High Quality Protein in your diet

I spent YEARS avoiding protein powders because I could not find one with ingredients that I approve of, and you know I have crazy high standards. Pretty much overnight I went from my meathead era of taking junky BCAAs before workouts and junky protein shakes after(with all the gut issues that came with it) to being appalled that I consumed those regularly because of what the ingredients did to the gut lining. Now, I actually consume protein powder regularly because I finally found a clean protein powder that is up to my standards as a functional nutritionist.

What do I mean by clean protein? I personally don’t tolerate whey protein because it is derived from dairy and I prefer to not consume it regularly due to its inflammatory properties so even the best whey proteins are a no for me, and vegan proteins require heavy processing so I don’t prefer them either. If you consume pea protein it takes soooo many peas to go into one scoop of protein powder to get you an adequate amount of protein. Commonly consuming so many peas in one scoop of protein powder is a lot on the digestion and could be why vegan protein powders give you digestive issues.

I prefer a beef protein because it is a highly bioavailable source of complete protein made from beef bones and meat - nose to tail nutrition. And as far as quality, if I am going to consume a protein powder it has to be from grass-fed and pasture-raised cows because it is better for our body to consume and more sustainable for the environment as well. Quality of protein powder is HUGE for me because you know I am picky about what goes into my body.

My husband and I both eat high protein & high fiber diets so having a quick and easy protein source when we’re in a bind is key for both of us. My husband likes to have a protein shake after most of his workouts and I personally add it to so many baked goods so we can hit our daily protein goal of 150+ grams of protein per day.

You may ask why so much protein?

Protein is essential for the body to build and repair muscle & tissue, grow, and protect muscle mass. Amino acids are the building blocks of the cells & the body and adequate protein intake can improve digestion, stabilize blood sugar, increase hormone health, help with healthy hair, skin, and nails, fight infections, maintain bone mass, and repair neurotransmitters in the brain and cells just to name a few.

So make sure you are getting enough protein every single day & high quality protein while you’re at it and it will make your overall health so much better. The standard recommendation for protein per day is ideal body weight= grams of protein daily (ex. if you are 150 lbs= 150 grams of protein daily). Yes I know that may sound like a lot but just watch when you get enough protein you will have better mental clarity, a more efficient metabolism, better hormone health, better gut health, more stable blood sugar and more!