6 Steps to Choosing a Healthy Protein Powder

June 29, 2016 Shannon Taatjes

Does choosing a Protein Powder for you and your family make your head spin? You're not alone.

It's time to turn our beloved protein powder around guys and start reading those ingredients. What you see might surprise you. I'm going to help you through it by giving you 6 steps to choosing a healthy protein powder... Here we go.

I love a good smoothie after a workout because it's super easy, and gives me a protein boost following a workout to help my muscles recover. I also love having it around for a healthy mid-day snack. Protein powders are everywhere these days. It's no wonder you stand there in the aisle of the store or vitamin shop and don't know what's the best choice. I'm going to help you out so you can make a better decision...

There are many things to consider when choosing a protein powder. I'm going to tell you what's important to me when I look for a good protein supplement because some of these things you may know about but some of these important things may surprise you...

6 Steps to choosing a Healthy Protein Powder:

1. UNDERSTAND THAT A PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT IS JUST THAT...A SUPPLEMENT: You are also eating a healthy diet throughout the day that consists of other protein sources, some carbs, and healthy fats, so this doesn't need need to replace that. Unless you are a hard core weightlifter, and I mean hard core, you don't need all that, trust me. I've heard many people say that they want a protein supplement to have SO much protein! Those really high levels of protein just aren't necessary for most of us. I used to think the more the better, but after getting Nutritious Life Certified, most of us take too much! Look for one that's about 15 grams per serving.

2. THE SOURCE OF THE PROTEIN IS REALLY IMPORTANT: Gone are the days of the Whey protein shakes in my opinion. Whey is dairy. Dairy doesn't agree with many people and I don't believe it's the healthiest choice. I've taken dairy out of my family's diet for the most part and we feel a lot better. From time to time I'll have some high quality grass fed butter or cheese from a good source... but most whey you will find in protein powders aren't going to be from high quality, grass fed dairy. This is why I just steer clear of them. The reason that whey protein powders ARE as popular as they are.... is because they taste good. The dairy provides a nice creamy, smooth mouth feel that is appealing to most people. Now you know why they're yummy....but there are better options that are healthier.

Another option as a protein source that people used to think was healthy.... is soy. Soy is bad for you and you should stay away from it. Period. It mimics estrogen in the body and can cause all kinds of problems, including cancer. It can also cause nutrient absorption problems.

Some protein powders use egg white as the protein source. I've used them and they actually taste pretty good. The problem with these can be the price for the amount of servings you get. This option...and dairy obviously...is not an option for vegans either. When I started learning even more about seed oils and how they can affect the body, I continued my search because I the egg white protein I was previously using had sunflower seed oil in it....which brings me to my next point in a moment...

I think the best choice for a protein source is a plant based protein. It works for just about anyone with any lifestyle....paleo to vegan. Here's the problem with most plant based protein powders: they taste like chalk. Yep, they may be a healthier choice, but they don't have that smooth texture and good flavor. I happened to have found one that actually tastes delicious AND has a creamy, smooth texture. That brings me to the third thing I look for in a healthy protein powder....

3. WHAT KIND OF OIL IS BEING USED IN YOUR PROTEIN POWDER? You might be thinking, Oil... what Oil?? Protein powders have an emulsifier in them in the form of an oil. Most protein powders use unhealthy seed oils in them. Even the ones that claim to be healthier contain sunflower oil which is high in Omega 6's which we don't need any more of in our bodies! This can cause inflammation that leads to all kinds of lifestyle diseases. What our body does need is Omega 3's. A healthier option would to be to find a protein powder with Coconut Oil used for the emulsifier and you'll make sure you're getting those healthy Omega 3's. Coconut Oil also helps with the creamy, silky-smooth mouth feel we love in our smoothies!

