Juice Bars, Smoothies & Vegetarian Shops

Smoothies are usually concoctions of several of the following: pureed fruits, pureed vegetables, juices, dairy products, almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, herbs, and spices. The nutritional and calorie content of the beverage can vary widely according to the ingredients.

The upsides: “Smoothies can be a good way of getting vegetables if you’re struggling to add them to your diet,” says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. If you aren’t crazy about leafy greens, blending them with berries or a ripe peach can disguise the taste of the vegetables. A smoothie can also provide a quick meal when you don’t have time to cook or even prepare a salad. For example, throwing a handful of spinach, a cup of blueberries, a couple of frozen strawberries, and a cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt in the blender can deliver a healthy meal or snack in a minute. And smoothies have a nutritional advantage over juices — because the whole fruit or vegetable is used, they have more fiber and a lower glycemic index.

— harvard.edu