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Calories in Summery Smoothies

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:34:23 PDT

It's a hot and humid Summer day and you head to your local smoothie joint for a cool, refreshing smoothie. It's made with mostly all-natural fruit, ice, and a little dairy, so what could be bad? That tall glass of thick, fruity goodness might taste like it's good for you, but the amount of calories you're consuming will most definitely stop you midslurp. Check out the breakdown below and see how your favorite smoothie stands.

Keep in mind that these calculations are based on 16-ounce servings, and many places serve up your smoothie in a much taller cup, which means even more calories and carbs consumed.

Smoothie (16 oz. serving)	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Jamba Juice Banana Berry	270	1	64	3	57	3
Jamba Juice Aloha Pineapple	290	1	67	3	63	5
Jamba Juice Strawberry Surf Rider	300	1	72	2	64	2
Jamba Juice Apple 'n Greens	220	1	50	6	40	5

Not seeing your favorite smoothie? Keep reading to see the nutritional info for smoothies found at Starbucks, McDonald's, and Jack in the Box.

Liquid Calories: What Cold Coffee Drinks Are the Worst?

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:50:07 PDT

Warm weather is on its way, which means it's time for cold coffee drinks! But beware: some of these suckers contain far more calories than that berry scone you're resisting! Men's Health has just released its latest "Eat This, Not That" list, naming the unhealthiest coffee drinks in America. Since we had so much fun on our sandwich quiz, let's see how much you know about these liquid calories in coffee.

Source

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Guess the Calories: Beverage Edition

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:47:18 PDT

Do you drink wisely? It is estimated that Americans consume 20 percent of their daily calories from beverages. All those calories in your drinks add up. Do you know how many calories you're consuming? Take this quiz and see.

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Laid Out in Cubes: Sugar Alert!

FitSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:00:00 PDT

Sometimes we all need a visual reference to help understand exactly how many calories we are actually eating. While the website This Is Why You're Fat has covered the territory of crazy fast food splurges, Sugar Stacks lays out the sugar content of foods in the easily identifiable measurement of sugar cubes. One sugar cube contains about a teaspoon of the sweet stuff and 11 calories. Take a gander at how much sugar is in a medium chocolate shake from McDonald's:
I particularly like the Sugar Stacks comparison of shakes, since I am on a kick about watching liquid calories, but I also appreciate the photos of the sugar cubes and sauces.

Diet Tip: Watch Out For Liquid Calories

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:00:00 PDT

When you're trying to lose weight, your success ultimately relies on the calories you consume being fewer than the calories you burn. In the dieting world, counting calories is the new black, but folks need to remember that liquid calories count, too. New research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health confirms that what you drink is just as important as what you eat. The study found that cutting out sugar-sweetened beverages (they included high fructose corn syrup in this group), like sodas and bottled iced tea, had the most profound effect on weight loss and weight-loss maintenance over the course of an 18-month study. The bottom line: soda has got to go.

For my three favorite soda alternatives,

read more. While, there are many low- to no-calorie drinks out there, water comes to mind first. Staying well hydrated helps to burn fat, so it is both healthy and helpful for dieting. If H2O bores your taste buds, add a slice of lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber to your glass. By mixing sparkling water and juice you can create a flavorful spritzer. Green tea is calorie-free and full of health benefits; it can also help speed up your metabolism. What is your favorite soda alternative? Source

Which Beverage Contains More Calories?

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:30:00 PST

Watching your caloric intake is a great way to lose weight, but we often forget - or don't realize - just how many calories are packed into the beverages we drink. Let's test your liquid calorie smarts with this quiz.

Question 1 of 5

Which caffeinated beverage contains more calories?

Find the Food Equivalent of What You Drank

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:00:38 PST

The first words out of a host's welcoming mouth are often, "What would you like to drink?" with the expectation that you'll be enjoying an alcoholic beverage upon arrival. Indulging in moderation is just fine, but when we're not pouring our own beverages, moderation is a greater challenge.

The only beverage that can be measured in exact calories is a bottle of beer, but when we're being served glasses of wine, champagne, or mixed drink concoctions, the number of calories in our cups becomes cloudy. For some clarity, check out BBC's cheeky Alcohol Experiment. While it's not entirely accurate because you can't specify types of beer or hard alcohol, the tool gives you a rough idea of the liquid calories you consumed - as well as the junk food equivalent. To find out what it does,

read more. For example, if you drank a double mixed with tonic and a beer, the website calculates the calorie intake (345 calories) and shows the food equivalent: two jaffa cakes (must be a British cookie) and a hot dog. Although I have doubts about its accuracy, the website serves as a reminder that most alcoholic beverages are empty liquid calories, which can affect our waistlines as much as calories we eat. It's something to keep in mind this season when our holiday party hosts ask if we'd like a refill.

Know Your Liquid Calories

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:00:00 PST

When it comes to celebrating during the holidays, remember that drinks contain calories too. Mulled wine, hot apple cider, spiced rum, hot toddies, and eggnog are delicious, but these kinds of beverages can add hundreds of calories to your meal. Let's see just how many with this quiz.

Source

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Foods That Can Make You Look Pregnant

Shape — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:29:06 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Over the weekend, I saw a photo of a female celebrity (who is in a relationship with a male celeb) leaving a café with the caption, "Baby bump?" and I had to refrain myself from shouting out loud, "Come on, can't a girl eat without the world thinking she's having a baby?!"

The truth is having a perfectly flat stomach all the time just isn't normal. After you eat or drink, food and liquids naturally expand your stomach and intestines, so at least a little "bump" is inevitable every single day. So if you regularly get stalked by paparazzi or you have family members who are anxiously awaiting news of a new addition, here's the lowdown on when you might get mistaken for being pregnant:

See which foods may make you look pregnant after the break!

Beer Breakdown

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:17:12 PST

With Super Bowl Sunday this weekend, I'm sure you're planning on washing down your bowl of chili with a cold one. I sometimes call beer "liquid bread" because of all the carbs, so it's good to know that not all beers are created equally, especially when it comes to calories.

If you're watching your waistline and enjoying an ice cold brew, you'll probably want see how they compare. The numbers may surprise you. Keep reading to find out which beer contains the fewest calories.