As we try to reboot our bodies after the holiday season (since we indulged maybe just a little too much) we are always looking for quick and easy meals to give our bodies the nutrients it needs to thrive. One easy solution is replacing a meal with a smoothie. Smoothies are an easy way to pack a variety in nutrients in one, preferably to-go, cup. Let’s remember though, not all smoothies are created equally! They are also an easy way to load up on sugar. Think about it, you are adding multiple servings of fruit into one serving and guzzling it down within thirty minutes. We are here to set you up for success by providing a list of some low sugar fruits and vegetables to add to your smoothies. We also have a super easy recipe for a low sugar strawberry-raspberry smoothie that we think you will love!
First, let’s talk about the difference between the naturally occurring sugar and additive sugar. Naturally occurring sugars (found in fruit and vegetables) include fructose, glucose, lactose, and more. Added sugars, on the other hand, are table sugar (AKA sucrose, which is a combination of fructose and glucose) and sweeteners that are added to foods (source). The great thing about fruit is that it contains many substances that can help block the negative effects of sugar such as fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. That is why we prefer our sugar intake to come from fruit rather than additive sugar.
Now that we know the difference let’s move on to fruits you can use in your smoothies that will help keep the sugar content down.
Fruits low in sugar:
- Avocado (1g per avocado)
- Lemons (1.5g per fruit)
- Raspberries (5g per cup)
- Kiwi (6g per fruit)
- Strawberries (7g per cup)
- Blackberries (7g per cup)
- Blueberries (12g per cup)
- Granny Smith Apple (14g per fruit)
We are going to be honest with you, if you made a smoothie just using low sugar fruits it would most likely taste terrible. To stay away from additive sugar we opted to use pineapple, which is a sweeter fruit that contains a little more sugar. You can also use the following to add flavor and sweetness to your smoothie:
- Half cup of pineapple (7g)
- Half banana (7g)
- One date (4.5g)
Finally, to add some bulk and different nutrients to your smoothie so you aren’t overloading it with fruit you can try using the following:
- Cauliflower
- Zucchini
- Fresh spinach or kale
- Hemp hearts
- Chia Seeds
- Almond or peanut butter (or any nut butter you prefer)
For our Strawberry-Raspberry smoothie, we used avocado to give it a great creamy texture and cauliflower to add bulk and some extra fiber! Don’t be afraid to get creative in your kitchen and experiment with these different ingredients to find your favorite low sugar smoothie recipe.
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Low Sugar Strawberry-Raspberry Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 smoothies 1x
Description
This low sugar smoothie is creamy and delicious, making it the perfect breakfast or snack for those on a low carb or low sugar diet!
Ingredients
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen cauliflower florets
1/4 avocado
1 Tbsp hemp hearts
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (you can use water instead), plus more as needed
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Add more milk as needed to make sure it blends well. Serve and enjoy!
