Why does Weight Watchers count the fruits & vegetables blended into beverage recipes like smoothies?
It's a question I receive with regularity...
I thought fruit was Zero SmartPoints on Weight Watchers. When I add fruit to the smoothie recipes I create, it counts SmartPoints values for it! Why?
Fruit and most vegetables are Zero (0) SmartPoints when you eat them. But NOT when you drink them, because eating and drinking are different experiences to the body...
Research shows that liquids don't fill you up the same as solid foods do, possibly because the act of chewing is removed.
It would take you a lot longer to EAT all the fruits and vegetables you blend into a beverage or smoothie, than it does for you to sip or slurp them down!
So according to Weight Watchers if the recipe is for something you'll drink, like a juice or smoothie, the nutrition information for Zero (0) SmartPoints value fresh fruits and vegetables COUNT.
If it is for something you will eat—like a soup, sauce, stew, or salsa—fresh fruits and most vegetables remain Zero SmartPoints values in those recipes.
Blending Smoothie Ingredients
How to Calculate the SmartPoints Values of Smoothies Video from Diva & the Divine:
Are there other times when I should count the SmartPoints values for fruit or vegetables?
The WW SmartPoints plan encourages the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet. Studies have shown that about 75% of Americans do not get enough fruits and vegetables.
This is why all fruit and most vegetables are Zero (0) SmartPoints values whether it's fresh, unsweetened frozen, or canned in its own juice and drained.
When a fruit has added sugar—such as fruit in syrup, or its own juice, or when there's less water content, as with dried fruit—the SmartPoints values will count.
Blueberry Avocado Power Smoothie
Can I eat too much fruit?
Just because fruits and vegetables have Zero SmartPoints doesn't mean they are free of calories. Weight Watchers encourages you to eat fruits and vegetables because they are nutritious, satisfying, and tasty.
If you are using fruits and vegetables in healthy ways -- to bulk up your meals, as a healthy snack, or to tide you over when you're down to the last few SmartPoints values for the day, or week -- then great!
But if you find yourself eating bunches of grapes and bananas because they're "free," it may be time to cut back. In the final analysis, it is best to let your hunger, and your weight loss, be your guide.
Source: WeightWatchers
More Articles You Might Also Like:
- Weight Watchers 101: All About SmartPoints & How to Track Them (Video)
- 101 Savvy Weight Loss Tips
- What Foods Have Zero SmartPoints on WW New Freestyle Program?
- Zero Freestyle SmartPoints Recipe Roundup
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Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
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Margo
What’s the best way to make a smoothie that has less calories? Specifically a fruit & green smoothie. How do you make it thick?
Martha McKinnon
Hi Margo, For me the trick to making a thick smoothie with fewer calories is to blend in lots of ice. Hope this helps. - Martha
Becky
I like to add greek yogurt!
Laura
Iso Pure Low Carb Whey Protein (1 scoop =1/2 a serving and is 1 pt) I do that with lots of ice and less water. I have a busy job, so it takes me an hour to drink this, so I don't general count the points, but I don't shift them somewhere else either. Making green tea ice cubes to mix in with your berry smoothie is way to harness two yeahs for the price of one. I tend to this in the morning drive into work (caffeine). The key moderation and staying within your point budget. Good Luck!
LYNN COLEMAN
I just started calling it soup and use a spoon. I don't add points because I am using a spoon, lol
Kerry Stafford
GENIUS!!! <3
Valerie
The best way to have a thick malty type smoothie is to Freeze 1/2 c of strawberries and frozen banana. Put them in a blender with 1 tbsp of powdered milk and 1 tbsp of sweetner. Add 1 cup of water. This is the recipe for Smoothie Kings Angel Food smoothie. Its thick and frothy. You can swap the strawberries for another kind of fruit.
Linda L Blais
Thank you, Valerie! Its delicious!!
Cindy
Ugh. I have just started looking at WW , and I have been having a smoothie for breakfast almost daily for over a year. Spinach, blueberries, banana, unsweetened almond milk, water, ice. I thought, "Yay! Only 1 point!" And then I saw this little caveat. Well, I guess since this is my breakfast, I can live with counting it as 5-6 points. But I'm not happy about it.
Linda L Blais
Looks very healthy tho.!
Lynette Trujillo
this is the very same smoothie I have been making every morning, I add 1 scoop of protein powder though,,,so what i thought was a 3point breakfast is NOT! Do you think if we use a spoon we have to count the points?
Martha McKinnon
Hi Lynette, It's really a personal decision about what to track/count. It's best to let how you are feeling and your weight loss be your guide. Hope this helps. ~Martha
Sherry
I watched the Smoothie Video, and I couldn’t agree more!! This is my evening treat whilst watching tv. I use a spoon and do not have anything to eat the rest of the evening, so the satiation point is moot IMHO. I don’t find near as much enjoyment eating my fruit as I do spooning it. (Not that kind of spooning, but I would if I could, lol). If not for smoothies, I probably wouldn’t eat fruit every day. I would like to add that even though I eat this as my snack at night, I actually believe it helps me lose weight as it really does rev up my metabolism. I was doing the moonwalk and the hustle (yes, i’m that old) when I thought my evening snack only had two points. Sigh..... well, that’s my take on it anyhow! Smoothies.. smoothies..smoothies....
Faye
Of I make my smoothie with banana, straeberries, and 1cup of almond milk Joe many points would this be. I'm on the
Purple program. Thanks so much
Suzi
I have just returned to weight watchers for the 3rd time and I agree, I hate that smoothies technically count the fruit. I feel like someone who hates smoothies created this rule 😛 I only put 1/4 cup of blueberries 1/4 raspberries and 3 strawberries 1/2 cup of oat milk and 1 scoop pea protein and 2 tbsp of PB2 its like 3 points without the fruit LOL I will not count a cup of fruit, sorry WW its the only fruit I have all day so nope no way nada am I counting it. Oh guess what, I am still losing weight so hmmm 😛
Lisa
Yeah, not counting the points for fruit in my breakfast smoothie. Their logic about you not feeling full so you are more likely to eat more because you won’t feel full is ridiculous. What if you don’t eat more??? My smoothie is my breakfast and then I eat a hard boiled egg for my snack and don’t have anything else till lunch. My smoothie consists of 2 scoops of plant protein powder (2 pts), 1 scoop of collagen powder (0 pts), 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (1 pt), and fresh fruit that I freeze and water. My logic is if I don’t continue to eat because of not feeling full then why do I need to count the fruit as points?
Martha McKinnon
Hi Lisa,
Yes, I agree. I think we can tweak the plan to work for us and let our weight loss be our guide! Thanks for sharing your experience. ~Martha