Skinny Shamrock Shakes - it is that time where you will see them popping up. I am sure many people think they are a healthy alternative to a regular milkshake. But when you start looking at the ingredients in some of the recipes, you will see that skinny can be scary.
I debated about writing this post. I was thinking maybe I shouldn't be so nitpicky. But then I remembered why I started this blog; to help educate others about real food and real ingredients. So I am picking some nit.
Here are some of the ingredients I found in recipes around the web that make these shakes "healthier."
Fat Free Ice Cream
Skim milk, sugar, corn syrup, polydextrose, maltodextrin, propylene glycol monoesters, mono and diglycerides, cellulose gum, cream, carob bean gum, gaur gum, natural flavor, carrageenan, ice structuring protein, vitamin A palmitate, annatto (for color)
Fat Free Frozen Yogurt
Fat Free Milk, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Fructose, Maltodextrin, Contains 2% or less of *Egg Yolks, Mono and Diglycerides, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Artificial Flavor, Annatto (For Color), Caramel Color, Vitamin A Palmitate, Cultures.
Fat Free Coffee Creamer
Water, sugar, partially hydrogenated soybean and or cottonseed oil, and less than 2% of mono and diglycerides, dipotassium phosphate, natural and artificial flavors, sodium casein ate, color added, carrageenan, cellulose gel, cellulose gum, disodium phosphate
Fat Free Whipped Cream
Water, Corn Syrup, Vegetable(s) Oil Hydrogenated (Coconut Oil Hydrogenated, Palm Kernel Oil Hydrogenated) , Corn Syrup High Fructose, Contains less than 22% of Sodium Caseinate from milk, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial, Food Starch Modified, Xanthan Gum and,Guar Gum, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 65, Sorbitan Monostearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Beta Carotene color(s)Simply having less calories, fat, or sugar, does not mean something is healthy. And although there is no one definition of what is healthy, I think most can agree that highly processed food-stuffs may not be a healthier alternative.
I did find some recipes for skinny shamrock shakes that used avocado or spinach for the coloring, along with regular yogurt that had been frozen. There are definitely ways to make a healthy, minty shake. Just don't be fooled thinking Skinny is Healthy.
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