How do I make healthy choices?
I wrote in my very first post here that smoothies CAN BE healthy. I said the same for raw juices. If you haven’t read that post, here’s a brief summary.
Why aren’t they healthy?
I’ll start with smoothies. The smoothies from most stores do not use raw juice as a base. Some may use milk, but only whole milk would be preferred, and everything stores use will most likely be non-fat or low-fat to appear healthy, even though it isn’t. Same goes for yogurts and sherbets that some stores use. They pretend it’s healthy, but it’s so packed with sugar to make up for the lack of fat that it ends up being almost as bad as just having soda or sugar-filled fruit juice.
Raw juices are another story. For every blog touting the unbelievable benefits of raw juices, there’s another shooting it down. Using a raw juice to replace your meal isn’t healthy because you miss out on fiber and other important nutrients in the skin of your fruits and veggies. Fruits and veggies alone simply aren’t enough to make sure you are getting all your vitamins and minerals needed to survive.
So, how do I make them healthy?
Again, I’ll start with smoothies. You want to take away as much sugar as possible without sacrificing too much flavor. Taking away the entire liquid base takes away half the flavor and most of the sweetness. So, for simplicity’s sake, you can ask for half of the base/liquids to be replaced with water. Some locations may be okay with letting you use fresh apple, pineapple, or carrot juice as the base for a small charge. It will still have sugar, but it will be in smaller quantities and be more natural. If you find a smoothie store that only does raw juices as the base, I’d suggest you go there.
If you feel like that’s too much, simply replace the yogurt/sherbet in your drink for either extra ice or another fruit choice. Since this is a substitution and not an add-on, it shouldn’t cost any extra to you.
Juices are a bit different. It’s not the juice itself that’s inherently unhealthy. They do have some benefits. By default, it’s a better choice than a soda or sport’s drink. So, simply decide once in a while that you’ll have a small or medium juice with your meal instead of a soda. Easier said than done, I know. But, it’s a baby step toward a long term goal of better health. If you were eating healthy enough as it is, you wouldn’t need juices.
If you’re going to Juice It Up! (and I assume you are if you’re reading this blog), then you have the options of the fruit and veggie fusions. Like juices, these are completely natural (unless you decide to add a processed ingredient). But, like smoothies, they are made in a blender and don’t cost as much as juices AND don’t take as long as juices to make. Juices, compared to the Raw Fusion and Red Fusion, take longer to make, cost more, and don’t have any protein or fiber.
This is the real star of the show when it comes to getting something that not only is healthy, but provides a great value for your money.
If you’re buying something instead of making it yourself, you can almost guarantee that it will have as much sugar as the company can get away with. Be aware of this. I want to direct you to two videos that I think are important for understanding what you need. I’m not trying to demonize Juice It Up!, or smoothies. I love smoothies, and raw juices.
The Story of Fat: Why we were Wrong about Health:Â https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S6-v37nOtY
Food Industry's Secret Weapon (WHY Sugar is addictive & in 80% of Food):Â https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPxIssabhTc
Anything “non-fat” is usually just sugar-packed to make it taste good.
Fat is actually very good for you in moderate quantities, while sugar has recently been linked to weight gain and heart problems.
Juice It Up! is not allowed to add ingredients you brought in. It’s a liability issue.
The Zone is made with water and is good for protein. Just keep in mind that the yogurt has a lot of sugar.
