Vitality Bowl is a popular chain of restaurants that serves acai bowls, smoothies, and other healthy meal options. Many people choose Vitality Bowl because they want to avoid added sugars and eat more natural, unprocessed foods. But with tasty ingredients like fruit, juices, nuts, and chocolate, some may wonder if Vitality Bowl smoothies and bowls contain added sugars. This article will analyze the nutrition information for Vitality Bowl menu items to determine if added sugars are present.
What is Added Sugar?
Added sugars refer to any sugars that are not naturally present in foods and drinks. This includes table sugar (sucrose), high fructose corn syrup, honey, syrups, and more. Added sugars provide extra calories but lack essential nutrients. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories.1 This equals about 12 teaspoons or 48 grams of added sugars for a 2000 calorie diet.2 Consuming too many added sugars has been linked to weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems.3
Many people mistakenly think that sugar only comes from obvious sources like candy, soda, and baked goods. But added sugars can sneak into our diets in surprising places like bread, yogurt, cereal, salad dressing, and more. Checking nutrition labels is the only way to truly identify added sugars. Any sugar ingredient like cane sugar, brown rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate, etc. counts as added sugar.
Acai Bowls
Acai bowls are a signature menu item at Vitality Bowl. They feature a blended acai berry base topped with various fruits, nuts, seeds, and crunchy toppings. Acai berries are naturally low in sugar with only around 2 grams per 4 ounce serving.4 However, Vitality Bowl acai bowls contain added sugars from fruit juices, agave nectar, honey, dried fruits, and other mix-in toppings.
For example, the Dragon Bowl contains strawberries, bananas, honey, coconut, and house-made peanut butter. Just 1 tablespoon of honey has 17 grams of added sugars.5 A quarter cup of dried coconut has 7 grams of added sugar.6 And 2 tablespoons of peanut butter contributes 3 grams of added sugars.7 So this bowl likely supplies at least 25-30 grams of added sugars.
Other bowls with tropical fruit like mango, pineapple, and banana also provide a significant amount of natural sugars plus added sweeteners. Customers can request no added honey or agave to reduce sugar content. But the dried fruit toppings and fruit juices in the blended base still contribute added sugars.
Acai Bowl Sugar Content
– 25-35 grams per bowl on average
– Varies based on toppings selected
– Main sources are fruit juices, honey, agave, dried fruit
Smoothies
Vitality Bowl offers nutrient-dense smoothies containing superfoods and supplements to boost health. But many of these thick, fruit-filled drinks also deliver added sugars.
For example, the Beaming Berry smoothie contains strawberries, bananas, blueberries, rice protein, flaxseed, and their antioxidant “flash” which likely includes fruit juices for sweetness. One banana has 14 grams of natural sugar.8 1 cup of blueberries has 15 grams of sugar.9 So with the added rice protein, “flash”, and other ingredients, this smoothie likely provides 30+ grams of added sugar in a 24 ounce size.
Other fruit-based smoothies like the Sunrise, Tropical Fruit, and Acai-licious also contain around 30 grams of added sugars or more per 24 ounce serving. However, vegetable-centric smoothies like the Vital Green and Super Red with greens, carrots, beets, ginger, and lemon contain minimal added sugars. The veggie smoothies get sweetness mostly from small amounts of fruit instead of fruit juices or sweeteners.
Smoothie Sugar Content
– Fruit smoothies: 30+ grams per 24 oz
– Vegetable smoothies: 5-10 grams per 24 oz
– Main sources are fruit, fruit juices, agave, honey
Bowls Without Added Sugars
While many Vitality Bowl smoothies and acai bowls contain added sugars, some menu items avoid added sweeteners. Here are some low sugar bowls under 10 grams of added sugar:
Açaí Bowl – Plain açaí blended with water instead of fruit juice. Ask for no honey or agave.
Green Bowl – Greens, avocado, celery, cucumber, lemon juice. No fruit or sweeteners.
Chia Pudding Bowl – Chia seeds soaked in coconut milk or almond milk. Top with fresh fruit and toasted nuts instead of dried fruit.
Overnight Oats – Rolled oats soaked in dairy or non-dairy milk. Skip the honey in the recipe.
Buddha Bowl – Savory bowl with greens, sauteed veggies, chicken, avocado. Ask for dressing on the side.
