Did you know that no matter how much fruit or veg your smoothie contains; it still only counts as one portion of the recommended daily intake of 5-7 portions of fruit and veg?

Smoothies can be a good way to boost your intake of fruit and vegetables and meet the recommended 5-7 portions a day, but it is important to remember that they are not replacements for drinks or whole fruit and veg and only count as one portion of your 5-7/ day.

According to the guidance, even if you add lots of different fruit and vegetables to your smoothie or have a couple of smoothies/ juices in the same day, only one small 150ml glass will count as one of your 5-7 portions of fruit and veg a day.

When you blend fruit, the natural sugars are released from within the cell walls of the fruit and become “free sugars” – the kind we should be cutting down on to protect our teeth and maintain a healthy weight.

The problem with fruit smoothie type drinks is that people tend to think they can drink as many as they like, and this is when the ‘free sugars’ can become an issue.

As a population we all need to eat more fruit and vegetables, and smoothies can be one way of helping people to achieve that.

Limiting smoothies to one small 150ml glass a day will allow you to boost your vitamin and mineral intake while not consuming too much of the free sugars that come with it.

As always it is important to remember that increasing our intake of fruit and veg is not the only thing we need to think about when eating for heart health.

We need to consider our whole diet and dietary pattern to reduce our overall risk of heart disease and stroke.

There are many factors which cause heart disease and stroke and no single food or nutrient is solely responsible for this. What matters most is the bigger picture of how balanced our diets are overall and having a healthy relationship with food – not whether we include one specific food in our diet or not.

Top Tips on Blending Healthier Smoothies

• Add fibre – Start with your fruit such as berries, bananas etc and add veggies such as spinach or kale
• Add protein – As a healthier option why not try using ice and water along with dairy proteins such as low-fat Greek yogurt or semi-skimmed milk to liquidise smoothies instead of fruit nectars and ‘juice drinks’ (as these often contain added sugars, especially the more exotic fruit juices such as mango or lychee juice)
• Add in heart healthy fats – Nuts, seeds such as chia or flax, nut butters or avocado are some examples of heart healthy fats which can work well in smoothies. However, it is still important to watch the portion size added as they are quite high in calories
• Add grains – Oats are a great addition to your smoothie not only can they give your smoothie a bit more body, but they can also help boost your fibre intake as well.

Visit our Ways to Live Better page for more information and heart healthy recipes