On one of my Big Lots runs (where I find lots of neat health foods and energy drinks that I would never see otherwise,) I found the LightFull Satiety Smoothie. This is a pre-made smoothie in a single serving bottle, which apparently attempts to keep you full and satisfied with minimal calories.

The bottle contains just 90 calories, and offers 5g protein and 5g fiber. It contains 38g carbohydrates, but only 9g are sugar. The carbs are definitely high, due to the fruit juice content, but there are only 13g “net carbs” (because the fiber and erythritol sweetener have no impact on blood sugar.)

There’s a whopping 20g of erythritol, but nothing nasty like sucralose. (I’ve never had a problem with erythritol, although I’ve never ingested in such high quantities.)

I wouldn’t mind a little erythritol every so often, though, so I’d say this drink is no worse than other processed foods. A homemade watermelon smoothie is hard to beat, though!

LightFull seems like a concept similar to Forze GPS appetite suppressant bars. Unfortunately, these smoothies don’t go a long way to keeping you full. They’re just not that powerful like the Forze GPS bars were.

However, it does a good enough job for the fifty cents I spent! I tried these for snacks when I was fairly hungry, and they filled me up much better than most 90 calorie snacks.

And these smoothies, which come in Mango Oasis and Strawberry Bliss flavors, taste pretty good, so it’s a good balance of flavor and healthfulness…

LightFull Satiety Smoothie Taste Test

I tried both flavors, and here are my thoughts…

Mango Oasis: This had a good, creamy texture, with a very tropical flavor. Kind of like a Pina Colada, but with mango, too.

This flavor was not quite as good as the Strawberry Bliss, although it probably wouldn’t get old as fast as the strawberry one.

Strawberry Bliss: Tastes like you’re drinking a strawberry shortcake! If you like strawberry desserts, you’ll love this flavor.

My only concern is that the flavor is so good, so much like a dessert, that you might get sick of it sooner or later.

My final verdict is…

These smoothies are tasty and the ingredients are decent. While not extremely filling, they do provide more satisfaction than your typical 90 calorie snack. If the company had not gone out of business in 2009, I’d consider buying these again.

Official website: www.LightFullFoods.com

I eat banana smoothies all the time. They’re delicious and packed with nutrients. Plus, they are so refreshing after long days out in the sun!

My typical smoothie goes together like this…

Ingredients

1-2 cups Milk
1 Banana (chopped and frozen)
2-3 Eggs (organic)
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
1 Tbsp Flax Seed (powder)
Dash of Vanilla (optional)
Dash of Orange juice (optional)

Preparation

First, I put everything but the milk in the blender. I don’t actually measure anything, but the proportions I listed are about right. (You can adjust as necessary.)

Then I pour in enough milk for the smoothie to blend. More milk gives you a thin smoothie, less milk gives you a thick smoothie.

Blend till you achieve the desired thickness. Add more milk if necessary.

Drink!

Notes on the ingredients:

Milk – I usually use 1% milk, but you can use skim or whole milk if desired. Ideally you can get raw milk from a local farmer.

Banana – I like to eat bananas when they are yellow with maybe a few tiny brown spots. When they get brown, I cut them up and place them in the freezer, which I then use for these smoothies. This is great for post-workout smoothies because you want higher-glycemic carbs, and bananas (especially once they turn brown) are full of high-glycemic sugar.

Eggs – Yes, I use raw eggs. That’s because I get them either from my own chickens or a local farm. And I use the whole egg, because the yolk contains many, many nutrients.

But beware, this could be dangerous! There is a risk of salmonella! Try this at your own risk! (If you can’t get fresh, local eggs, you could try something like Egg Beaters instead, but that’s pasteurized and processed, so I’m not a big fan.)

Yogurt – Make sure you get plain yogurt. This is the stuff that is not flavored nor sweetened. I get the Stonyfield Farms brand. (Most yogurt, even a vanilla flavor, contains way too much added sugar.)

Flax seed – Flax is a tasty way to get some Omega-3 fatty acids. I grind up flax seeds in the blender and then dump some in my smoothies, oatmeal, etc.

Vanilla – Used very sparingly, this can sweeten up the smoothie if you went overboard on the plain yogurt (which is a tad sour.)

Orange Juice – I really like adding a dash of OJ to my banana smoothies. Maybe just one or two tablespoons. It adds a neat flavor without taking away from the banana. (Less is more, in this case.)

There is no better way to celebrate summer than with a big slice of watermelon (especially with the 4th of July right around the corner.) But if you are looking to spice things up, try this watermelon smoothie! It has that great watermelon flavor with a little extra kick.

Plus it is packed with lycopene. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have a frosty glass of watermelon juice than tomato juice!

(Lycopene is a bright red carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits, such as watermelon – and it’s one of the most potent antioxidants out there!)

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 cups Chopped Seedless Watermelon
• 1 cup Crushed Ice
• 1 tsp Honey
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• Watermelon wedge (for garnish)

Step 1: Prepare.

First, chop watermelon into chunks. Second, crush some ice. (Or, what I prefer to do is freeze the watermelon chunks. You can skip the ice in this case.)

Removing the seeds isn’t a bad idea, either, because even the little white ones can be annoying in a smooth drink like this.

Step 2: Blend.

Blend the watermelon and ice into a thick drink.

Step 3: Add extra flavor.

Add in the honey, lemon juice, and black pepper. Make sure the pepper is finely ground or it will sink to the bottom.

(Don’t be concerned about the black pepper. It actually adds a nice kick, but you don’t really taste the pepper itself.)

Step 4: Blend.

Now blend it all together.

Step 5: Garnish.

Pour the finished drink into a glass.

Slide a watermelon wedge on the side of the glass to garnish. (Just like you’d do with a lemon wedge.)

Then serve!