Protein shakes these days receive a lot of attention due to the high amount of protein in a very small serving size. Protein shakes consist of protein powder which is purchased in the form of a large container of about 30 servings. One serving is about 20 to 30 grams of protein and comes in the form of just one scoop being placed inside of water and then either stirred or shaken and then consumed in liquid form, making it a quick and convenient way to consume a high protein meal in a matter of seconds.
There are times in which protein shakes are very beneficial. Perhaps when someone is in a rush and they need a quick meal, a protein shake is a great option to turn to. In addition, sometimes protein shakes are utilized in the form of a meal replacement in the place of a meal to where only protein is absorbed as a fuel source removing fats and carbohydrates from that meal. While protein shakes are useful in the sense of convenience and replacing meals. They are not always necessary.
The high content of protein inside of protein powders can sometimes be too much protein in one setting for an individual utilizing protein powder as an extra source of protein and or a meal. If a person has not worked out efficiently, the body cannot absorb protein as efficiently, leaving excess calories from the protein being unabsorbed by the muscles. The extra protein that lays around goes right to the fat cells.
While protein shakes are very appropriate and probably necessary in the athletic arena of a high school, college, or professional athletes who are practicing one the two times a day and then doing a form of strength training one to two times a day on top of that, you can see you where an extra amount of protein will benefit them. Athletes in this scenario burn two to three thousand more calories per day then that of the general population, which are the people who work 8-hour days and have careers in some sort of job within our civilization. Therefore, athletes participating in these demanding conditions can absolutely benefit from the increased amount of protein in their diet to rebuild the muscles that have endured a significant amount of stress.
The individuals of the general population do not necessarily need a supplementary version of protein if a well-balanced diet of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates is practiced throughout the day. Adhering to a diet plan which takes in his into consideration eating 5 to 7 meals a day and having equal amounts of protein, carbohydrate, and healthy fats would be more beneficial than utilizing protein powder and making a shake. Practicing these healthy lifestyle factors will help lose weight and build lean muscle.
In addition, protein shakes are not the most wholesome form of consuming your meal. The emulsifiers and additives present in protein powder meant to stabilize the powder consistency inside of the protein shake are ingredients that only someone in the food manufacturing industry or a biochemistry class can understand. Therefore, these extra ingredients that are unidentifiable are mysterious pieces of matter that you are putting into your body. More often than not, it’s usually better to consume the food products in which you know what they are and where they come from. Consuming unprocessed foods will also help reduce the risk of gastrointestinal issues, allergies to gluten and dairy, and reduce inflammatory factors that could cause cancer as well.
A good alternative to protein powder is creating your own version of a protein shake.
If you have a blender this is a great recipe to use in the form of a protein shake:
1 banana
1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
1 Tablespoon Almond Butter
1 Raw Egg
1 cup water
-Put these all in a blender and blend until smooth!
This protein shake is ideal for after you are done doing any sort of work out that last 30 or more minutes. The banana will serve as healthy carbohydrates in which your body needs to use as energy when rebuilding muscle and transporting protein to the muscle cell that has been stressed from the workout. In addition, you have three other sources of protein which are the Chia seeds, almond butter, and raw egg. The egg, almond butter, and chia seed will also act as a source healthy fats to add into your meal.
Don’t get me wrong, protein shakes are not the worst thing in the world. In fact, they helped a lot of people lose weight. However, if you’re looking for a more wholesome approach to a meal that has not been processed, packaged, preserved, and put into a container… it’s always better to get your nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats from a meal that you can create yourself.
