Calling all Smoothie Lovers

Welcome back for the 2nd time! I cannot wait to share with everyone my next substitution. This time, and for my next two posts also, I am going to be substituting a whole snack instead of part of one. In this case, I'm taking your traditional sugar-filled juice to the next level. I'm a sucker for juice because it's usually in my fridge, which means easy access. It's pretty easy to down a whole glass within seconds of pouring it, but I had never realized how a single glass of juice triggers the exact opposite effect I had wanted."One study found that sweetened beverages constituted more than half (51 percent) of all beverages consumed..." (Zinczenko 8). I thought by drinking a glass of juice each morning that the sugars would get my body going and give me the energy I needed for school. I was so wrong.

In actuality, most juices contain high-fructose corn syrup. I'm sure you've heard of it before but do you know what it is? I didn't at first but then I read a section on high-fructose corn syrup and it all started in the early 1970's. Food manufacturers were in search of a cheaper ingredient to replace natural sugar in their products and they eventually came up with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). As a cheap by-product and having the ability to give food products a longer shelf life HFCS constitute to the average Americans' 82 grams of added sugar consumed every day. (Zinczenko XI). In shock I knew at that point I wanted to try and reduce my 82 grams. To do so my dad and I came up with a smoothie that will knock your socks off.

We call it "The Straw-bomb," because my dad thought he was funny and hip when he randomly said it one night. I loved how this simple substitution turned out being so much more beneficial for my body. Low on HFCS and high on happiness. Water, frozen fruit (tropical blend with strawberries), real fruit (strawberries, bananas, mangoes), a splash of milk, and ice turned my sugar-filled stomach into a satisfied one. It's totally easy to prepare too because it's not time-consuming! Great for a morning boost, an afternoon snack, and late night munchies!

To conclude, I knew I wanted to reduce my 82 grams of added sugar I put into my body per day. To do so, I swapped out my glasses of juice with "The Straw-bomb." Results? I felt that going through a school day was much easier because I found my stomach growling a whole lot less.

Do you find smoothies satisfying?

Citation
ZINCZENKO, DAVID, and MATT GOULDING. EAT THIS NOT THAT. NEW YORK NY: Macmillan, 2008. Print.