Thursday, January 13, 2011

Question of the week: Healthy Fruit Smoothies

The following question was submitted by one of my readers, "I have type 2 diabetes. I am wondering if I could have fruit smoothies? If I can, which ingredients I should include and avoid?"

Smoothies can make an excellent breakfast or snack and they are a great way to incorporate more fruits into you daily diet. Here are some tips to keeping your fruit smoothies healthy:

*Use skim milk or non-fat yogurt when making your smoothies.

*Frozen fruit works great for fruit smoothies and keeps longer than fresh!

*Watch your portion sizes - although it may be healthy, fruit smoothies still contain calories and sugar (albeit natural).

*If you are looking for flavor enhancements consider a sprinkle of cinnamon or a drop a vanilla extract.

*Add a small amount of ground flax for added omegas.

*Adding ingredients like fruit juice, sugar, honey, or ice cream may add flavor but will turn a healthy smoothie into a dessert!

*If adding whey or soy protein powders - read the nutritional information to see how many added calories you are including.

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