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Can a smoothie replace a meal?

"It's really fine to have a smoothie every day. It can be a convenient meal replacement as long as you're making sure that it really is replacing the meal. Not too few calories, but not too many calories," says Fye.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org - Mayo Clinic Minute: Is a fruit smoothie a good meal replacement option?

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A typical smoothie is a drink made from mixed fruits or vegetables, and there are many ways to make one. While they provide several health benefits, drinking too many smoothies can negatively affect your health. They can add a lot of unforeseen calories, especially when a smoothie is simply a beverage with a meal. Lorraine Fye, a Mayo Clinic dietitian, has some simple ways to get smart about fruit smoothies. Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:00) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

A smoothie is delicious and easy to make. But is it good for you?

"I would say it's a really easy way to get a lot of good fruits and vegetables. You can get a lot of nutrients packed into one little glass," says Fye.

But too much of a good thing can be unhealthy.

"An unhealthy smoothie, it would be one that maybe is just all fruit or has a lot of fruit juice — one that's really laden with added sugar and that's not very balanced," says Fye. A smoothie can taste great and still be healthy. You just need to add the right ingredients. "The healthy smoothie — we're really looking for that balance. So you want good carbohydrates, good proteins and good healthy fats," she says. Once you find the right balance and taste, that smoothie can be a good thing. "It's really fine to have a smoothie every day. It can be a convenient meal replacement as long as you're making sure that it really is replacing the meal. Not too few calories, but not too many calories," says Fye.

Smoothie recipes:

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