This whole food protein shake can be a great breakfast option, especially during the week when the morning hours seem a bit limited.
When we eat protein, we go for our rich sources of amino acids that play an important role in all living organisms.
Step-by-step Instructions
This recipe is relatively high in calories and fat, but the majority of the fat comes from healthy sources such as nuts, seeds, and avocado. It’s also a good source of fiber, which can help keep you feeling full and satisfied. The protein content is also decent, which can help support muscle growth and repair.
Whole food protein shake
Equipment
- Blender
- Mason jar
Ingredients
- ½ cup cranberries frozen
- ½ cup blueberries frozen
- ¼ organic lemon with the rind optional
- 1 tbsp chiaseeds
- 1 tbsp hempseeds
- 1 tbsp pumpkinseeds
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 2 raw walnuts
- 2 raw nuts Brazil
- ¼ size aavocado
- ½ tbsp coconut butter extra virgin
- ½ cup almond or hemp milk unsweetened
- ½ cup water normal
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. You can combine all the ingredients into a widemouthed quart-size Mason jar and use a hand-held immersion blender and drink it right from the jar.
- Be sure to add enough water so that the smoothie is drinkable but still thick (the total liquid must be an inch or two above the other ingredients before blending). You can also thicken it and eat it with a spoon.
Notes
TIP:
To activate the enzyme in seeds and nuts in any smoothie recipe for easy digestion, you can soak them ahead of time. Fill a bowl with enough water to cover the nuts or seeds and soak for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight if time permits.Nutritional Information
- calories: 547 (per serving (1½ cups),
- protein: 15g,
- carbohydrate: 27g,
- fat: 52g,
- saturated fat: 10g,
- fiber: 13g,
- cholesterol: 0mg,
- sodium: 41mg.
11 health benefits of whole food protein shake recipe
This whole food protein shake recipe is packed with nutrient-dense ingredients that offer a variety of potential health benefits. Let’s take a deeper look at how healthy it is to eat more protein foods.
1. Help stop weight gain after weight loss
Protein’s effect on metabolism, appetite, and muscle can also keep you from reclaiming the fat you worked so hard to lose.
One study reported that participants given more protein lost more weight and maintained their results better than those given less.
In fact, the high-protein group gained only 9% of lost weight, while the low-protein group gained 23%. 1
2. Prevent muscle loss and metabolic depression
You often lose muscle from a weight loss diet, which can slow down your metabolism. This makes it easier for you to get all the weight back (and more) after going away from the diet.
A high-protein intake combined with your strength training can help prevent part of this muscle loss and metabolic slowdown.
In fact, the researchers reported that participants’ metabolism decreased on a weight-loss diet, which provided 36% of calories, compared to a diet that provided nearly half that amount of protein. 2
Evidence suggests that daily protein shake intake as part of a weight loss diet can make muscle maintenance three and a half times more efficient. 3
3. Help you lose weight and reduce belly fat
Protein shake is a convenient way to increase your daily protein intake. Researchers generally agree that high-protein diets can help you lose more fat, especially fat from the stomach area. 4 5
In one study, a diet that provided 25% of calories to participants on a diet reduced 10% more abdominal fat after 12 months, accounting for half that amount. 6
4. May increase metabolism
Whole food protein shake helps boost metabolism because a lot of energy is spent digesting and metabolizing it. It also helps build muscle, which burns more calories than fat. 7 8
This is in part because a high-protein diet – especially when paired with strength training – can help you build muscle.
This can speed up metabolism because muscle burns more calories than fat.
Protein can also increase metabolism due to the amount of calories needed to digest and metabolize it. This is known as the TEF (thermic effect of food).
For example, 15–30% of protein calories are burned during digestion, while only 5–10% of carb calories and 0–3% of fat calories are burned during digestion. 9
5. Decrease appetite and hunger
Protein can reduce your appetite by affecting your hunger hormones. It can also help you feel full for a longer period of time, which can help you eat less and lose body fat.
First, it increases the levels of appetite-enhancing hormones such as GLP-1, PYY and CCK, while decreasing the levels of appetite hormones. 8 10 11 12 13
Second, protein helps you feel full for longer. 14 15
Whole food protein shake can be a convenient way to add extra protein to your diet. However, keep in mind that too much protein can still lead to excess calories.
A study found that shakes with 20–80 grams of protein all reduced their appetite by 50–65%, despite that their shake had lower protein content. 16
So if you are trying to lose weight, 20 grams per “whole food protein shake” is enough to reduce appetite.
