Restaurants have been seeking to offer healthier food options for many years, providing options like apple slices or small salads instead of the usual ‘fries with that’. 

 

 

One recent trend is the smoothie, a beverage viewed as a healthy menu option geared towards consumers who want a convenient on-the-go source of nutrition.  Great in theory, not so much in practice when ordered from many establishments. When customers look a little closer they will often find smoothies that are made with commercial fruit juice or fruit blends that are not healthy upon inspection. Recent studies have shown that the added sugars and sweeteners found in many commercial fruit juices and fruit blends used for smoothie bases compromise the health benefit of drinking them altogether.

 

This high sugar and fructose content can make them unhealthy, potentially increasing the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and liver disease. Barry Popkin, a leading obesity researcher and professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina believes that fruit juices pose a similar danger to soft drinks for consumers, leaving them more vulnerable to certain health risks. However, there are some commercial fruit juice smoothie bases on the market without added sugars. One top supplier creates versatile shelf-stable products for smoothies, that can also be used for juice drinks, cocktails, desserts and other menu items. Made from 100% real fruit, these smoothie bases have no added sugars, no artificial colors, no artificial flavors and no preservatives. The commercial fruit juice without added sugar that can be purchased for legitimately healthy smoothies should contain at least three servings of fruits and vegetables, taste as close as possible to fresh fruit, while also delivering maximum nutritional value in a small-sized beverage. Those purchasing for restaurants should also be looking for smoothie bases that offer the added benefit of being infused with superfoods like antioxidants, electrolytes, omega-3’s and other nutrients. 

Added sugars, sweeteners, and preservatives compromise the nutritional value and health benefits of the smoothies a restaurant, coffee shop or café is preparing for their customers. David Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center at Yale University, is one of the many researchers that believe smoothies can be a beneficial part of a healthy diet for people looking for healthier menu options when eating out. He believes that when made without added sugars, smoothies can be a tasty and convenient way to incorporate additional servings of fruits and vegetables into the daily diet. 

For restaurant owners and consumers alike, the importance of choosing smoothie mixes made with commercial fruit juice without added sugar cannot be overstated. Refined, concentrated sugars pose several health risks for consumers, leaving them at additional risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic illnesses. As more information about the risks of added sugar and artificial sweeteners comes to the forefront in the food industry, more health conscious consumers will begin to steer away from these types of products, and the restaurants that serve them.

If your establishment serves, or is seeking to serve healthy menu options like smoothies, look for a top smoothie mix supplier that can provide a commercial fruit juice without added sugar.