New survey finds ‘healthy’ smoothies are just as bad as a Big Mac

Lara Bingle with a Boost Juice, a company which has been flagged in a new health survey for its not-so-healthy smoothies.

Rebecca Sullivan news.com.au

 

HEALTH experts are warning Australians to be wary of store-bought smoothies, after a survey of 40 cold drinks found some contained more kilojoules than a Big Mac and more sugar than a bottle of soft drink. 

A survey from government-funded health program LiveLighter found smoothies and frappés from Boost Juice, Gloria Jeans and McDonald’s were some of the worst offenders.

To put the following numbers in context, the recommended daily kilojoule intake for adults is 8700kj and the World Health Organisation recommends we consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day.
Boost Juice’s ‘Brekkie to Go-Go Super smoothie’ contains 2560kj, 500kj more than a Big Mac (2060kj) and 18 teaspoons of sugar.

The ‘Protein Supreme’ smoothie from Boost’s Black Label range, which is marketed as “premium smoothies with an abundance of nutrition”, contains 2360kj and 12 teaspoons of sugar. The Gloria Jeans ‘Mango Fruzie’, marketed as ‘98 per cent fat free’, contains 31 teaspoons of sugar and 2150kj.

McDonald’s Large Bananaberry Bash smoothie is labelled ‘99 per cent fat free’, but contains 17 teaspoons of sugar.

“Food outlets use phrases like 97% ‘fat free’ or ‘dairy free’ to make their smoothies and frappés sound healthy, but with up to 31 teaspoons of sugar and as many kilojoules as a Big Mac, these drinks can actually do more harm than good,” LiveLighter’s Alison Ginn said in a statement.

“Like with soft drinks and other sugary drinks, regular consumption of frappés and smoothies can contribute to weight gain and a build up of toxic fat around your organs, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.”

To limit the damage caused by these drinks, Ms Ginn recommends choosing the smallest size drink available, asking for skim milk or sharing with a friend.

Following the release of the survey results, Gloria Jeans says it will no longer market its Fruzie range as 98 per cent fat free.

“In order to better represent the drinks to consumers in line with feedback from the community, we have removed this reference,” said Gloria Jeans in a statement to news.com.au.

“In line with our commitment to be open and transparent with our guests, Gloria Jean’s Coffees now displays the kilojoule content for each product on all menus across the country.”

A McDonald’s spokeswoman said kilojoule information is also displayed on its menu boards to help customers make “informed decisions” about what they order.

Boost Juice said some of its smoothies are designed to replace meals. “Unlike a fizzy drink which offers empty calories, these products contain important things like healthy fats, protein,
vitamins, fibre and minerals, which the LiveLighter research ignores,” it said in a statement.

“For example our Protein Supreme contains coconut water, banana, honey, coconut milk,
chia seeds, dates, muesli, cinnamon and whey protein powder. The sugar in the product is
mostly naturally occurring, from fructose and lactose.”

Nutritionist Dr Joanna McMillan says consumers shouldn’t be sucked in by terms used to market smoothies.
“Just because something says it’s gluten-free or dairy-free or fat free or natural, doesn’t make it healthy.

People get confused by those terms and some of the kilojoules in these things are off the charts,” she told news.com.au.

Dr McMillan says the healthiest smoothies are those made at home with mostly vegetables and a small amount of fruit to sweeten.

“If you’re going to buy a smoothie, look for the kilojoule count, look at the ingredients and don’t be bamboozled by trendy ingredients like coconut oil or coconut milk. They just add kilojoules,” she said.

Read more:

What happens to your body after eating a Big Mac
Recipes for healthy, supercharged smoothies
15 healthy summer meal options

news.com.au 14 Jan 2016

Another corporate whore selling her ass, to promote a product that is apparently unhealthier than McDonald's plastic food.

It's bad enough that McDonald's products (would never call it 'food') are laced with carcinogens, but to find other companies are producing products that are unhealthier is ... well .... refreshing.