Are Protein Shakes Good for You?
Feeling good has a lot to do with the nutrients we put into our bodies each day – they play an active role in promoting good health. Protein, for example, is vital for tissue growth and regeneration.
Whether you lead an active lifestyle and are looking for fast workout recovery or you’re on a plant-based diet and need some help hitting those protein intake targets we’ve mentioned before (0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight), you may have already turned to protein shakes to help supplement your intake.
But are these shakes actually good for us?
Are Protein Shakes Good For You?
In short: yes, protein shakes can be good for you, but many contain a lot of additives that can be bad news. Artificial flavourings, food colourings, milk powders – these aren’t the best things for your body. What’s more, if you’re on a plant-based diet, you might need a hand upping your protein intake while avoiding animal products like milk powder altogether. That’s why all-natural, plant-based protein powders have our preference here at Good Hemp – and you can use them in more ways than one!
The benefits of protein shakes
First and foremost, protein shakes are a simple and efficient way to consume protein without too much effort. Protein helps your muscle tissue recover from strenuous workouts, so if you’re working out a lot, it’s recommended to consume protein throughout the day – your protein shake can help fill that dreaded gap between lunch and dinner.
Protein shakes are an easy post workout snack and help you feel satisfied between lunch and dinner.
Introducing: the protein smoothie
If the idea of a protein shake doesn’t appeal to you much, it’s time to open your mind to the world of the protein smoothie. Protein powders can be combined with other healthy ingredients like pineapples, berries, peanut butter, avocados and more to turn into mouthwatering smoothies, allowing you to experiment with yummy flavour combinations. If you don’t like the taste of protein powder (and really: who does?), protein smoothies can become a tasty part of your daily routine.
The Side Effects of Protein Shakes
The immediate negative physical effects of drinking a protein shake can include gas, bloating, stomach cramps and, in the worst of cases, diarrhea. However this is rare and this generally happens as a result of an allergy to the dairy or animal products that some brands include in their protein shakes. More often than not, these nasty symptoms can be avoided by using a vegan protein powder (like hemp protein) with a vegan milk alternative (like hemp milk) in your morning smoothie. The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from our hemp milk will give your immune system a boost, as a cherry on top.
It’s also important to know that when it comes to protein shakes, you’re not dealing with a “one size fits all” scenario. Some protein shakes miss out on multiple essential nutrients. Others include nasties like artificial flavours and colours, but aren’t optimised for vitamins and minerals.
Here at Good Hemp, we’re not about that life. Our, Pure 46%, Pure 75% and Pure 85% protein powders are vegan, don’t contain any nasty additives and you can see exactly what goes into them in the nutritional information section (spoiler: it’s just 100% natural hemp protein). 46% is a great all rounder as it is not only high in protein, but fibre and omega 3 too. 75% and 85% are lower in fibre and omega, however higher protein making them a great option if boosting your protein is all you’re after!
Other Uses of Hemp Protein Powder
Good Hemp’s protein powders are all natural and contain all the amino acids your body needs, including the nine that it can’t produce on its own and that can be hard to get from a plant-based diet. Better yet, our powders are easy to digest, which isn’t always the case for protein powders that use animal products.
But don’t just take our word for it. Try our vegan protein powders in a few different recipes, which will allow you to start experimenting with some out-of-the-box ideas for how to supplement your protein needs in more ways than one. How about a vegan chickpea and hemp protein bread or some hemp protein brownies?
Combining our protein powders with hemp milk – our favourite dairy alternative – also works wonders when making pancakes, porridge or other healthy breakfasts.
The Final Verdict
We can now shout from the rooftops that protein shakes are an easy way to meet your protein goals every day – but there’s more to explore! From protein smoothies to porridge and pancakes, a vegan protein powder like Good Hemp’s protein powder can be used in more ways than one and is full of the nutrients that your body needs – especially when you work out or are on a plant-based diet.
With Good Hemp, you can get that much-needed protein while knowing you’re doing your bit for animal welfare and the planet. It’s a win-win situation.
Now go get that protein!