6. Ensures low blood sugar levels
Proteins require a smaller portion of insulin than carbohydrates. By replacing lean carb high-carb and sugary foods, your glycemic index does not go through the roof. By ensuring that your glucose level is maintained a low profile, you are actually protecting yourself from type II diabetes. Now experts believe that high production of insulin is responsible for creating such a condition. Therefore, when it comes to diabetes, protein will be on your back.
7. Provides a better mood
Everyone wants to be happy. But when you feel fatigued all the time, you cannot have an encouraging state, and you do not have enough energy to practice what you love. However, if you enrich your diet with a protein surplus, you will promote a positive mood.
You can say that candy and sweets are making you happier than any other product. This is true, but only for the moment. However, once you finish that end of the chocolate, your system will feel like a devilish rollercoaster. Adrenaline will be released into your blood, making you feel anxious and fearful. In other words, extremes are not good for you.
On the other hand, once some amino acids are in our system, they will immediately help balance our hormones. This will prevent mood changes, so you will not have much anxiety, depression or weakness.
8. Ensures healthy brain function
Proteins are also required for the manufacture of neurotransmitters. Without these, our brain cannot function properly. Proteins will thus ensure that you have the appropriate long-term memory capabilities and you will be able to learn things much faster.
When you are focused and trying to really focus on what you are doing, your brain needs more amino acids to comply with your demands. Protein-rich foods will assure you a constant supply of these important compounds.
9. Keeps bones strong
Proteins are also important for your skeletal health. Unfortunately, most people suffer greatly from loss of bone density. Around the age of 30, our body reaches the maximum point of bone tissue, and it also stops the skeletal regeneration process. By the time we are 80, the density of our bones will become so weak that we will experience painful cases of osteoporosis.
But a good daily serving of protein can prevent these symptoms. Studies show that there is a strong correlation between protein and calcium. Bone metabolism will be improved thanks to the effective improvement of calcium retention. 17 18
10. Ensures a healthy heart
The power to maintain balanced blood sugar levels also has a positive effect on heart health. Some conditions that are harmful to our vital organs, such as diabetes and obesity, are kept at arm’s length in this way. By replacing bad foods with protein, you will have lower LDL cholesterol, which is the worst type, and lower triglyceride levels.
11. Ensures better quality of life
Adopting a diet rich in protein will lead to better quality of life. This may be due to the fact that as we age, our bodies find it difficult to metabolize amino acids that are important for muscle maintenance. Low intake of protein will only result in muscle loss, and our body will be weak to function properly. This is why the more we age, the more protein we need.
- Soenen S, Bonomi AG, Lemmens SG, Scholte J, Thijssen MA, van Berkum F, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. “Relatively high-protein or ‘low-carb’ energy-restricted diets for body weight loss and body weight maintenance?” Physiol Behav. 2012 Oct 10;107(3):374-80. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.08.004. Epub 2012 Aug 19. PMID: 22935440.[↩]
- Whitehead JM, McNeill G, Smith JS. “The effect of protein intake on 24-h energy expenditure during energy restriction.” Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1996 Aug;20(8):727-32. PMID: 8856395. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8856395.[↩]
- Hector AJ, Marcotte GR, Churchward-Venne TA, Murphy CH, Breen L, von Allmen M, Baker SK, Phillips SM. “Whey protein supplementation preserves postprandial myofibrillar protein synthesis during short-term energy restriction in overweight and obese adults.” J Nutr. 2015 Feb;145(2):246-52. doi: 10.3945/jn.114.200832. Epub 2014 Dec 17. Erratum in: J Nutr. 2015 Jun;145(6):1373. PMID: 25644344.[↩]
- Halkjaer J, Tjønneland A, Thomsen BL, Overvad K, Sørensen TI. “Intake of macronutrients as predictors of 5-y changes in waist circumference.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Oct;84(4):789-97. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/84.4.789. PMID: 17023705.[↩]
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- Due A, Toubro S, Skov AR, Astrup A. “Effect of normal-fat diets, either medium or high in protein, on body weight in overweight subjects: a randomised 1-year trial.” Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2004 Oct;28(10):1283-90. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802767. PMID: 15303109.[↩]
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I left out the hemp seeds and used a spoonful of maple syrup (I have a sweet tooth) and only 1.25c almond milk as I ran out and it was really good! Thank you very much!