The snacks eaten between meals are one of the major things to keep under control when you are trying to lose some weight. It seems that even snacks that are branded fat-free really are not good for you if you eat too many of them. Many commercially available snacks are packed full of refined ingredients and loaded with sugar. Even so-called ‘healthy’ snacks that are low in fat may have many ingredients added to make them taste nicer that really are not good for us in the long term. An alternative to unhealthy sugary snacks is making low calorie smoothies at home. All you really need is a blender or smoothie maker, fruit, yogurt, ice, and a bit of honey.

Low fat yogurt is an essential element in making low calorie smoothies. This is yogurt that does not have any additional flavoring or sugar check the ingredient list on the yogurt container to ensure that there are no added ingredients. Low fat yogurt should be kept in the fridge, but you can freeze it in ice cube trays or small containers to be sure you do not run out.

To make low calorie smoothies, just whizz together your chosen fruit or fruits with the yogurt and a few ice cubes. If you can avoid using any additional sugar, your low fat low calorie smoothies will be even lower in calories!

If you have a ‘sweet tooth’ use sweeter fruits so you do not need to put in more sugar. If you have to add extra sweetness because your fruits are too sharp, add a little honey, this is unrefined, unlike white sugar. Manuka honey is much publicised for its beneficial effects so this makes a good choice. Sweeteners or sugar substitutes are best avoided in my opinion as they are not a natural product.

You can make a smoothie using only one fruit, or you can experiment in combining two or more different fruits together to create new smoothie flavors. Making low calorie smoothies isfun and easy and you will notice real benefits to your health if you make one every day. Drinking smoothies is an enjoyable way of making sure you get enough fruits in your diet.