Smoothies' healthy image is misleading

THE HEALTHY image that the popular blended fruit drinks, smoothies, enjoy may not always be justified, according to a new study.

The report released today from Safefood found that three out of four smoothie drinkers over-estimate their nutritional benefit and assume they contribute more than one portion of fruit and vegetables a day.

“Vegetable or fruit smoothies only count as one portion a day, regardless of how many you drink,” said a spokeswoman for Safefood.

“This is because smoothie ingredients contain less fibre than their whole fruit or vegetable equivalents.”

Smoothies have become an increasingly popular way of consuming fruit in Ireland.

In 2007, the smoothie market in Ireland was worth €9.3 million and this represented an increase in sales of €6.8 million over the previous five years.

The study found that while almost 60 per cent of consumers agree that smoothies are high in natural sugars, less than 25 per cent consider they might be high in added sugars.

Only one in four surveyed believed that smoothies can be bad for your teeth.

This low consumer awareness that smoothies often contain sweetened fruit juice concentrate, fruit syrups, added sugars and preservatives has also been highlighted by dentists.

And last year the British Dental Health Foundation issued a warning about the potential harm to teeth associated with frequent consumption of fruit smoothies due to their sugar and acid content.

As with fruit juice consumption, all dentists advise children and adults to have smoothies as part of a meal and not as a standalone snack.

It’s also best to drink a smoothie through a straw as this reduces the amount of sugar coming in contact with teeth.

“Consumers should, where possible, only order smoothies made with fresh or frozen fruit and milk or yogurt and they should look at labels and choose readymade smoothies with no added sugars, syrups or honey,” according to Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, the director of human health and nutrition at Safefood.

The study was based on face- to-face interviews with more than 2,000 people aged 15 throughout the island of Ireland.