4. WHAT SWEETENERS ARE USED? This is one of the most important things to look at. So many of the protein powders out there contain artificial sweeteners that are really unhealthy for you. There are some that are completely unsweetened, but I've tried them and they just don't taste good. I like to enjoy my smoothie, not have to choke it down, so I look for one with Stevia, monk fruit or coconut sugar as a sweetener. The one I use even cuts the stevia amount further by adding a bit of monk fruit... and they use the organic stevia and monk fruit in it's pure, leaf form. I like that.... not that processed white powdery kind of stevia that leaves an aftertaste. I'm very sensitive to the stevia taste, and that's why I love this one....no aftertaste;)

5. WHERE ARE THE INGREDIENTS COMING FROM? Do you know? Do you know if they are from another country? Do you know if they are GMO free and/or organic? Do you know if they contain grains, gluten or soy? Those things matter. The less ingredients the better. Is your list on your protein powder long? ....or short? Trust me, short is better and you should understand what every ingredient is and where it came from. This may sound nit-picky to some, but your health depends on it, so start paying attention to these things. Once you do, you'll be surprised what you learn.

6. LET'S TALK PRICE: This matters because we want to get a healthy option without going broke, right? I just want to make you aware of ways that some companies may try to trick you into thinking you're getting a better deal than you actually are. Once you're aware of it, you'll know how to shop smarter. Look at how many serving there are per container. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at this and I've caught them trying to be sneaky! For example, if you have two comparable products with comparable prices, but one seems like the better deal.... look at the servings per container. One might have 30 servings and will last an entire month, and the other may only have 15 servings! Not such a great deal anymore now is it! Just keep your eye on that because that's how they get you!

So, I've tried many different protein powders over the years and once I considered all of the things I've listed above, I have a new favorite I've been dying to tell my readers and followers about! Check it out and get yours HERE.

Let's see how it checks out using my 6 steps above....

It's 14 grams of protein per serving, perfect for my supplement amount goal.
It's plant protein made from pea, chia, pumpkin, hemp, and quinoa.
It has coconut oil in it as the emulsifier...that rocks.
It's sweetened with organic stevia and monk fruit...and has no stevia aftertaste because very little is used.
It's made in the USA, non-GMO, dairy free, soy free, grain free, gluten free, with nothing artificial what-so-ever. It has less than 10 ingredients in it...total!!
It has 30 servings per container, love that! Great price for that kind of quality.

I get asked a lot about what kind of protein powder I use and recommend. I've never been truly satisfied recommending one until now, so I don't talk about it much. This new one I found is amazing. It is hands down the best tasting plant based protein powder I've ever tried.

Enjoy, and I want to hear what you think once you give it a try! You won't find this one in stores but you can always find it here on my website under the SHOP menu, along with all the supplements I use and recommend. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Oh, and they have incredibly fast shipping so you'll have it in no time;)

My Favorite Go-To Smoothie Recipe:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
1 scoop of Vanilla or Chocolate Life's Abundance Plant Protein Powder
1 handful spinach or kale (OR 1 scoop Greens Blend)
1 Tbsp coconut oil (this healthy fat will keep you full longer and is good for you) or almond butter
a handful of frozen berries...or frozen banana (I keep frozen banana pieces in the freezer for convenience)
generous sprinkle of cinnamon
a scoop of Collagen (optional - great for skin and joint health)

Blend all ingredients until smooth in a blender. YUM. You really can't go wrong, this protein powder is delicious even just blended with water and a few ice cubes!!

Here's another delicious recipe using this protein: My Paleo Vanilla Raw Balls

View other supplements I recommend...and why I recommend them HERE.

I want to try Shannon's favorite protein!

How To Drink Your Greens

April 6, 2016 Shannon Taatjes

Rise and Shine healthy friends! It's Day 6 of my Eat Your Greens Challenge and today I want to share a super easy way to ensure you're getting plenty of greens in every day. Since this challenge is only seven days, we need some tricks up our sleeves to keep this going all month...and all year...long. Now, I want to reiterate that supplements are supposed to be exactly that, a supplement to a healthy lifestyle, not a free pass to eat "all the junk". Now that we've established that, I'd like to share expert advice by Keri Glassman. She explains three ways to get your greens through a straw! With summer on it's way, I can't wait to create tasty, healthy summer smoothies...

How To Drink Your Greens:

Many people assume a green juice is for other people. They claim they don’t like veggies. They fear the poison-colored concoction will taste even worse than it looks. They think die-hard green juicers seem nutritionally elitist and willing to compromise their taste buds in the name of super fuel.

