Smoothie King is a popular brand for getting your daily delicious dose of smoothies, however, while we tend to assume all smoothies are healthy, are Smoothie King smoothies healthy?
With the rising popularity of Smoothie King, you’d assume they are a healthy place to visit.
If you are wondering if your local Smoothie King is giving you what your body needs, or if it is filling you with empty calories, you are in the right place.
Today, we are going to go into detail about the healthful side of Smoothie King and look at how good these smoothies actually are for your body.
Is Smoothie King Healthy?
How healthy is Smoothie King? Well, generally, the smoothies at Smoothie King will usually have quite a lot of sugar. Making them not a very healthy option.
Overall, Smoothie King is not exactly the healthiest place, even though it is great for when you want to treat yourself.
Smoothie King, like a majority of smoothie brands, if you choose your beverages carefully and only have them every once in a while, then you really shouldn’t worry.
That being said, there are some low-calorie options that you can get which do help to make up for how much sugar some of these smoothies contain.
Is Smoothie King Good For Weight Loss?
Smoothies, even from Smoothie King, can be a part of a balanced diet, since they can be nutrient-dense, but this does not make every smoothie ideal for weight loss.
In fact, weight loss is about more than just what you eat. Consider what you eat as well as how you portion, and think about every meal you have throughout the day.
You can have smoothies from Smoothie King that can aid weight loss, for example, the ‘Slim-N-Trim Veggie‘ from Smoothie King could be ideal.
However, for this smoothie to really be beneficial, it should be used as a meal replacement. You should also watch the other meals you eat throughout the day.
If you are not balancing out your meals, calorie count, and nutrient intake, then you can easily gain weight where you’d rather be losing.
Does Smoothie King Add Sugar?
Smoothie King does not add sugars, however, instead of adding sugar or even corn syrup, they do add stevia to a lot of their recipes.
Stevia is a sugar substitute that is plant-made, it is much sweeter than sugar and is believed to contain no calories according to WebMD.
However, just because it does not contain calories does not mean it is good for you.
The only form of Stevia that has been FDA-approved is the purified form. It is said not to impact weight, but it is still a product that is being researched.
While it is low-carb and low-calorie, if you were to ingest excessive amounts, the low amount would still add up.
Does Smoothie King Use Real Fruit?
Smoothie King does use real fruit in its smoothies. Their blends are typically a mixture of fresh fruit and individually quick-frozen fruits.
Those which are quickly frozen will thaw in their own juices, with no colors, syrups, flavors, or preserves added.
This does make Smoothie King a healthier option than other smoothie chains that use fruit juices or purees to make their smoothies.
Possible Side Effects Of Smoothie King
There are side effects you can get from ingesting smoothies if you are not careful. While many of these side effects include symptoms you may get from other brands, or even smoothies you make at home, not all are.
Typical side effects from overindulgence include bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, and stomach aches.
However, there have been some reports of food poisoning from Smoothie King according to iwaspoisoned.com. Some specific ingredients have even been reported in relation to this.
Some of these include mango, strawberry, chocolate, kiwi, kale, apple, and blueberry. The most common symptoms of this are nausea and diarrhea.
However, while this has been reported, it is important to be aware of food intolerances and the effect that certain foods have on the body.
Some cases may not be food poisoning, but instead intolerance, or an overabundance of a certain nutrient, such as fiber. They may even simply be due to poor dietary management.
Why Does Smoothie King Make Me Bloated?
Smoothie King smoothies can make you bloated for the same reason as a smoothie from anywhere else might.
If you have a smoothie packed with fruits and protein, this is likely the culprit. While our bodies need greens and protein, mixing them together in a smoothie can cause bloating, gas, and even heartburn.
When you are digesting fruit and protein, they require different juices to do so.
According to wellandgood.com fruit needs alkaline digestive juices, while protein requires acidic digestive juices.
This means that when you start mixing these two together, your stomach is forced into producing both at the same time, which ends up leveling the pH scale out.
In the end, your food can get stuck in your digestive tract, leading to discomfort.
In short, it is not Smoothie King itself causing it, but instead, the ingredients in the smoothie.
Why Does Smoothie King Make Me Gassy?
If you are ordering a smoothie that contains dairy, this could make you gassy. Lactose Intolerance is a common issue.
It is caused by lactose which is actually a type of sugar that is found in milk/ dairy products according to nhsinform.scot.
However, this problem could also be caused by an overabundance of fiber. There are many smoothies that can contain a high fiber content, should your body not be used to a high-fiber diet it may struggle to process this amount of fiber.
Why Does My Stomach Hurt After Smoothie King?
One of the primary reasons that Smoothie King may make your stomach hurt is simply drinking it too quickly.
If you are lactose intolerant and order a smoothie that contains milk/dairy this would be another reason.
However, the issue could simply be ingesting a high-fiber smoothie when your body is not used to so much fiber all at once, causing stomach pain, gas, and probably bloating.
Make sure you know what is in your smoothie and how your body will react to it before you order.
What Is Healthy At Smoothie King?
Healthy smoothies are made up of a combination of low calories and good nutrition, with low fats and healthy proteins. A great example of this would be the ‘Slim-N-Trim Veggie’.
However, the ‘feel energized’ blends are also good and often include caffeine as well. The ‘Pure Recharge Strawberry‘ is one of the best of these at only 200 calories with 6 grams of protein.
A lot of the choices will also have to be personalized, based on your own preferences, as well as what you can digest.
For example, if you can’t have dairy, choose green smoothies or fruit smoothies made with no dairy from Smoothie King.
Also, avoid ordering the larger sized cups, stick to the smaller ones to reduce the amount of sugar and calories.
Homemade Smoothie King Smoothie Recipe
Since the healthiest smoothie at Smoothie King is the Slim N Trim Veggie, we created our own homemade version of the recipe, which is 3 times cheaper than if you were to buy it from Smoothie King!
Give it a go, it’s delicious, and it will save you a lot of money.
Slim N Trim Veggie [Copycat Recipe]
Equipment
- 1 Blender We used this one
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup/75g frozen banana chunks
- 1/2 cup/75g frozen mango chunks
- 1 handful of spinach washed
- 1/3 tsp ginger root minced
- 200 ml pineapple juice
- 1 tsp of matcha powder or detox green powder
Instructions
- Pre-freeze your fruit if you haven't got available ones in the freezer.
- Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth. For about 4-5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Wrap-Up: Is Smoothie King Worth It?
Smoothie King is definitely worth it. However, you should always be sure that you know what you are buying before you do. Different smoothies will vary in how healthful they are, and their calories. Know the ingredients too, as this can make all the difference.
So, is Smoothie King healthy? The answer would be yes and no. It very much depends on what you order, the size you order, and whether the ingredients used in the smoothies are ones your body can easily digest!
FAQs:
Is Smoothie King Pineapple Surf Healthy?
Smoothie King Pineapple Surf can be considered healthy. It contains 410 calories, with 96 carbs and 6 grams of protein in 20 oz. However, it also contains 41 grams of added sugars, so plan your next meals well, to avoid overconsumption of sugar.
Is Smoothie King Peanut Power Plus Healthy?
The Peanut Power Plus is a good source of protein and can be healthy depending on your lifestyle, but be aware it does contain 58 grams of sugar, which is quite high.
Is Smoothie King Banana Boat Healthy?
The Banana Boat at Smoothie King contains 11 grams of protein, 99 grams of carbs, and 480 calories, however, it does contain 75 grams of sugar and 39 grams of which are added sugars. This makes it a little less healthy than most would like.
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