One of the most important aspects of having a healthy ageless body and living an ageless lifestyle is having a nutrient dense diet to fuel your workouts and your life in general. Sound nutrition can truly make such a difference in your daily energy levels, disease prevention, health, and improving the results of your hard work when you exercise. That’s why it’s a good idea to boost your workouts and nutrition with protein powered smoothies.
Protein, along with carbohydrates and fat is what is known as a “macronutrient,” this simply means the body needs large amounts of it compared to micronutrients, which include, vitamins and minerals. In contrast to micronutrients, the body doesn’t store protein to draw on as needed, so it’s an important part of your daily diet. You’ll want 8-10% of your calories to come from good protein sources.
While you may or may not still eat animal products, there is more than enough science behind plant-based protein being the healthiest choice. You’ll want to get as many whole food ingredients as possible, no GMO’s, no artificial sweeteners and as few ingredients you can’t pronounce as possible. The less chemicals the better.
Why Protein Is Vital:
Protein is an essential component of every cell in the body
The nails and hair are made mostly from protein
The body uses protein to repair and build tissue
It is the building block of bones, cartilage, skin, blood and muscles
Protein also makes hormones and enzymes in the body
Benefits Of Protein For Workouts
Along with the vital benefits of protein, ingesting protein after a workout, especially after doing strength and muscle work is one of the most important times to get protein into the body. This is because it will go to the muscles where it can begin the healing and recovery of the “micro tears,” which are small tears in muscle tissue caused by intense contractions of lifting weights.
The key to supplying and nourishing the body with protein is to choose the right forms. When it comes to eating protein from foods, it is best to choose lean varieties most of the time, such as, chicken and turkey.
And, then there is the highly efficient, convenient and fun protein powder and all that it can do to improve the efficiency of your workouts and nutritional stability.
Top Sources of Vegan Protein (Courtesy NaturalNews.com)
There are lots of nutrient dense foods with a decent protein content. Even meat eaters ought to vary their protein sources, and try some of these:
1. Vegetables – the proper foundation for all diets.
• 1 avocado – 10 grams
• 1 cup broccoli – 5 grams
• 1 cup spinach – 5 grams
• 2 cups cooked kale – 5 grams
• 1 cup boiled peas – 9 grams
• 1 cup cooked sweet potato – 5 grams
2. Legumes, also vegetables, get their own mention. Specifically lentils and beans, the foundation of many diets for centuries.
• 1 cup soybeans – 28 grams (1 cup tofu – 22 grams, 1 cup tempeh – 30 grams)
• 1 cup lentils – 18 grams
• 1 cup refried beans – 15.5 grams
• 1 cup garbanzo beans (and hummus) – 14.5 grams
• 1 cup pinto, kidney, black beans – 13-15 grams
• 1 oz peanuts – 6.5 grams
3. Nuts and seeds – a staple in most vegetarian and vegan diets.
• 1 oz. cashews – 4.4 grams
• 1 oz. sesame seeds 6.5 grams, 3 tablespoons of tahini – 8 grams
• 1/4 cup (2 oz.) walnuts – 5 grams
• 1 oz. pistachios – 5.8 grams
• 2 tbsp almonds – 4 grams
• Nut butters – peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter – 2 tablespoons has about 8 grams of protein
4. Non-dairy milk – Soy, almond, ancient grain. 1 cup gets you 7-9 grams of protein.
5. Grains – Ancient grains, sprouted grains, multi-grains – a major part of the diet.
• Quinoa is versatile and delicious. 1 cup – 9 grams.
• Amaranth, bulgur, brown rice, wheat germ, oat bran are other grains with a high protein content.
• Seitan, or flavored wheat gluten, has about 52 grams per cup, but it may not be a good idea to eat a lot of it.
• Oatmeal – 1 cup = 6 grams.
• Sprouted grain bread products – buns, tortillas, bread. Pack a sandwich or a wrap and you’ll get 7-10 grams from the bread alone.
6. Convenience foods: There are vegan protein powders and bars to fill in the gaps on the go. Hemp – 30 grams of hemp powder in your smoothie gives you 11 grams of protein.
7. Supplements – spiraling and chlorella are used often by vegetarians and vegans for their rich nutrient content, and protein content.
Protein Powder Smoothies And Shakes
The best way to get the needed benefits of protein is through whole foods, but since this is not always possible reaching your protein macronutrient goals day by day can be a really difficult task. This is where protein shakes can be helpful.
Protein powder smoothies and shakes are a quick and easy way to get your daily protein. One good way to boost your workout is to take a protein shake immediately following a workout, since it will reach the muscle within 30 minutes of ingestion.
Unlike standard protein powder shakes (typically mixed with water or milk) protein powder smoothies not only provide essential protein to reach daily goals, but are also an excellent source of energy from the natural sugar within the fruits that you include.
This means that with a single protein powder smoothie you can stay hydrated, reach your protein goals, enjoy a good tasting drink and benefit from an increase in energy.
Does The Brand Of Protein Powder Matter?
Some people think of protein powders as a magic bullet for building muscle. This is not the case. Protein powder is simply a convenient way of consuming grams of protein. Make sure you read the label when purchasing your protein powders. Some cheap protein powders are full of sugary carbs, chemicals and little protein content. Always choose all natural products without unnecessary added artificial ingredients.
Here’s one that has a very good rating and it also gives you omega 3 & 6 and a high amount of fiber as well. It’s Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Pro Fiber Protein Supplement, 32 Ounce
Best Times To Drink Protein Smoothies?
Some people like to consume their smoothie in the morning. This can be a great idea if you generally don’t want or need a big breakfast. A protein smoothie can provide a boost of energy to get you started for the day. Generally, a smoothie that is consumed pre-workout (before the workout) can generate great results due to the high amount of natural sugar carbs from fruit you add and fast release energy that can increase performance during workouts.
Or, as mentioned earlier, a protein shake can be great after workouts to aid in muscle recovery. Either way, it will boost your workouts and nutrition.
This will make it easy for you to have an ageless body as part of your ageless lifestyle after 50.
If you have any questions about the vegan info here, post a comment here or on our FaceBook page.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4771/10-Vegan-Sources-of-Protein.html
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vegetarian-protein-sources.html
http://www.vegancoach.com/foods-with-protein.html
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