• Hey everyone. This is a bonus mid-month post about protein, shakes and smoothies. Blended drinks can be an excellent supplement to a healthy, whole foods diet. Remember, “Eat foods, not too much, mostly plants.”
• I collected a lot of research into a review article we published in 2019. Many studies have shown the importance of hitting a protein goal, but people disagree on the optimal protein goal. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is very low. Studies have shown safety up to 4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (about 1 gram protein per pound of body weight). I like to keep it simple with patients and recommend ONE gram of protein per POUND of (ideal) body weight. So if you weight 120 pounds, shoot for 120 grams of protein. If you weigh 230 pounds but want to get down to 200, eat 200 grams of protein per day. It can be pretty hard to hit these goals without supplementing protein in the form of bars or a shake.
• The benefit to protein supplementation is most pronounced when you have a shake right before a meal. This fills up your stomach and makes you eat less during that meal. This concept is called volumetrics. Protein and fiber are the most satiating foods, so adding both to a shake helps people eat far less at meal time. Studies find that eating shakes in between meals is less effective for changing body composition (ie. losing body fat), likely because by the time of the next meal, the person is pretty hungry again.
• Ok, so we want a well-rounded diet made of real food. We know that a supplemental shake can help us reach our protein goal for the day. But how do we choose the right source of protein? Refer above to the review article on supplementation, but most people agree that the best protein powder for absorption and beneficial effects in the body is Whey, which comes from milk. People who cannot drink milk can typically still tolerate whey, but test it out first. Other options are pea protein (the new frontrunner in plant sourced protein), soy, rice, pumpkin, even watermelon seed. Many brands offer a whey version (which sometimes has whey concentrate, whey isolate, whey hydrolysate, milk protein concentrate, etc.) or a vegan or plant based version (usually mix but often contains pea protein). One more type of protein (that I snuck into the review article) is collagen. Collagen might not be the fountain of youth for hair, skin, and nails (as some brands promise), but it has many benefits for pain, gut health, bone and joint health, and other goals. We use a lot of whey and a lot of collagen in my house.
• I recommend to stick with trusted brands for plant or dairy protein. You usually get what you pay for. I am a big fan of Ghost protein. Anytime I try out a different brand, I am usually disappointed. Not the most clean (they have Oreo and chips ahoy flavors), but tastes amazing. For slightly better ingredients, check out Jocko and SFH brands. For collagen protein, Vital Proteins tastes great and has clean ingredients. You also want to look out for ingredients in these powders. Look for “cold-processed” whey that is will not be denatured. Look for grass-fed; organic is also worth looking for. You can’t always believe what you read on the label. The FDA does not regulate the supplement industry. Some brands use the terms “third party tested” or “good manufacturing process (GMP)” ; look for these. Also check for artificial sweeteners (the safest seem to be stevia and monk fruit).
• Ok, we have some ideas for protein sources. What else should go in the shake? You need a base, some sort of milk (or water if you are insane). We use Trader Joe’s hemp milk or Fairlife filtered cow’s milk (no lactose). Throw in a handful of ice. Peanut butter (or almond butter) gives the shake an excellent consistency, more creamy. This is also a great time to throw in nutritious whole foods. You have to use a very strong blender to chop spinach, other leafy greens, and to get the ice cubes blended completely. It really is worth it here to spring for a Vitamix or at least KitchenAid blender. We used this one until we upgraded to a Vitamix. Add seeds (chia and flax), nuts, fruit (berries are lowest sugar), and vegetables. Throw in stevia or monk fruit (xylitol tastes great but can hurt a dog, so keep away from pets). Experiment with different combinations and see what works the best. Ours usually turn out like milkshakes. But we also do fruit-based smoothies and love to throw in greens as well. You can alternatively add a packet of greens powder to capture all of the nutrients from numerous fruits and vegetables. You can add other supplements for different effects/goals: probiotics, fiber, caffeine, yogurt or probiotics powders, creatine, etc.).
• To get a quality blender plus a supply of all these ingredients, it gets pretty expensive. You may want to “outsource” the prep time and cost.
I can’t write a post about protein shakes without spreading the word on a new shop with high quality ingredients and amazing shakes: Better Blend.
A small business with a few locations in the Cincinnati area, Better Blend has been featured in Yahoo finance, Cincy Magazine, Voyage Ohio, and the US Reporter. (Full disclosure, my awesome cousin Kelly and her husband Nick just opened the first Louisville location). Check out their website and app – you can order ahead and drop in to pick it up.
In the Classic Blends, you’ll find tons of flavor mixes from fruity to chocolate to butter pecan to peanut butter. They have Bulk Blends for weight gaining gym-goers (more carbs and protein). They have Barista blends – coffee-themed. In addition to Blends, they have Bowls with frozen fruit blended as a base and tons of amazing toppings. They have several “Boosters” to customize your blend for the benefits you are seeking. Finally, the only added sweetener they use is Stevia, which adds no calories.
Better Blend just had a grand opening at their shop on Shelbyville Road in St. Matthews. Go out and support a local business and get a truly healthy, tasty shake on the go!
