Protein smoothies
Is drinking a protein smoothie good for you?
The short answer is, they can be.
When I’m looking at my clients’ food & symptom journals, the most common finding is that they don’t get enough protein and usually it’s because they aren’t getting enough at breakfast and/or lunch. I typically recommend getting 20-30g protein per meal and to get a MINIMUM of 50g protein by lunchtime. This can be challenging for some until their meal planning and meal-prep steps up.
Does protein reduce blood sugar
It sure does.
I have a front-row seat to the effects of diet on blood sugar. I run a 4-week program where everyone uses a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) while we learn how to manage blood sugar. Everyone shares their data with me so I (and they) can see exactly how their blood sugar responds to food in real-time.
One thing we have learned is that if you eat protein (we like about 20g) at the START of your meal BEFORE your carbohydrates, you will drastically flatten that blood sugar spike. It’s a way we “hack” some of our favorite carbs into our diet while still keeping really even blood sugar.
Sometimes it’s because high protein foods aren’t convenient enough to fit into their schedule. Sometimes they are on a restricted diet and haven’t quite figured out how to meet their needs. But whatever the reason, one solution that I find helpful is a protein smoothie.
The smoothie formula
A formula is always helpful. The basics are:
Protein: usually a protein powder of some type
Healthy carbs: Lean heavily on low-sugar berries
Fat: Avocado, coconut oil
In my online class, Nutrition 101: Metabolic Reset, I cover protein needs in detail. You get handouts for the fridge with a list of foods, how much protein they have, and how to get what you need on a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore diet.
But I can give you my recipes here! First, I have a pdf that you can download for the fridge that gives you my formula so you can make substitutions that suit your own needs and tastes.
High protein fruit smoothie recipe
I use my protein smoothie as a convenient meal when I'm busy, out and about, as a snack or a pre-/post-workout meal. I often make a double or triple batch and keep it in a jar in the fridge for extra convenience.
Ingredients
1 scoop protein powder*, or enough to equal 20-30g protein
½ cup full-fat plain yogurt (optional if dairy-free)
1/2 cup frozen berries
1/3 banana (more if you need more carbs)
1/2 avocado (or 1 Tbls. coconut oil)
1 tsp. chia seeds (optional)
Water to thin
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a pitcher.
Blend (I recommend an immersion blender for this)
Refrigerate if not used within 2 hours.
*Keep reading for more on how to choose a protein powder that's right for you.
What can I add to my smoothie for protein?
Take the headache out of supplement shopping!
Protein powders have been as hard to navigate as the yogurt aisle! My general advice for shopping is to decide what protein source you want/need, look out for sweeteners (I like stevia only, but others like monk fruit) and unwanted ingredients, then decide if you want extras.
The protein source can include collagen, marine collagen, whey (dairy), pea, hemp, and rice… am I missing something? My favorite is a whey protein, if tolerated. It’s a high quality protein that covers a lot of bases. I like “Whey Cool” by Designs for Health.
Add-ons: You can get JUST protein in your protein powder, or you can get extras.
Some include the equivalent of a good multivitamin in there
Liver/detox support
Gut healing ingredients.
For flavors, you can get vanilla, chocolate, and berry. You can even get an elemental formula for severe gastrointestinal illness and SIBO.
See why this can get a little mind-numbing? Because I have an online dispensary, I have (and therefore YOU have) access to really high-end products from the top professional lines. We often call them “medical food”. I encourage you to get on my Fullscript site, create an account and search my “favorites” for protein powders. If you need extra help, just reach out. Remember, I get a small commission on these sales, so don’t feel bad asking for advice on what to buy! But I adjust the price right down so you get a price similar to Amazon and Costco (I like to give my people access to the best products!).
How much protein do I need?
This is a bigger question that I’ve addressed in another article on protein needs where I explain how to determine your protein needs and a bit more of the “why” behind it.
I also have a really in-depth on-demand 4-week (that’s a lot of hyphens!) online course where you will learn at a much higher level about and how to optimize digestion, natural rhythms, carbohydrates and blood sugar, protein needs and healthy fats. It’s designed to help you level-up your own knowledge and share the information with your family. It’s called “Nutrition 101: Metabolic Reset”. Check it out below.
Nutrition 101: Metabolic Reset
Ideal for understanding and correcting your digestive and blood sugar issues. It really breaks advanced nutrition down so you can understand digestion, blood sugar, protein needs and how to be savvy with dietary fat in a really non-dogmatic way that helps you DIY your diet.
TALK TO A HUMAN!! Click image to book a free phone call.
Not sure where to start or have questions and are tired of all this clicking? Book a free 30 minute phone call with me to see if my services are right for you. We can have a phone date like normal humans.