Smoothie King has the ultimate leg up on all other fast food restaurants—the menu is just blended combinations of fruit. All though the idea of a smoothie trumps the Big Mac indefinitely, be wary of the extra calories and fat hidden in some of the recipes.
Good choice: Immune Builder
Bad choice: Peanut Power Plus
Calories and Fat: The Immune Builder, without turbinado, has 280 calories and 1 gram of fat, compared to the Peanut Power Plus’ 700 calories and 22g of fat.
Difference: A 20-ounce cup of Peanut Power Plus, made with peanut butter, strawberries, bananas, milk and sugar, holds 320 more calories and 21g more fat than the Immune Builder. The Peanut Power Plus also has 112g of carbohydrates and 94g of sugar, compared to the Immune Builder’s 66g and 54g. The Immune Builder is made with bananas, strawberries, and an herbal nutrient blend, a powder that is packed with Vitamin C, Green Tea, Zinc, Echinacea, Selenium and Beta Carotene to help your body prepare its defenses against illness.
If you’re eating at Smoothie King, you’re already making a good decision toward improving your health. Just be cautious to order a smoothie that is also a good choice. If you can’t resist the urge to indulge, ask for your smoothie to be made “skinny,” which will leave out Turbinado, the sugar cane extract they use to sweeten the smoothies. This can cut the calorie, carb and sugar counts in half while leaving you with enough natural sweetness from the fruit ingredients.