Smoothies Under 10g Added Sugars
These low sugar Vitality Bowl smoothies keep added sugars minimal by focusing on vegetables, healthy fats, and herbs over fruit juices or sweeteners:
Vital Green – Greens, avocado, banana, dates, spirulina, ginger
Super Red – Beets, carrots, banana, sunflower butter, cinnamon
Mint Chip – Spinach, avocado, cacao nibs, mint, coconut milk
Blue Majik – Blue spirulina, banana, coconut milk, spinach, flaxseed
How to Order Low Sugar at Vitality Bowl
Ordering a bowl or smoothie lower in added sugars at Vitality Bowl is easy. Follow these guidelines:
– Choose vegetable-based or plain açaí bowls over fruit-filled options
– Opt for veggie smoothies instead of fruity drinks
– Request no honey, agave, or other liquid sweeteners
– Ask for light drizzle of dressings, sauces, and nut butters
– Limit dried fruit toppings
– Skip sugary cereals, granola, and trail mix add-ins
– Choose fresh fruit or cacao nibs for crunch instead of coconut
– Order small or medium sizes instead of large or extra large
Added Sugar in Other Menu Items
While smoothies and acai bowls are the main attractions at Vitality Bowl, the restaurant also serves up packaged snacks, baked goods, and food items that may contain added sugars:
Packaged Drinks – Bottled kombucha, juice, and coconut water often include added sugars. Check labels for grams of sugar and avoid options over 12g per serving.
Oatmeal – The oatmeal itself is unsweetened but comes with craisins and bananas that provide extra sugar. Ask for minimal mix-ins.
Granola – Homemade granolas and cereals typically have sugar additions. Order a low added sugar variety.
Muffins and Baked Goods – Sweet muffins, cookies, brownies etc. can easily supply 20+ grams of added sugar apiece. Opt for a mini size.
Chocolate and Nut Butters – Contains 3-5 grams added sugar per serving. Ask for light drizzle.
Dressings and Salsa – Often include added sweeteners. Request on the side.
Should You Avoid Added Sugars Completely?
While limiting added sugar is smart for health, some sugar additions in moderation are perfectly reasonable for most people. Here are some benefits of allowing some added sugar in your diet:
– Enjoyment! A small amount of sweetness improves flavor.
– Energy for exercise. Sugar, especially from fruit, provides fast fuel for active lifestyles.
– Weight management. Very low sugar diets are hard to sustain long-term for some.
– Mental health. Strict sugar avoidance can encourage an unhealthy relationship with food.
– Nutrient absorption. Glucose aids in the absorption of antioxidants from fruit.10
The key is being mindful about added sugars and limiting intake instead of strictly eliminating. Choose whole food sources of sugar like fruit most often, then reserve small amounts of refined sugars for occasional treats.
The Bottom Line
Vitality Bowl uses healthy and natural ingredients, but many menu items still contain significant added sugars, mainly from fruit, juices, honey, and other sweeteners. Fruit-filled acai bowls, dried fruit toppings, and fruity smoothies tend to be highest. Getting veggies instead of fruit, minimizing liquid sweeteners and dried toppings, and choosing smaller sizes are ways to order lower sugar items at Vitality Bowl. But there’s no need to completely avoid the added sugars here. Just balance them within your daily diet, and sweeten smartly to align with your health goals.
References
1. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020.
2. Mayo Clinic. Added sugars: Don’t get sabotaged by sweeteners. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328
3. Stanhope KL. Sugar consumption, metabolic disease and obesity: The state of the controversy. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2016;53(1):52-67. doi:10.3109/10408363.2015.1084990
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. Acai, (fruit, raw). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169704/nutrients
5. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. Honey. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169640/nutrients
6. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. Coconut meat, dried (desiccated), sweetened, shredded. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170168/nutrients
7. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. Peanut butter, smooth style. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172479/nutrients
8. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. Bananas, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173944/nutrients
9. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. Blueberries, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171711/nutrients
10. Johnston K, Sharp P, Clifford M, Morgan L. Dietary polyphenols decrease glucose uptake by human intestinal Caco-2 cells. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2005;56(6):449-57. doi: 10.1080/09637480500417768. PMID: 16277692.
