The Downside To Using Fruit Yogurt In Your Smoothie

Blending up a healthy smoothie is one of our favorite ways of getting those much-needed servings of fruits and veggies to our kids and ourselves. They are so versatile and as Blender Happy shares, there are only three ingredients you really need to make a slammin' smoothie: fruit, protein, and a liquid. But the sky's the limit when it comes to creating your favorite concoction. Throw in some nuts or flaxseed, add some turmeric or cocoa powder, or go green and fill-up on spinach and kale because smoothies really allow us to customize this meal in a glass to our liking. 

But one of the most important ingredients we add to our smoothies is the protein. Many of us choose yogurt because it is helps to create the perfect creamy consistency we love in this drink. Dr. Oz shares that in yogurt, specifically of the Greek variety, you are getting a gluten-free ingredient that also serves as an excellent probiotics source. But when choosing the perfect yogurt for your smoothie, you may want to stay clear of yogurt with fruit at the bottom — or any flavored yogurt — and here's why. 

Eat this, Not that! notes that yogurts that have been flavored or that contain fruit of the bottom add unwanted calories and sugar to our smoothies. They, like Dr. Oz, also recommend sticking with a thick Greek yogurt that is plain, free of additives, and low in added sugar to eliminate this smoothie making hazard. To this end, a blogger at Frugal Living NW did a comparison between Greek yogurt and flavored yogurt and revealed that flavored yogurt can have up to 34 grams of sugar, depending on the brand. On average, the blogger also found that flavored yogurt has about 50 calories more per serving than Greek yogurt and contains half the amount of protein.

But your flavored yogurt isn't the only smoothie ingredient you need to be concerned about when it comes to sugar. Healthline further cautions that fruit-flavored sauces, juices, and even our beloved milk alternatives can add extra sugar and sabotage our healthy smoothie. Of course, no one wants to sip on a drink that doesn't appeal to the taste buds, even if it is healthy, which is why the Wholesome Fork explains that when it comes to sweetening your smoothie, you should rely on the whole fruits you are adding to create the flavor. They will do the trick and keep you healthy.