How to Compare Smoothie Nutrition Labels

Comparing similar products is always a challenging aspect of controlling your nutritional intake. While a pair of different smoothies can look and taste generally identical, their nutritional content often varies widely, making it prudent that you properly compare nutritional labels to find the product that is better suited for your particular goals. You generally should avoid products loaded with artificial flavors and other man-made ingredients, choosing the product that appears to be more natural.

Instructions

Label Comparisons

• 1

  Compare ingredient lists to find the product that contains the least artificial ingredients. Remember that when reading an ingredient list, the items listed first are the most prevalent in that particular good. Therefore, look for the smoothie that contains recognizable ingredients such as fruits and berries first, and avoid the items filled with unpronounceable artificial ingredients.

• 2

  Compare fat content in the two products, paying close attention to the amounts of both saturated and trans fat in each item. A smoothie should contain minimal fat at best, as it primarily consists of fruits and other healthy ingredients. So be wary of any smoothie product that contains any amounts of saturated or trans fats. When in doubt, choose the item with the lesser amount.

• 3

  Compare protein content to find out which contains a higher amount. According to a study published in the May 2008 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, foods containing more protein increase dieter satiety (feelings of fullness). Therefore, select the smoothie with the higher protein content to stay satisfied longer.

• 4

  Compare carbohydrate and especially sugar content. Although some sugar is to be expected as smoothies are primarily made from fruit, and fruit contains the sugar fructose, avoid smoothies with a higher amount of sugar from artificial sources such as dextrose, corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup. Keep your overall intake of unnatural sugars like these low to prevent a spike in blood sugar and a resultant crash later during the day.