It is getting close to Halloween as I write this and I bring that up because If I were a witch, I would absolutely brew my daily protein shake in a large black cauldron and puts all sorts of evidence-based healthy nutrition into it. We all have our own favorite recipes and frankly making my daily shake makes me feel like one of those anciest alchemists determined to find the Elixir of immortality – packing so much good stuff into it but being careful not to kill the taste or the joy of it.
Practically speaking, I find that the habit of drinking a home-made protein shake daily after a workout is a very useful tool for wellness and maintaining my energyspan – even on the days I don’t workout. It is indeed a simple way to ‘automate’ ingestion of useful and superfood nutrition on the cheap that I otherwise wouldn’t and that too without the annoyance of the efforts of having to plan in advance for it. I absolutely recommend this simple longevity habit to everyone. The issue with ready-made protein shakes like Ensure, Glucerna, etc is that they often use articificial sweeteners which can their own health risks on regular use that I have covered before on a related post.
My protein shake concoction can be variable – especially the fruits part ( I usually stick with 2-3 low glycemic fruits) – but on most days this is what I use and recommend to undernourished and deconditioned patients as well. I blend these components into equal parts of unsweetened almond milk and water in a super convenient bullet blender.
- Whey Protein or Pea protein – 1 to 2 scoops (unflavored)
- Collagen Peptides -1 scoop (unflavored)
- Creatine + HMB Powder– 3 to 5 gms (unflavored)
- Chia seeds – 1 tsp
- Green Banana – 1 (lower glucose spike compared to ripe banana)
- Pear or Avocado – 1
- Frozen Blueberries – 1 handful
- Beet Root Powder (1 tsp)
- Beta-Alanine Powder (1/2 tsp)
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) – 1 tsp
The above composition gives you fiber, muscle & vascular boost
P.S: Since I only do a 10-minute workout daily I don’t feel the need for a prior pre-workout mix – I rather make sure I get some fruits and complex carbs included in my daily lunch that serves as a ‘pre-workout’ for my evening mini-workout
