down digestion and absorption – which is generally a good thing – while others can lose some of the fiber. “roughage” effect that keeps things moving in your digestive tract and prevents constipation. .
But there isn’t much research on this topic, Dr. Bajka said, and the specific effects may depend on the person and the fruit or vegetable. Regardless, “eating any type of fiber is good,” he said.
How mixed fruits affect blood sugar.
Processing foods often disrupts their natural structure, which can lead to faster digestion and absorption. So it’s reasonable to wonder whether pureeing fruit might cause a greater rise in blood sugar, said Anthony Fardet, a nutrition scientist at the National Research Institute of Agriculture, Food and Agriculture. environment in France.
But in a few small studies that measured adults’ blood sugar levels after eating mixed or whole fruits, researchers found reassuring results. The style of preparing the mango, for example, seemed makes no difference in the glycemic response. And when researchers tested smoothies containing pome fruits like passion fruit, raspberries or kiwis, participants had more progressive get onto blood sugar than when they ate the same whole fruits.
This result surprised Gail Rees, a lecturer in human nutrition at the University of Plymouth in Britain, who led two of the studies. She hypothesized that crushing the fruit’s seeds in the blender might release fiber, protein, and fat, which could slow nutrient absorption and cause a more gradual rise in blood sugar.
That said, liquid meals are generally less filling than those composed of solid foods, Dr. Fardet said — it’s not clear why, but it may lead to a desire to consume moreor it might leave you hungry for an earlier snack.
Tips for the most nutritious smoothies.
Beyond the fruits and vegetables you use in your smoothies, other ingredients also affect their nutritional value, Dr. Petersen said. Water is a good liquid base if you want a light snack. For a more balanced and filling smoothie, low or fat-free dairy milk or unsweetened yogurt, kefir or fortified plant-based milks can provide protein, calcium and vitamin D, she added.
“Put some nuts in it,” or avocado, Dr. Lila suggested. Both provide healthy fats and fiber, as do chia Or linen seeds; whole grains like Millet Or oatmeal are also good sources of fiber.
Smoothies also provide a great opportunity to use frozen products, usually as nutrient like when it’s fresh, said Dr. Lila. She recommended storing frozen fruits and vegetables in the bottom of your freezer to minimize the slight thawing and refreezing that can lead to nutrient losses when you open your freezer door.
Finally, keep in mind that once fruits are mixed, their healthy compounds become progressively less stable, Dr. Lila explained. Yesterday’s smoothie that separated and turned a little gray probably lost some of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory value, she said. For the same reason, prepackaged smoothies may not be as beneficial, she added, and they often contain added sugars.
In other words, Dr. Lila said, enjoy your smoothie, but make it fresh and drink it right away.
