Boost Juice is a popular takeaway. Dietitian Jess Burvill shares how to sip smarter.
Boost Juice promotes itself as a healthier alternative to soft drinks and fast food, but not all smoothies and juices are created equal. Many popular menu items are made with fruit juice, sorbet or frozen yoghurt, which can bump up the sugar and kilojoule content without offering much in the way of fibre or protein to help you feel full. The good news? You don’t have to ditch your favourite takeaway drink. With a few clever tweaks, you can pick a nutritionally ‘boosted’ juice and enjoy a balanced, satisfying option that still tastes delicious.
1. Switch the base
Fruit juice is high in natural sugar and low in fibre.
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Choose reduced-fat milk, almond milk or coconut water instead. This lowers the glycaemic load and adds extra nutrients like calcium or electrolytes.
2. Add protein
Most fruit-based juices and smoothies are high in carbs but low in protein.
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Look for smoothies with yoghurt, milk or a scoop of protein powder to help balance blood sugar and keep you fuller for longer.
3. Boost the fibre
Juicing strips away much of the fibre in fruit, making juice less filling and easier to overconsume compared to whole fruit.
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Go for smoothies made with whole fruit, and additions like chia seeds, oats or dates.
4. Skip added sugars
Many menu items contain added sugar from frozen yoghurt, sorbet or sweet syrups.
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Skip the frozen yoghurt or sorbet and let naturally sweet fruits like banana or mango do the work.
Typical Boost Juice
Blueberry Blast (medium) with blueberries, apple juice, sorbet, banana, vanilla yoghurt and ice:
1330kJ (318cal), 4.3g protein, 2.5g total fat, 1.6g sat fat, 68g carb, 61.7g sugar, 1g fibre, 75mg sodium
Upgraded choice (available in Australia)
Weekend Warrior (medium) with oats, blueberries, dates, whey protein, coconut water, chia, banana and ice is higher in protein and fibre, and significantly lower in sugar:
1160kJ (278cal), 14.7g protein, 3.9g total fat, 0.9g sat fat, 41.9g carb, 25.4g sugar, 6.5g fibre, 112mg sodium
www.healthyfood.com
