Active Blendies

PROTEIN & ENERGY

Energy needs throughout the day are very specific to the individual, and vary depending on your activity level, life-stage and various other factors. Based on the general Australian recommended energy intake of 8700 Kj per day - an average breakfast could typically range from 1500 Kj to 2600 Kj or more!

While the aim of the game for most is to consume less energy, the vegemite on toast could be a good breakfast choice, however the smoothie will give you more “bang for your buck” nutritionally.

As you can see, a piece of toast with vegemite is much lower in protein. As discussed earlier, protein helps to keep us feeling fuller for longer. With double the amount of

protein, a smoothie would be a great choice for on the go. Feeling fuller throughout the morning means that we may not snack as much on high energy foods, or overeat at lunch time.

Smoothies can also be a great alternative mid-morning or afternoon snack to help curb the hunger cravings and irritability often associated with a drop in blood sugar levels. In comparison, a banana muffin contains approximately 2535 Kj and is low in fibre, protein and other nutrients while also being much higher in energy.

FIBRE

Fibre in quantities of more than 3g per serve is a good choice, so both breakfasts are winners in terms of fibre. However, the smoothie will provide your body with unprocessed

carbohydrates - dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables, which Australian’s are definitely not eating enough of.

SALT/SODIUM

Recently it has become apparent that our population’s intake of salt/sodium is very high, with Australians consuming an average of 10g salt per day. Recommendations state we should only be consuming 1.15–2.3g of salt per day.

High salt intake has been associated with high blood pressure, leading to cardiovascular disease - a major cause of death in Australia. Salt, or sodium is naturally found in most of the foods we eat, however it is found in higher quantities in processed foods where it is used as a preservative and to improve taste. It is also important to note our low intake of fruits and vegetables, which contain potassium and nitric oxide which have been shown to

help reduce blood pressure. While many factors play a role, it is certainly a good idea to reduce our salt intake by reducing the intake of processed foods and increasing our fruit and vegetable intake.

The smoothie above contains significantly less sodium compared to the toast with vegemite making it a great choice in reducing your overall salt consumption. The smoothie also contains fruit and vegetables to help blunt the effects of salt on blood pressure.