BASIC FORMULA FOR A MAJORITY OF SHAKES
All shakes use variations of this formula: Protein, Liquid, Fats, Carbohydrates (i.e. Fruit of some sort), Ice cubes, Flavouring and / or Greens (i.e. Vegetables).
INGREDIENTS OTHER THAN PROTEIN POWDER
Greens – Spinach, Kale, Bok Choy, Field Greens (use less as it can be bitter), Baby Carrots, Cooked Sweet Potato / Rice (have not tried this one, but its worth the try), Greens Powder, Small amount of Ginger and or Tumeric (again not sure how this will taste w.r.t. the last ingredient).
Liquids – tried and true …. simple H2O a.k.a. Water, Milk, Soy Milk (good for women, but seek out NonGMO Soy), Rice Milk, Almond Milk, Fruit juice (good for post workout, if you are trying to add more Carbs).
Fats – Virgin Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Nut Oil. As with all oils use sparingly, as oil and water do not mix. Best to line the inside of the blender with oil, to ensure protein and other ingredients do not stick to the sides while blending. Some Fats make good Thickeners – 1/2 to full ripe Avocado, 35% whipping cream. Other options to thicken the shake, can come from Yogurt, Ice cubes or Instant Pudding Mix (your choice of flavour).
Fruits – here where it becomes interesting. Pick your passion. Berries, Tropical Fruits etc…
Flavourings – good old standbys … Natural Vanilla Extract (use 1/4 to 1/3 tspn) or Real Cocoa Nibs (1/2 to 1 tspn or more)
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
High Speed Blenders – “Vitamix”, “Blendtec”, “Ninja” (in order of cost). Do not be cheap here, worth every penny and will make your shakes AWESOME!
Low Tech Options – “Blender Bottle” or imitations (prefer the Blender bottle, as the quality of the workmanship will ensure this product lasts). Other options are Stainless Steel Blender bottles e.g. “Bodytech”. Again, spend the money here, as cheap means cheap quality outcomes.
ALTERNATIVES TO PROTEIN POWDER
– Nuts and Seeds, Milk, Tofu (??), Ricotta Cheese, Cottage Cheese
ROTATING PROTEIN SOURCES
– Whey protein isolate / concentrate, Egg protein, Milk Protein (a.k.a. Casein), Vegetable protein (e.g. rice)
STORAGE METHODS
Fridge – keep it at the back (always seems to be cooler at the back). Drink within one day of preparation. Jury is still out on this one w.r.t. how long a protein shake will “stay” before you should make another one.
Cooler with Ice Packs – drink within a few hours. Make sure the cooler is lined with some sort of Thermal coating to retain the cold. Keep the protein drinks in an area of the cooler where you are not constantly opening and closing the compartment. Another option is to place the protein powder, unblended, in the cooler, and when you want to consume the beverage, just add your favourite liquid.
FOR FAT LOSS
– Stay away from fruit juices. Limit your fruit intake. Add some Cinnamon and Fenugreek (could add some bitterness to your shake). Add a Tablet of “Metaglycemx” (a product from “Metagenics” used for Insulin management). Some even suggest to use Casein or Egg protein instead of Whey, due to the higher Glycemic Index of Whey to other proteins.
FOR MUSCLE GAIN
– Add more Fruit. Add a combination of Whey, Casein and Egg or just rotate them accordingly i.e. egg in the morning, whey before / after training, and Casein just before bed.
FOR SPEED & POWER
– Add some B-Complex Tablets (can add some bitterness to the shake, so be careful), Ginseng, L-Tyrosine & a little Creatine to your pre-training shake.
RECIPES
Go on-line and type “Protein Shake Recipes” and you will obtain hundreds of options. You could be inventive and create your own. Experiment. Soon you’ll find what works for you. Try a new recipe each week. Create a list of favourites and put it on the fridge for easy access.
