Kerry McClure – Practical Wellness
34 mins ·
Today I’m sharing some thoughts on protein powders and offer you a protein-powder-free smoothie option…
In my personal journey to remove as many processed/refined food-like substances from my eating habits as I can, I’ve come up against one that I continue to have a love / dislike relationship with – protein powder.
Love it for its ease of use, availability and seemingly abundant health benefits.
Dislike it for the cost, variety (which one to choose), processed/food-like substance (not all but a few), and the myriad of ingredients found in a few of these protein powder concoctions.
I do use protein powder but on a limited basis and I’m very selective as to which one(s) I use. In fact, I’m in the process of redoing my recipes to provide a non-protein powder whole food option. So if you see one of my recipes that you like and it has protein powder in it, there’s a new version coming soon! I’ll continue to leave the protein powder version available for those times when you want to use a protein powder.
While all protein powders have their health claims, they’re not all created equal. Finding the right one for your individual needs depends on your budget, availability, current health, health needs and goals, dietary restrictions, and/or bioavailability (how easily it’s absorbed by your body) of the protein powder.
When purchasing protein powders, my general rule of thumb is to go straight for the ingredient list and nutrition facts. Do you recognize all the ingredients as real food? Is it minimally processed? Is it low in sugar and is the ingredient list short?
Here are a few general thoughts to help support you in selecting the protein powder that serves you best:
1. Source and bioavailability: choices include whey, casein, egg white protein, soy protein, pea protein, hemp protein, rice protein, etc.
2. If your protein powder is marketed as a specific type (i.e. whey isolate), make sure it’s the first ingredient in the list.
3. Check for artificial sweeteners. To keep the carbohydrate count low, some companies will sometimes use these instead of real sugar.
4. Make sure the ingredient list is short. You’re buying protein powder not additives. My general rule of thumb is no more than 5 ingredients. If there’s more than that make sure you can pronounce them all and you know what they are.
5. Choose organic or non-GMO protein powders.
6. Pick a neutral flavor. Unflavored or vanilla-flavored seem best.
7. Know how your protein powder is made. I prefer enzyme-based methods. This is the cleanest and least processed method.
8. I steer clear of any processed powder, or other foods for that matter, with the term “natural flavors”. This catchall phrase could possibly include such items as MSG, GMOs, etc.
9. Maltodextrin is a highly processed food additive added to some protein powders to make their product mix easier. It’s usually derived from corn.
10. Soy and Sunflower Lecithin. These are additives to thicken protein powders and other foods. These are highly processed additives which may be GMO unless it says organic or non-GMO verified.
11. Be on the lookout for all the sugar terms used in the product which may include such additives as: syrup, juice, concentrate, fructose, sweetener, saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, xylitol and erythritol (sugar alcohols) and stevia. Know your sugars and how much is in your powder.
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If you’re interested in a protein-powder free, protein-packed smoothie alternative, here you go…
You can get more than 20 grams of protein with this whole foods, plant-based smoothie. Not to mention it’s loaded with fiber, calcium, antioxidants, and vitamins.
Protein Packed Smoothie
2 Servings
Ingredients:
2 cups spinach
2 cups almond milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
1 cup blueberries or cherries (pitted)
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup ice
Add more berries for sweetness (optional)
Directions:
Wash spinach and berries thoroughly
Place all ingredients in a high speed blender (like Vitamix) and blend until desired consistency
Sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings if you want an extra treat
Use organic ingredients as budget and availability allows
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What are your favorite smoothie recipes?
Share your favorite protein powders and let me know your questions.
Here’s to eating well. sleeping well. stressing well. moving well.
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Sources:
Recipe source of inspiration: www.mindbodygreen.com
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/…/why-your-plant-protein-powde…
http://www.prevention.com/…/…/best-protein-powders-smoothies
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