Smoothies and juices aren't as popular as they used to be. It used to be the case that you couldn't walk down the street without seeing someone clutching a smoothie bottle - these were the drinks to be seen with long before soy chai lattes were even invented.
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It seems we've all heeded the warnings about sugar levels though, as sales of the fruity beverages have plummeted by £76 million over the last 12 months. Market analysts Kantar Worldpanel report that the smoothie and juice sector has seen a decrease in earnings of 5.3 per cent (although the area is not to be sniffed at, as it's still worth $1.4 billion).
Juices have been hit particularly badly, with sales dropping by around 8.2 per cent. Smoothies used to be a drinks area which boasted constant growth, but sales in the sector have now fallen by 5.3 per cent.
According to The Grocer magazine, this is likely to be due to the "war on sugar". It's become an increasingly hot topic of late, with warnings that a fifth of UK children are obese or overweight by the time they start primary school. That shoots up to a third by the time they leave.
One of the largest fears is the impact the epidemic will have on the health service, as it's forced to cope with an increased amount of illnesses like diabetes - those conditions impacted by bad diets.
A major issue with smoothies and juices is that they have long been touted as a healthy alternative to fizzy drinks, because they're full of fruit and sometimes vegetables. However, they also tend to be stuffed with sugar which ramps up the calorie intake.
So you've ditched the drinks, but what should you be adding into your diet? There are a number of things which are surprisingly good options, especially as you might not think to include them. For example, cinnamon not only adds flavour but is also good at stabilising blood sugar levels which should mean you don't crave as much sugar. Similarly, chilli can help you burn calories rather than hang on to them, thanks to the way it heats up our bodies as we eat it.
You may have heard of quinoa too, and if you haven't given it a go it's time to get involved. This is a great substitute for rice and potatoes because it is lower in carbohydrates but high in protein, meaning you'll stay fuller for longer.
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