The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
April Issue 114
Article Provided By:Kathryn Hartwell for The Newsy Neighbour
Health products include vitamins for your
heart, bones, organs and tissues, pro-biotics, memory and brain support, multi-vitamins,
sleep support, weight control and weight loss, amino-acids, anti-aging, liver cleanses,
aromatherapy, minerals, creams, vision health, energy, enzymes, green foods,
homeopathy’s shampoos, sports nutrition, for stress, turmeric, collagens, aloe
Vera, oils, grains, and the list goes on and on. These health products contribute
to the billions of dollars the public spends yearly in the name of staying
healthy.
Out of the millions of products for your
health, I have chosen this article to focus on protein powders. Not all protein
powders are created equal—like everything else in life, there will always be a
greater or lesser quality with any purchase you make, especially when it comes
to the food we eat. When it comes to protein powders, this is especially true. If
you care to venture to any one of the numerous health supply stores in your
town, you will find hundreds of different protein powders. Tell me how on earth
a person is able to sort through and decide which is the best for you,
especially since all our body chemistries are different and different products
will affect people in different ways?
Well, believe it or not, I actually have the
answer to that exact question. MAKE YOUR OWN! Yes, you can DIY with your very
own custom protein powder—after all, who knows your body better than you do?
And you will know exactly what you are drinking. I’m afraid to tell you there
are some sketchy products on the market with chemicals you do not want to be
adding to your morning smoothie.
Such as:
Carrageenan
According to research from
the Cornucopia Institute, carrageenan can wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal
tract. Animal studies suggest it may even lead to inflammation, intestinal
lesions, ulcers and tumours — eek!
Heavy Metals
A Consumer Reports study of 15 popular protein powders found that
many contained heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury, some
in quantities that exceed safety limits. How do they get in there? Some heavy
metals occur naturally in the earth, while others come from pesticides and
fertilizer that make their way into the soil and water used to grow the
ingredients.
Sugar Substitutes
To avoid
turning your recovery shake into a gut-busting milk shake, labels that say
“low-carb,” “low-sugar” or “sugar-free” sound like a good idea. The problem?
Many manufacturers often add something else to make their protein more
palatable. This is often an artificial sweetener such as sucralose, aspartame
or saccharin, or sugar alcohols, which may appear on the ingredient panel as
sorbitol or maltitol. There really isn’t a good option in the bunch. Recent
research links artificial sweeteners with everything from weight gain to cancer
while sugar alcohols can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea in perfectly healthy
people. Without sugar or sugar substitutes in your powder, you can always
sweeten your drink with fresh or frozen fruit or a squeeze of honey.
Back to the
good news – easy, healthy, and marvelous “Homemade Protein Powders”.
Homemade
Protein Powder
Makes 10 servings
3 cups (240 gm) instant nonfat dry milk, divided 1 cup (80 gm) old fashioned or
instant dry oats
1 cup (142 gm) almonds Sweetener
of your choice
Place 1 cup instant dry milk, 1 cup oats, 1 cup
almonds in blender. Pulse until smooth.
Place remaining instant dry milk in blender and
pulse just a few times until blended.
Place in container and cover tightly. Keep at room
temperature if you use within 2 weeks - if storing longer, store in the
refrigerator so the nuts don't go rancid.
To use, scoop 1/2 cup into 1/2-1 cup liquid in a
blender; if possible let set 5-10 minutes for oats to plump. Add additional
fruits, flavourings, yogurt or milks of your choice. Vanilla or almond extract
is especially delicious.
DIY Plant-Based
Protein Powder
Serves: 4 servings
½ cup almond meal (or use sunflower seed flour
for nut-free)
⅓ cup chia seed
¼ cup hemp hearts
2 tbsp carob powder (optional)
1 tbsp Maca Powder
Pinch of sea salt
Grind the chia seed and hemp hearts in a
coffee or spice grinder individually until a fine flour. Be careful not to
overgrind. Mix together all the ingredients together (omit carob powder for an
original flavour) and store in an air-tight container in a dry, dark place. Use
4 tbsp in a smoothie.
Homemade Protein Powder
See how
easy it is to make your own protein powder with this recipe? Adapted from the
lovely Emily at Daily Garnish
Author:
The Seasonal Diet
Recipe
type: Protein Powder
Serves:
16
1½ cups
hemp protein
1 cup + 2
tbsp ground flax meal
½ cup
toasted carob
½ cup raw
cacao
4 tsp
vanilla bean powder
½ - 1 tsp
stevia
4 tablets
chlorella, ground up (1/2 tsp. if you have powder)
¼ cup
maca powder
Add all
ingredients to a large bowl, mix well to combine. Store in an air-tight
container in the freezer. Feel free to double the recipe and switch the
superfoods based on what you have on hand!
This protein
powder tastes great, it’s super filling and satisfying. Oh, and there’s no
chalky taste/texture! It has no common allergens (whey, soy, corn), it’s free
of refined sugar and sweetened with stevia (a low glycemic sweetener), there
are no preservatives, and it’s full of superfoods to help you stay focused and
fueled throughout the day! Drink it with water, almond milk or add it to your
favourite smoothie!
There you
have it—you can have your cake (protein powder) and eat it, too!! Be healthy.
Kathryn
Hartwell
References: livestrong.com, teaspoonofspice.com, forkandbeans.com and
the seasonaldiet.com
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