Eat It to Beat It: Swaps to Reduce Calories in Smoothies, Frothy Drinks

— -- It’s summer, and when it gets warm outside many people look for healthy ways to cool down. Smoothies may come to mind, but although they may seem like a healthy choice, some could be chock-full of sugar.

David Zinczenko, ABC News Nutrition and Wellness editor and the author of the book “Eat It to Beat It!,” appeared on “Good Morning America” today to offer ways to reduce the calories and sugar in three drinks.

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EXCERPT: 'Eat It to Beat It' by David Zinczenko, Plus Skirt Steak Recipe

The Drinks

BEAT IT: Peanut Power Plus Chocolate from Smoothie King’s Fitness Blends menu. It contains 1,047 calories and 94.5 grams of sugar.

EAT IT: Consider the Smoothie King’s Almond Mocha as an alternative. It’s also from the chain’s Fitness Blends menu, and contains 345 calories and 37 grams of sugar. It’s also a downsize at 22 ounces versus the Peanut Power’s 32 ounces. Choosing this over the Peanut Power will save you 702 calories and 57.5 grams of sugars.

BEAT IT: Kiwi Quencher from Tropical Smoothie Café’s low-fat smoothies menu. It contains 430 calories and 100 grams of sugar. Kiwi is considered a high-sugar fruit, but the non-fat yogurt concentrate also has plenty of sugar. This drink has 100 grams of sugar, which is the same amount of sugar that you'd have if you ate 21.4 Oreos.

EAT IT: The better choice is the 12-ounce Jetty Junior from the chain’s children’s menu. It contains 170 calories and 36 grams of sugar. The only drinks on the menu with fewer than 67 grams of sugar (not including the options which include the artificial sweetener, Splenda) are on the children’s menu. This option saves you 260 calories and 65 grams of sugar.