Whether you are looking forward to reducing weight or just putting on some extra pounds on your body, protein shakes are a must-have. If you are into the gym with a trainer, they might recommend some high-quality protein shakes. These delicious shakes have a creamy consistency, rich texture, and a delicious taste.
Importance of Protein for Health
Protein is an important nutrient for your body if you are looking to maintain health. Whether you are looking to lose weight or build up some muscle mass, adding protein to your diet will help you in the process.
Now, many people think that adding protein will increase their daily calorie intake which can result in weight gain. However, this is quite far from the truth. Having enough protein will boost your metabolism, reduce your cravings for hunger and keep you full for a longer time. The recommended protein intake is 1.5 grams per kg of your body weight.
Protein Shakes as A Part of Healthy Lifestyle
Many people find it impossible to consume a lot of protein because of different reasons like:
- Buying a lot of meat may be expensive.
- A lot of meat might cause you to develop a dislike towards healthy protein.
- Most vegetarians take protein in the form of nuts, legumes, and beans which have good amounts of protein in them but are really high in carbs. (an unwanted situation for weight watchers).
To avoid all these nutritional complications, having sufficient amounts of protein in the form of a protein shake may be the best way. They are delicious drinks made from protein-rich powder,mixed with water or milk. . It is then mixed with water or milk for convenience. If you want to increase the quantity of protein in your diet with a kick of extra energy, they are a perfect addition.
Benefits of Protein Shakes
You can drink them before (or after) your workout, for breakfast, or during any part of the day, you feel like eating something. It is recommended not to have more than 2 servings of protein shake a day. Fortunately, a single serving of protein shake covers 20 to 40 grams of your daily protein requirement depending on your body weight.
There are different noteworthy benefits of protein shakes in your diet:
- Protein shakes reduce hunger, cravings, and appetite meaning that you will feel full for a longer time. They are known to increase the level of hormones like CCK and PYY.
- People who take protein shakes are known to eat 250 to 300 fewer calories than they normally do.
- Protein shakes reduce your cravings by 60%.
- Protein shakes can boost your metabolism which will help you burn more calories.
- They can also help you build muscle.
- Having a recommended amount of protein shake will help you lose weight faster and when you consume more protein than fat, you will reduce belly fat faster.
- Protein shakes will prevent you from losing muscle mass even if you skip workouts.
- Protein shakes will reduce your cravings which ultimately prevent a person from regaining weight.
Protein Shakes at Home
For those who can afford to buy bottles over bottles of protein shake powder, there seem to be no issues. On the other hand, for people who cannot afford to buy them – there is no issue. Buy some fresh fruits from your grocery stores, get some nuts from beyond the nut, and some vegetables from your local vendor because we will discuss some delicious protein shake recipes.
Chocolate Protein Shake
Who doesn’t like chocolate? If you like naturally tasting chocolate with a bitter taste, this might be the protein shake of your dreams. Here is how to make it:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon raw cashews butter (you can use other but butter too e.g. almond butter)
- 1 chopped apple
- 1 tablespoon natural dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup fresh yogurt
- 2 dates, pitted
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Grate the protein shake with dark chocolate.
- Drink chilled.
Raspberry Red Protein Shake
This protein shake is much more than taste. In fact, it makes quite an attractive glass for those who love the color vibrant pink. If you love berries and like your protein shake rich with tart raspberry flavor with earthy notes – this is the perfect protein shake for you. Here is how to make it:
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt (which is low in carbs)
- ¾ cup protein water or milk
- ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- ½ cup raw beet, diced
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
- 1 tablespoon agave
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Sprinkle the protein shake with a pinch of hemp hearts.
- Drink chilled.
Sattu Protein Shake
Made from gram flour, Sattu is also known as poor man’s food. This Indian protein shake costs you less than a tenth of whey protein. You can easily make it at your home and if you feel like buying it, they are available at local Indian stores. It is quite rich in calories and has a great amount of protein. Here is how to make it:
Ingredients
- 1/ teaspoon of roasted cumin
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- 4 tablespoon Sattu powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 glass water
- 1 tablespoon coriander
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Drink chilled.
Banana-Nut Protein Shake
Do you like nut butter? Oh, who doesn’t? Enjoy this sweet yet protein-packed drink with rich texture before your gym or for breakfast. Either way, entertain your toast buds. Here is how to make it:
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 2 tablespoon nut butter (it can be natural peanut butter or cashew butter made from raw cashews)
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- ½ cup milk (you can use any milk you like)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Mix chia seeds in the protein shake and sprinkle them with cocoa powder.
- Drink chilled.
Mix Berry Vegan Protein Shake
Vegans don’t usually have a lot of variety available when it comes to protein shakes. If you are a vegan, we have the perfect protein shake recipe for you. It combines a perfect blend of berries with some chia seeds. This protein shake is a perfect blend of different berries and comes with a thick frothy taste reminding you of the summer days at the beach. Here is how to make it:
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk
- ⅓ cup tofu
- ½ cup fresh or frozen mixed berries (blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon agave
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Mix chia seeds in the protein shake.
- Drink chilled.
Conclusion
Protein shakes are a delicious treat for people looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You can buy protein powder from stores or if you’re feeling creative, make one at home. These protein shakes will give you several health benefits and allow you to have a filling yet delicious drink packed with the goodness of protein at very reasonable prices. Make sure to follow the recipe correctly and you will easily make, at your home, some amazing protein shakes. The best part is that they don’t take more than a few minutes to get ready.
