Most people drink smoothies to get more fruits and veggies. But a new study suggests that how a smoothie is processed could affect how much of the good stuff — like polyphenols — your body actually absorbs.
Researchers reporting in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that pasteurizing smoothies with heat or pressure may increase the availability of polyphenols, the natural plant compounds linked to benefits for heart health, brain aging and inflammation.
The research team prepared green smoothies made with Granny Smith apples, celery, chicory, peppermint and lemon. They tested three versions: one raw, one pressure-pasteurized and one heat-pasteurized. All were put through a simulated digestion process to mimic what happens in your body.
After “digestion,” smoothies that had been pasteurized — especially with heat — released more polyphenols than the raw version. The high-heat smoothie had 44% of its polyphenols available for absorption, compared to just 17% in the untreated smoothie.
Why? Pasteurization may soften or break down plant cell walls, making it easier for the body to access these nutrients.
The team went one step further, simulating colonic fermentation with human gut bacteria. They found that the polyphenols in pasteurized smoothies were more readily converted into smaller compounds, some of which have been associated with antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects.
While the research is still in early stages, it points to the potential for using food processing methods to improve the bioaccessibility of beneficial nutrients.
This study was funded by the Government of Navarre and highlights how something as simple as pasteurization could impact what your gut actually gets from your smoothie.