While there is definitely a spectrum of green -- from beginner to advanced -- there is a place for you somewhere along the line. I promise. And I’m encouraging you to join the party, because nothing bad happens when people add more whole green foods to their diet. Nothing. Zilch.

There are a few ways to go about getting more greens into your diet, and I promise they’re way easier than you think. Best part? You don’t even need a fork. You only need a straw.

Here are three ways to drink your greens …

1) Hop on the green juice train. If you want to make your own juice, you’ll need a juicer but not necessarily the fanciest one on the market. Juicing is a process that extracts the liquid from whatever you put in it, and it leaves all the pulp out of your cup. The pulp is full of beneficial fiber, but if pulp isn’t your thing, you still get plenty of vitamins and minerals from drinking just the juice. Not into cooked broccoli, kale, collards or spinach? You may like them better in a raw juice. Sometimes the flavors are milder when raw and combined with other ingredients.

Immediately after the juice is made, it starts losing its nutritional powers, so you’ll want to grab a straw STAT. Green juice is sensitive to time (how long from when it was made until it is consumed), temperature (heat can diminish some of the vitamin potency) and storage (air and clear glass containers can also make the juice less potent). But even not-so-fresh juice is better than no juice at all, so don’t let this deter you. Just make sure to put in the fridge and drink within 24 hours if you’re not drinking as soon as you make it. Here’s a great beginner recipe if you’re just getting your feet wet:

Keri’s Beginner Greens Juice

● ½ head of romaine lettuce

● ½ cucumber

● ½ cup spinach leaves

● 1 green apple

Clean all produce well. Toss in the juicer in order and drink immediately.

2) Get your smoothie on. If you don’t have any more room on your kitchen counter for yet another appliance, then your handy blender is waiting for you to let it make a smoothie. A blender can’t separate the pulp from the juice, which is why by definition smoothies are thicker and well, smoother. The smoothie crowd is just as cool as the green juice crowd, and some would even argue smoothies are even healthier than juices because of that pulp stuff I mentioned.

My formula for the perfect smoothie is incredibly simple … 1 cup almond or coconut milk (unsweetened), 1 fruit, a handful of greens, 1 healthy fat, an extra (call it a flavor wild-card...I love cinnamon) and a high quality, plant-based protein powder.

One of my fave healthy fats is coconut because it’s loaded with health-promoting properties, flavor and, of course, healthy fats. The fat in coconut is mostly MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) and although they are a type of saturated fat, they are not the same saturated fat as you’ll get from say fatty meat.

I love the taste of cinnamon in my Green Smoothies

3) Add a green supplement to your drink. Think green juices and smoothies too much work for you? I’ve got you covered. At Life’s Abundance, we've created a Greens Blend that is jam-packed to the brim with nutrients. All you have to do is mix with water. Yep, it’s that easy. Add a scoop to water and mix. The Greens Blend is made of organic greens (picked at peak nutrient density) and an organic mushroom blend for overall health. The best part? It doesn’t have that I-just-ate-dirt-from-the-yard taste. It has a yummy, berry flavor. You can add to water, your morning smoothie, baked goods like zucchini muffins or even to yogurt. Most important, just drink up. Greens are the master of the health universe.

Great advice from Keri, right? So what's my take on all of this? I must admit, I own a fancy stainless steel Breville juicer. It's gorgeous....it's shiny. Wait, I take that back because it's collecting dust.

Does it make great juice? Yup.

Does it get used? Nope.

It's been sitting in my pantry taking up space because it's a lot of work to use...and mess...and money...for all those veggies I was buying to produce a little bit of juice!

So, I'm thrilled to have a new delicious option. I'm adding this delicious, convenient, travel-friendly Greens Blend to my family's healthy lifestyle and loving it. It's also what the PRIZE is for my Eat Your Greens Challenge, so make sure you read the details on how you could win.

Sometimes I add fresh squeezed lemon juice for an extra detox kick

PS Are you a wellness, nutrition, or fitness fanatic? Do people often ask you for health and wellness advice? I'm also adding this to my business. I've become a brand partner with Life's Abundance because I'm so impressed with their ingredients...I finally have food based quality nutritional supplements I can confidently recommend to my readers. All of the health with non of the chemical junk. If you'd like to add this to your wellness business, click here to learn more. I'd love to talk with you.