Health has been on a rising trend within the contemporary market. Taking advantage of this atmosphere, many businesses have attempted to expand their net revenue and gain a foothold within the industry. One of the most prominent franchises in this market has been Booster Juice. They claim to have all their ingredients made of pure juice, with no added preservatives or sugar in their frozen fruits and yogurt. Not to mention, Canada’s food guide recommends the average adult to consume between seven and ten servings of fruits and vegetables per day. As such, almost all of Booster Juice smoothies contain at least four servings of fruit to fulfill more than half of the given benchmark. This is a major feature of their products used for branding their healthy image. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has recommended that most of these servings be derived from whole fruits and vegetables rather than juice.
Unfortunately, such a high serving of fruit can also be a double-edged sword. While they refrain from adding any sugar, the fruits still contain naturally occurring sugars. According to the American Heart Association, although the daily consumption of sugar depends on the individual’s personal metabolism, the recommended limit for daily sugar intake is 25g for women and 37g for men. Booster Juice smoothies contain an ungodly profusion of sugar. The mean amount of sugar in their bestselling regular sized “Classic Smoothies” is approximately 64 grams. Clearly, Booster Juice smoothies are a bane to the human heart and nearly dismantle the stability of blood glucose levels. All this leads to further repercussions on health including a higher risk of diabetes, obesity, immune system conflicts and oral health deterioration. Another point to be noted is that, contrary to the rest of their ingredients, they do not exempt their sorbets from added sugar.
Another major sin of Booster Juice is their gargantuan calorie punch in each smoothie. On average, the daily calorie intake is recommended to be around 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men. Most 710mL smoothies from Booster Juice are between 300 and 400 calories, with the average mean being 342 for their bestselling Classics. However, the overall range falls between 262 and 512 calories. This is a relatively acceptable range and admittedly isn’t empty in terms of providing the appropriate nutrition.
Due to the number of calories, customers should treat each smoothie as more of a meal rather than a snack. However, liquid smoothies don’t fill you up in a similar manner as solid food and fruits can. It empties from the stomach faster, leaving the individual hungry a lot sooner. Hence, it is recommended that smoothies in the morning be coupled with snacks, to compensate for the lack of satiety. Especially, for the individuals wishing to lose weight, it is specifically recommended that whole fruits and whole vegetables are preferred over their juiced counterparts. Feeling less sated can lead individuals to consuming more calories throughout the day than they would if the food was consumed solid rather than liquid juice. Not to mention, it can cause sharp rise and falls in blood glucose levels, which can be quite unhealthy for the body.
Individuals should also watch out for the minor health transgressions in Booster Juice smoothies, including the products with caffeine, allergenic ingredients such as nuts, and any smoothies with an incompatible amount of sugar for diabetes.
Otherwise, the smoothies do deliver an abundance of actual health necessities including calcium, protein, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and minerals. Some of them can also provide specific benefits such as Goji which is an antioxidant powerhouse and Caja which is certified organic by Quality Assurance International. Surprisingly, all of their smoothies are also exempt from any trans-fat. Other than the exorbitant prices at Booster Juice, the overall consensus of reviewers does land quite favorably for their smoothies and other products. Smoothies are not too bad for your health, as long as they’re coupled with an adequate diet and a sensible exercise regime. Not to mention, a mindful perspective can also go a long way in terms of mental health, to support your physical well-being.
If a person’s daily calorie intake is recommended to be 2500 kcal, 2000 for women, with a reasonable amount of that being carbohydrates, say 40% of the diet, that comes up to 1000, 800 for women, calories coming from carbohydrates. With 4 calories per carbohydrate that comes up to 250 grams of carbs in a day, 200 for women. Since 64 grams of this sugar from the smoothie would only account for just over 25%, 32% for women, of your daily limit for carbohydrates, and that there is a low fat content, I would say that labelling this “unhealthy” would be a stretch. This is assuming the rest of your diet isn’t crap.
Hi buddy,
I just read your blog. The post you shared awesome, Please give me suggestions which is the best juice(fruit or vegetable) for height growth and weight loss?
Recommended maximum daily intake of added sugar is about 25g for woman and 40g for men. This doesn’t account for sugar from natural sources like fruit. You can take in more sugar than 25g or 40g if it’s from healthier foods.
So… about this… mountain dew has 46 g of sugar in EACH 12 oz can, I used to drink 2-4 of them per day… having 1 smoothy is far less harmful. Thank you.