Shine OnAre refreshing summer drinks sabotaging your diet?
Now that spring is heating up and the cold weather is (mostly) behind us, we'll soon be cooling down with a variety of icy beverages.
Many people tend to think of summertime drinks as light, refreshing and healthy (after all, what could be so terrible about a fruit smoothie?), but some of these beverages are packed with calories, fat, sodium and sugar.
See more: Testing fast-food fruit smoothies
For future reference, here's a quick breakdown of the nutritional information of some of the popular summertime drinks available across Canada:
Calories: 250
Total fat (g): 11
Sugars (g): 33
Sodium (mg): 50
Protein (g): 2
McDonald's Medium Strawberry Banana Smoothie With Yogurt
Calories: 280
Total fat (g): 1
Sugars (g): 61
Sodium (mg): 50
Protein (g): 4
Starbucks Orange Mango Banana Vivanno Smoothie
Calories: 260
Total fat (g): 2
Sugars (g): 34
Sodium (mg): 110
Protein (g): 15
Second Cup Mixed Berry Icy Fruit Smoothie
Calories: 280
Total fat (g): 0
Sugars (g): 68
Sodium (mg): 50
Protein (g): 0
In order to avoid unnecessary sugar, sodium, fat and other unexpected surprises, many nutritionists recommend creating your own frothy, frosty delights at home. All you need is fresh or frozen fruit (strawberries, bananas, peaches, blueberries, etc.), a low-fat yogurt or alternative non-dairy product, honey or agave nectar, ice cubes and a powerful blender. You can also add natural sources of protein to turn your snack into an energizing meal -- try flax seeds or nut butter.
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