Protien for Healthy Smoothies
Quite a lot of you, like me, want to put a nutritional boost to your smoothies, Get them to be more like a whole meal. Yes they can be already packed with natural goodness like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants but how about adding protein to round it out as a meal. Well there are some good methods to achieve this.
Yogurt
This one is no real secret, many add yogurt to their smoothies without thinking to add some thickness and creaminess to their beverage. Yogurt is a fantastic source of protein, being anywhere from 8-22g depending on the type and style. For me personally first it is important would be to keep it as healthy as you can. So always opt for a non-fat yogurt. Also keep the flavor plain in order to not to take away from the natural fruit taste but also to ensure you don't get any other sugars or sweeteners. I have also used Vanilla yogurts too, just make sure its a natural vanilla but not some artificial flavor. The most beneficial yogurt to add is Greek Style. These pack the best amounts of protein compared to typical yogurts. If you are dairy sensitive you can go for another option similar to soy or rice based yogurts.
Yogurt has another benefit to improve your health like probiotics. Probiotics are live and active microorganisms that can help with your digestion, offer protection from harmful bacteria, reduce blood cholesterol. They also add to your systems 'good' bacteria. Standard yogurt contains a minimum of two strains of probiotics. Again though Greek yogurt being the best,will contain as many as six!
Protein Powders
Plenty of people whenever they think protein powders they think body builders packing on the muscles. Well protein powders are a much more mainstream now and can be good for anybody. In a tablespoon of most powders you may get an additional 20+ grams of protein and all your essential amino acids. Some even have added vitamins in addition. Protein in the powder form could be quicker to digest and simpler to be absorbed and used. They are offered in a number of flavors, however I might stick to a plain or vanilla in order to not contest with your fruits. Some protein powders come with fat and added sugars as well so do some label reading. The best of the powders tend to be the Whey Protein powders. They derive from the cheese making process so yes it is dairy based. If you are dairy sensitive, again there are many alternatives. Soy, rice, veggie and even hemp.
Oats?
This was a new one for me but you could add 1/2-1 cup of oats to the smoothie recipes. 3.5 oz of oats has about 17g of protein within it. We all know oats benefits to lowering cholesterol so why don't you add it to your smoothie too? Simplest way is to place it in your blender first and grind away till its much more of a powder. Then add your ingredients. One other way, and may even be a little more recommended, would be to soak the oats first in water for a few hours. Not really a great way for a quick spur of the moment breakfast smoothie but it is said soaking will improve nutrition absorption and easier for the stomach if yours is sensitive.
Yogurt
This one is no real secret, many add yogurt to their smoothies without thinking to add some thickness and creaminess to their beverage. Yogurt is a fantastic source of protein, being anywhere from 8-22g depending on the type and style. For me personally first it is important would be to keep it as healthy as you can. So always opt for a non-fat yogurt. Also keep the flavor plain in order to not to take away from the natural fruit taste but also to ensure you don't get any other sugars or sweeteners. I have also used Vanilla yogurts too, just make sure its a natural vanilla but not some artificial flavor. The most beneficial yogurt to add is Greek Style. These pack the best amounts of protein compared to typical yogurts. If you are dairy sensitive you can go for another option similar to soy or rice based yogurts.
Yogurt has another benefit to improve your health like probiotics. Probiotics are live and active microorganisms that can help with your digestion, offer protection from harmful bacteria, reduce blood cholesterol. They also add to your systems 'good' bacteria. Standard yogurt contains a minimum of two strains of probiotics. Again though Greek yogurt being the best,will contain as many as six!
Protein Powders
Plenty of people whenever they think protein powders they think body builders packing on the muscles. Well protein powders are a much more mainstream now and can be good for anybody. In a tablespoon of most powders you may get an additional 20+ grams of protein and all your essential amino acids. Some even have added vitamins in addition. Protein in the powder form could be quicker to digest and simpler to be absorbed and used. They are offered in a number of flavors, however I might stick to a plain or vanilla in order to not contest with your fruits. Some protein powders come with fat and added sugars as well so do some label reading. The best of the powders tend to be the Whey Protein powders. They derive from the cheese making process so yes it is dairy based. If you are dairy sensitive, again there are many alternatives. Soy, rice, veggie and even hemp.
Oats?
This was a new one for me but you could add 1/2-1 cup of oats to the smoothie recipes. 3.5 oz of oats has about 17g of protein within it. We all know oats benefits to lowering cholesterol so why don't you add it to your smoothie too? Simplest way is to place it in your blender first and grind away till its much more of a powder. Then add your ingredients. One other way, and may even be a little more recommended, would be to soak the oats first in water for a few hours. Not really a great way for a quick spur of the moment breakfast smoothie but it is said soaking will improve nutrition absorption and easier for the stomach if yours is sensitive.
