Dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton has recommended that health advice on smoothies should be revised and updated to help consumers attain their 5 A DAY targets more easily.
Exisiting government guidelines state that smoothies contain one portion of fruit, but Dr Ruxton points out - in an article in the British Nutrition Foundation's journal Nutrition Bulletin - that most smoothie recipes have at least one 80g portion of mashed fruit and a portion of juice, giving them two of the recommended daily portions.
She wrote: "The steady growth of smoothies in the chilled juice market creates an opportunity to help more consumers achieve the 5 A DAY target.
"This could be made easier if smoothies were designated as two portions of fruit, rather than being lumped together with juices as just one portion.
"Smoothies are significantly higher in fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants than juices and meet the criteria to make a labelling claim for fibre content. Smoothie recipes…are nutritionally equivalent to two portions of fruit."
Contrary to other claims, Dr Ruxton also said that the sugar content of smoothies is no greater than fruit in its original form.
"In conclusion, the nutritional benefits offered by smoothies far outweigh any risks, and a re-evaluation of the 5 A DAY criteria is justified," she said.
