Limeade Protein Shake

Name: Limeade Protein Shake
Ingredients: 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (20-30 grams); 1/2 avocado (frozen); 1 tbsp chia seeds; 1 handful baby spinach leaves; 2 cups limeade* (recipe follows); 1/2 tsp ashwagandha powder (optional (stress level)); 3 limes (juiced); 4 cups filtered water; 1 tsp liquid stevia (optional, add to taste)

Posted On September 4, 2020

Let us take a minute to talk about protein shakes, shall we. Protein shakes can be a great way to pack in a lot of nutrients into one meal that can help feed your gut, control your hunger as well as stabilize your insulin. They can also be a big disaster full of sugar (natural and added) as well as chemicals and just bulk that isn’t really doing you any good. So how do you ensure that you getting the benefits from your protein shake and not just drinking your calories. Let’s break it down by each component.

Protein Powder

Having protein in the morning when you wake up helps stabilize your blood sugar, satiety throughout your day, and curve your hunger hormones. This can be where you have a lot of hidden sugar and chemicals. No matter what your choice of protein is (whey, plant) I good rule of thumb is to look for what that the ingredient list is short and simple. The longer it is the more chance it has of being full of chemicals. You also want to look for one that isn’t full of sugar or artificial sweeteners. I like to look for ones that are sweetened with stevia, monk fruit.

Fat

Adding fat to your protein shake helps get your metabolism working, helps stabilize your blood sugars as well as keep you feeling fuller longer. Some good fats that I like to add are Almond butter, peanut butter, coconut oil, coconut butter, avocado (which adds fiber as well), and MCT oil. Little tip I always throw my extra avocado that I am not using at that moment in the freezer (frozen avocados are great in shakes). I know it seems weird to add fat to your shake but good fats do not make you fat in fact they have been shown to support healthy weight loss and maintenance. They also are great for brain health, so don’t be afraid to add 1-2 Tbs of fat!

Fiber

Fiber oh fiber I LOVE my fiber. Fiber is so important for gut health and blood sugar control. Fiber helps to regulate your gut, improve your digestion, and get rid of body waste. Fiber will also help slow down your digestion helping you to stay full longer. Some fiber options that I like to add to my shakes are chia seeds, flaxseeds, avocado (double whammy), Acacia fiber, and Psyllium husk Powder. The greens I usually always try to add have fiber as well.

Greens

Eat your greens or drink them in this case. Greens are completely optional to add but I always do. It is such a simple way to really sneak them into your diet every day especially with little ones. Greens are full of phytochemicals. Which is a great thing phytochemicals stimulate the release of antioxidants and enzymes that attack free radicals, help to detoxify our bodies, and fight inflammation (With all the bad in our food, water and environment this is crazy important). They are also choke full of vitamins and minerals that help with all sort of cellular functions and processes. Some of which include vitality and beauty. How your body feels on the inside can be a true reflection on the outside. Some greens that I like to use in my shakes are baby spinach, kale, micro-greens, collards, and sometimes even cauliflower (I know it is technically not green but it has a lot of the same nutrient properties).

Fruit

Sometimes I add it but most of the time I don’t and if I do add it I try to keep it under 1/4 cup and organic.

Don’t be afraid to play around with different options to customize your protein shake with your favorite flavors. It helps me to always do different ones so that I don’t get bored with the same flavors everyday. Please share some combinations that you try and love I love adding more to my rotation.