Protein is the essential building blocks of muscle tissue, it is required to repair and build muscles and is the primary source of your muscle mass. Protein is also a main energy source for our bodies. In fact if you are not eating enough, you body will use the protein stored in your muscle mass, which results in muscle shrinkage over time. It is the first source your body will go for when it starving, yes that means your body will actually reduce your muscle mass before it will use your fat reserves as an energy source. This is why diet is so important, because if you are not eating right, you will be building fat while our body is using muscle mass for its energy source. Protein powder will provide your body with supplemental protein in the event you are not taking enough in through your regular diet.

When Should I Take Protein Powder?

Protein powder and other protein supplements are intended to provide the necessary level of protein when you regular diet is not providing an adequate amount of protein. Typically protein powder is used in a workout shake when user need to build muscle mass and aid in the repair and growth of their muscles. Protein shakes are usually best consumed right before or right after a work out for optimal absorption into muscle mass.

What are the Different Type of Protein Powder?

There are a few different types of protein powder, each type could be an entire post in itself so I will try to keep this short by briefly explaining the differences.

• Whey Protein – Whey protein is the most common type of protein powder out there. Beleive it or not whey protein is actually the byproduct of making cheese, which means it is dairy based and those of you that are lactose intolerant will need to find an alternative. Whey protein powder is the preffered protein supplement, as it is the only one that contains all the essential amino acids required by our bodies.
• Casein Protein – Casein protein contains most of the amino acids you will find in whey protein but not all. The major attraction to casein protein is its ability to congeal in the stomach allowing a slow release of the proteins over several hours, allowing you to drink a casein protein shake a couple of hours before your work out. This property also makes it attractive supplement for hiking and other endurance work outs.
• Soy Protein – Soy protein is generally an unpopular choice amongst body builders and generally only recommended if you have special dietary concerns that prevent you from using other protein powders. Soy protein is not absorb as easily into the body effectively ‘wasting’ most of the protein and losing its effectiveness as a work out shake supplement.
• Egg White Protein – Egg white protein is go to protein for those of us with dietary concerns. Egg white protein powder is both lactose and dairy free, while still containing most of the essential amino acids and being easily absorbed by our bodies for muscle building and repair

I hope this helps clear up some of the mystery surrounding protein powders. If you have any questions or concerns please write me and I will address them in this blog. Thanks for reading.

Green Energy Smoothie

• 1 tbsp of Amazing Grass Green SuperFood
• 2 cups of apple juice (as always organic is preferred)
• 1 tbsp of protein powder (see our protein powder post for more info)
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup of mixed berries (can be frozen or fresh)
• 1 tbsp of flax seed or hemp seed oil (can also use fish oil if you prefer)
• 1 cup of ice

The apple juice should cover any of the ‘green’ taste and prevent the smoothie from tasting like grass. You will be getting antioxidants from the berries, plenty of potassium and a nice consistency from the bananas and your Omega 3′s from the flax seed and hemp seed oil. The Green SuperFood will provide a great natural energy boost and should give you the perfect boost to your day.

Healthy Chocolate Smoothie (Vegan)

• 2 tbsp of natural or organic cocoa powder
• 2 cups or frozen blue berries (fresh works too!)
• 5 oz of organic baby spinach, this can be frozen or fresh
• 1/2 cup of soy milk (you can also use almond if you have allergies to soy)
• 1 banana
• 2 medjool dates (i know what your thinking, but trust me)
• 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds (you may substitute for flax seed oil)

When you are blending this smoothie, you will notice it is not as creamy consistency as most smoothies, but it is full of flavor, if you prefer the creamier texture you can some yogurt to the smoothie however you will no longer have a vegan smoothie, unless you are using a soy or coconut based yogurt.

Ingredient breakdown (aka why it is good for you):

Calorie for calorie spinach is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, we have vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, protein, lutein and the list goes on, the best part is you can not taste it. The blueberries are adding flavor and tons of anti oxidants to the smoothie. The banana will add texture and potassium to the smoothie. The dates have a high tannin content and will add a mild cleansing power to the smoothie, as well as aide in digestion. This smoothie also has plenty of omega 3′s from the spinach and the flax seeds. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of this recipe!

Something I said I was going to do on my site to keep if different from all the other smoothie recipe and smoothie maker sites is actually let you know what the smoothie ingredients do for you.

Okay enough talk, on with the ultimate breakfast smoothie! (this should fill up a pint glass worth of smoothie goodness)

• 1 banana
• 1 cup of you favorite berry mix (I use whole foods 365 frozen strawberries and blue berries)
• 4 0z of Vanilla So-Delicious Coconut Yogurt (you can use any vanilla yogurt)
• 1/2 packet of Sambazon Frozen Acai Berry
• 1 Scoop of whey protien poweder
• 60z of apple juice (to be honest I always eyeball this part)
• topped of with a little bit of soy milk (or almond milk, or hemp milk )
• 1 tbsp of flax seed oil (i swear you won’t take it)

This smoothie should be a creamy consistency but not overly chunky, so you might need to add more milk or apple juice to get the consistency down.

So in this smoothie we will have potassium from the banana, boat loads of antioxidants from the berries and acai blend. (both incidentally good for hang overs, but I swear its not why I use them) plenty of acidophiles form the yogurt to help you digestion, all kinds of benefits from the protein powder including keeping your hunger in check until lunch and more vitamin c than in a glass of orange juice, plus omega 3′s and omega 6′s.  I promise you will feel full and ready to tackle the day. This smoothie usually gives me enough energy to skip my morning coffee, if you find yourself still craving caffiene you can add a little green matcha powder. Let me know what you all think and share and suggestions if you have it them. Thanks for reading

Smoothies, like so many things in life that become a popular are often far to hyped up to have any real meaning for most people. Smoothies and Juicing are huge buzzwords right now in the health industry. Everyone is talking about why should juice this and make a smoothie with that. Honestly there is just so much crap out there that it is damn near impossible to find any good information. If you spend a few minutes googling smoothies you will find your self some where deep into acai berry weight loss spam land. So I decided to try to clear the air a little but like our buddies over at Cleanse Your Body Fast Guide (which sadly I think they/he/she stopped writing) and just give it to you straight.

There are many reasons people make smoothies including

• Increase daily calorie intake (yes some people want more calories in their diet)
• Post workout recovery shake
• Save time in the morning (drink a complete breakfast on your way to work)
• To get drunk in a fancy manor
• Meal Replacement for weight loss and weight gain
• Making smoothies as a dietary supplement
• Because they taste so damn good! (the most important reason)

I love smoothies, I currently make a smoothie almost every morning before work (okay so that is a lie, maybe almost every other morning is more accurate). It is an awesome way to start your day if you make the smoothie right, I feel more energetic than when I just drink coffee, and depending on what I put in it I often don’t get hungry until lunch time. I used to drink smoothies before work outs as well, but I would often get stomach ache or cramps during my work out from the dairy or supplements I would put in there.

What ever you reason is for making smoothies, I hope you can use this site help you find good recipes and information about the various blenders they have out there. Hopefully I will be able to use this site to try out all the different smoothie makers and blenders and let you know which ones will work for you and your needs.