I know an oatmeal smoothie looks boring.  But don’t let that put you off as it tastes delicious and is filling.

Protein is required daily in our diet to repair cells and produce hormones, amongst other things. So it’s a good thing to include some in our smoothies.

Did you know that while our bodies can produce some of the amino acids it needs from other foods we eat, it cannot produce essential amino acids? For those, we have to get them daily from the foods we eat. Animal protein sources contain all the essential amino acids we need, but plant protein sources do not. So variety in our diet is good.

For quite a while now many folks have been including protein powders in their smoothie recipes. But too much protein is not good for us. Any protein that is not used is stored as fat which is why we put on weight if we do not pay attention to what is in our meals.

It’s suggested that unless you are very active the average man requires 56 grams and the average woman 46 grams of protein a day. A cup of diced chicken weighs about 140 grams and contains 43 grams of protein. So you can see why it’s worth keeping track of your protein intake if you want to lose weight – and why you may not want to add 25-30 grams of protein from that scoop of protein powder!

Although protein powders are high in protein, they lack the other nutrients found side-by-side in the natural sources they come from. Some of these may be added artificially to protein powders, but not all – and do you really want them that way? Not if you want to follow a natural, wholefood diet.

Uh-oh! I’ve climbed on my hobby horse again, haven’t I, lol?

 

And on another topic:

Always try to sip your smoothie and don’t rush it. This will allow your body, and namely your mouth, to produce saliva and the enzymes which are normally produced while you chew your food.

A fascinating aside – at least I found it so …

Did you know that chewing your food is not only to make it small enough to pass to your stomach?

As you chew, your tastebuds inform your brain what it is you’re eating, which in turn informs your gut to release the appropriate chemicals/enzymes required to deal with that particular food. Amazing, isn’t it? What wonderfully complex beings we are!

Anyway, back to our smoothies …

 

Please turn to the Next Page (click button below) for the Oatmeal Raisin Smoothie recipe …

 

 

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