Smoothie Recipes

The smoothie industry has grown tremendously in recent years, and chains big or small have their new stores everywhere.

In 1997, there were just fewer than 1,000 juice and smoothie bars in the USA, pulling an estimated $340 million in revenue. Today, there are 5,000 of them, with 2007 sales at $2.5 billion, according to Juice Gallery Multimedia, a publishing and consulting firm that provides support services for smoothie businesses.

While indulgent blends aren't disappearing from menus, smoothie companies seem to be focusing most of their marketing muscle on winning over the ultra-health-conscious consumer, especially those trying to keep their sugar intake low.

One ingredient that's growing ever more is acai, a Brazilian berry that's said to be one of the richest sources of antioxidants on the planet.

Low-sugar and high-antioxidant blends aren't the only ultra-healthy smoothies out there. Freshens is considering tweaking its yogurt base to add probiotics, live bacterial strains that some studies have shown to aid digestion. They're also becoming a trendy food additive that some claims boost the immune system.

In general, nutrition experts and consumer health advocates applaud efforts to make smoothies healthier, though some suggest a big problem is being ignored - huge serving sizes.

According to recent survey, most of the people are snack eaters. That is not necessarily a bad thing.

For busy people, snacks provide a source of fuel when blood sugar dips and concentration wanes. Fading energy and hunger can hit you anywhere at the mall, in your car, or at the movies. A small snack of fruit, nuts, yogurt, smoothie or an energy bar will help tide you over until the next meal. To boost your blood sugar and keep it relatively stable until mealtime, snacks should provide carbohydrate, protein and a little fat. Low glycemic foods such as apples, pears, nuts, legumes, whole grains, yogurt and smoothies are digested and converted to blood sugar slowly. As a result, the body gets a more balanced release of energy rather than a quick burst.

Snacks are also an important way for growing children and adults to meet daily calorie and nutrient needs. Nutrient dense, low-glycemic snacks include fruit and almonds, yogurt with a piece of fruit, a cup of bean soup, smoothie, whole grain crackers and tuna, raw vegetables or an energy bar. The average adult needs about 2,000 calories and no more than 65 grams of fat, 20 grams of saturated fat and 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.