Protein is the building block of almost every biological process in the body, so if you don’t have enough, you may feel sluggish and moody. It will take you longer to recover after an intense workout at the gym. Protein also helps you stay satiated and can help boost your metabolism and fat-burning potential…and who doesn’t want that?
While it’s best to get your protein from good old food, sometimes when you’re juggling work and life, you don’t have time to eat a proper meal. It can be easy to become deficient in this macronutrient that’s crucial for the human body. The highest sources of protein come from animals like meat, eggs, dairy, and fish, but there are also good sources of proteins from plants like legumes and seeds.
Personally, I eat a mainly plant-based diet (with the occasional consumption of fish and other seafood). To complement my diet, I like to add protein smoothies to my morning routine to ensure I get enough protein on a daily basis.
So how much protein does the average person need? The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Remember, that’s the minimum you need to maintain health and not get sick. To figure out your RDA for protein, you can multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36. For me, since I weigh about 120 pounds, I need a minimum of 43 grams of protein per day. But since I’m an active person who exercises daily, I like to consume at least twice that amount… about 80 grams of protein per day. Generally, experts say the average person should eat half of his or her body weight in grams of protein every day, but if you’re an active person, you need more. Many sports nutritionists believe you should eat 1 gram of protein per one pound of body weight. As you can see, there are differing opinions about the exact amount of protein you need. Bottom line, we could all probably benefit from more than we are currently consuming.
While there are a myriad of choices out there when it comes to protein powders, here are my top four plant-based protein powders that I rotate through on a weekly basis.
Serving Size: 2 heaping scoops (33.5 grams)
Calories: 140
Fat: 4 grams
Protein: 21 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
VEGA SPORT PERFORMANCE PROTEIN
Serving Size: ½ scoop (21 grams)
Calories: 80
Fat: 3 grams
Protein: 15 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Serving Size: 1 scoop (41 grams)
Calories: 150
Fat: 1.5 grams
Protein: 30 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Serving Size: 1 scoop (25 g)
Calories: 100
Fat: 1.5 grams
Protein: 18 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
GARDEN OF LIFE RAW ORGANIC PROTEIN
Serving Size: 1 Packet (31 g)
Calories: 110
Fat: 2.5 grams
Protein: 22 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Recipe featured on Facebook Live Video (video included below)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup ice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 medium banana
- tablespoon cacao chips
- 1 scoop Vega protein powder
Note: add wet ingredients first (coconut milk, water, banana), then add cacao chips + protein powder and blend. Cheers 🙂
Facebook Live Video with Health and Fitness Expert, Brett Hoebel:
