What is in your protein shakes, and how can they be beneficial?
Our protein shakes offer approximately 20 grams of protein and are comprised of protein powder and other shake ingredients (see recipes below). The protein powder contains several components that help with the building and repairing of muscle tissue after a workout. Protein also aids in gaining lean muscle mass and even boosting our immune system!
Protein shakes specifically can be beneficial because of their convenience. Sometimes it’s challenging to get 20 grams of protein at one sitting. For instance, these portions below are approximately 20 g of protein. ¾ cup of Daisy cottage cheese
- 1 cup of Chobani’s lowfat Greek yogurt
- 1.5 cups of chickpeas, cooked
- 5 tablespoons of Adam’s natural peanut butter
- ¾ cup of raw almonds
- 1.5 cups of rolled oats, dry
- 2 Aidell’s chicken sausages
- 3 oz. flank steak
- 3.5 oz salmon
- 1 large chicken thigh
- 3 large eggs
- 3 slices of Trader Joe’s turkey bacon
Depending on who you are, you might find some of these hard to eat in one sitting. Ha! Smaller portions of some of these items combined might be a good option for you though. (i.e., 1/2 c. of yogurt + ¼ c. of almonds + 1-2 eggs).
How do I figure out the amount of protein I need?
For a better understanding of how much protein you might need per day, first figure out your body weight in kg by dividing your weight in lbs by 2.2 (i.e., 154lbs divided by 2.2 = 70kg). Next use one of the equations below. Choose the one that fits with your lifestyle best.
Keep in mind, if you are overweight, base your calculations using your healthy ideal weight not your current weight.
- SEDENTARY PERSON: minimum amount of protein recommended per day is .8 grams x your weight in kg. (i.e., .8 x 70kg = 56 grams of protein per day/18.7 grams per meal)
- MINIMALLY ACTIVE PERSON: 1 gram x your weight in kg (i.e., 1 x 70kg = 70 grams of protein per day/ 23.3 grams per meal)
- MODERATELY ACTIVE PERSON: 1.3 grams x your weight in kg (i.e., 1.3 x 70kg = 91 grams of protein per day/ 30.3 grams per meal)
- INTENSE EXERCISE: 1.6 grams to 2 grams x your weight in kg (i.e., 1.6 x 70kg = 112 grams of protein per day/ 37.3 grams per meal or 30 grams per meal with two 10 grams of snacks)
Why should I love your protein shakes more than some?!
We use CLEAN protein powder! By that, I mean our protein powder does not have any harmful fillers, dyes, or artificial sweeteners or flavors. Also, the whey protein we use is free from the growth hormone (rBST) and is ultrafiltered. We also offer a vegan organic protein. For more information on these two powders. You can find them here:
- Our whey protein is Jarrow Formulas Whey Protein, French Vanilla
- Our vegan protein is Orgain Organic Protein, Vanilla Bean
What is our recipe?
It’s simple!
For a vanilla protein shake:
- Add ¾ c. to 1 c. of water to a blender container
- 2 scoops of vegan protein or 1 1/3 scoops of whey protein
- Dash of cinnamon
- Half of a banana
- 1 tbsp of peanut butter or almond butter
- ¾ c. of small ice cubes
- BLEND!
For a chocolate protein shake:
- Add ¾ c. to 1 c. of water to a blender container
- 2 scoops of vegan protein or 1 1/3 scoops of whey protein
- Heaping tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
- Half of a banana
- 1 tbsp of peanut butter or almond butter
- ¾ c. of small ice cubes
- BLEND!
For those of you who might be sensitive to whey or any of the ingredients in the vegan protein powder, you could try to use a collagen powder instead. Just a suggestion! It works for my kids’ sensitive stomachs.
For more information on protein, check out this great article by Medical News Today.