Protein, protein, protein - The Purition 2 week challenge
The Importance of Protein
Protein is essential for good health. I often find clients do not include enough, good quality, lean protein in their diet, especially with the first meal of the day. Protein is important for our energy levels, blood sugar balance and of course for the growth and repair of muscles but some studies have also shown that a higher intake of protein from plant-based foods may be associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes.
After water, protein, is the most plentiful component of our bodies. We need it for our muscles, ligaments and tendons, for our nails and hair. It is also needed for our hormones, neurotransmitters and enzymes. Studies have also shown the importance of dietary protein for the maintenance of bone health especially for older adults.
Our body will break down the protein we take in, into the individual amino acids and then reassemble them into the new proteins that we require, those that have been depleted by daily wear and tear (exercise etc.), it also allows us to heal and to grow. Every day, we will always have some protein loss so whilst we can make our own amino acids, we can not make all of them. It is therefore important to enjoy dietary protein in order to get the amino acids our bodies cannot make (essential amino acids).
In a recent review, they highlighted increasing evidence which indicates that consuming dietary protein above the current recommended daily allowance (0.8 g per kg body weigh per day) may be beneficial for all adults, children and those that are physically active. It is suggested that a higher protein intake may help to reduce obesity risk as well as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis but this should be accompanied by a decrease in carbohydrates. Please note that any dietary changes should always be discussed with your healthcare professional.
Protein Quality
A complete protein source is one that provides all of the nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts. Animal products such as meat, fish, dairy and poultry are all complete proteins. Plant foods, especially grains, and legumes, often lack one of more of the essential amino acids, but by combining plant sources they can become complete.
This demonstrates the importance of varying our protein sources. Not only will a varied diet allow you to enjoy a wider range of nutrients but it can help you to obtain all essential amino acids needed.
Protein-rich foods generally make us feel fuller as well as helping us to balance our blood sugar. With clients, I have found they often neglect to add protein to breakfasts, just focussing on carbohydrates or fats. Including a lean source of protein with a meal may help to minimise those feelings of hunger as well as help to improve the overall calorie intake of a meal.
When you think of protein, the obvious souce may be meat but we should also try to include other protein sources including whole grains, dairy, beans, nuts, seeds and vegetables. Using a protein powder is an easy, convenient and often delicious way to add protein to a breakfast, lunch or a post workout snack.
Blending the Purition Chocolate Protein shake with added curly kale and 1/2 frozen banana
The Purition 2 Week Challenge
There are so many different protein powders available, it is often difficult to know which one is the best. As a nutritional therapist, I look for a high quality protein powder made from natural ingredients that include all 9 essential amino acids. I also prefer one to be low in sugar and as I specialise in digestive health, if I can get a protein powder that will also help to improve gut health, all the better.
Purition protein powder, is made from all natural ingredients - just seeds and nuts and either whey protein or a blend of plant based proteins depending on whether you require it to be vegan or not. It is also gluten free and safe for coeliacs as well as being high in fibre, helping to improve our gut health.
A lot of protein powder brands don’t offer vegan alternatives and as not everyone can tolerate dairy (whey) this is a shame. Purition offer both. They have an original protein powder using whey isolate as well as a vegan powder which uses a blend of plant based proteins to ensure all 9 essential amino acids are included.
When I create my smoothies, I always add extra greens so every smoothie will always have a combination of curly kale, cavolo nero, spinach or broccoli making my smoothies always turn out green. I love to add veggies and it’s a great way to boost the number of nutrients in a shake.
I was asked to do the Purition 14 day challenge, trying out a variety of flavours in addition to my favourite. Here’s how it went.
Day 1 - Cocoa - I started with the flavour that I know and love, my comfort blanket - it’s always going to taste good for me .
Day 2 - Pistachio - I’ve never tried this one before and I absolutely loved it! A gorgeous flavour and colour.
Day 3 - Coconut - Another gem, this is a great smooth flavour that would be so easy to pair with any fruits (or vegetables) of your choice.
Day 4 - Strawberry - personally I am not keen on anything that is strawberry tasting unless it is actually a strawberry. I was nervous but I have been challenged and I was pleasantly surprised. Like all the Purition natural flavours I have tried so far, they are subtle and delicate. If you love strawberry drinks then you could easily add fresh / frozen strawberries to give yourself an extra hit. For me, this was enough.
Purition Pistachio Protein Shake with added spinach, kale & 1/2 frozen banana.
Day 5 - Coffee and Walnut - another flavour that I was dreading trying. I don’t drink coffee and have never liked the taste of it but I am pleased to report that there was not an overwhelming taste of coffee. It’s not my favourite, but perhaps for someone who was a coffee lover it could be perfect and you get so much more nutrition than if you were to just drink a cup of coffee. Win win.
Day 6 - Macadamia & Vanilla - this is lovely and was great on it’s own but would be easy to pair with any other natural ingredients or flavours.
Day 7-14 - For the rest of the challenge I got to enjoy my favourite flavour every morning - cocoa.
Overview
As I write this blog we are on lockdown because of the Corona virus. If it had been a “normal week“ I would have alternated having a protein shake for breakfast with one for lunch when it was a really busy day.
However, during lockdown, with everyone at home, it worked really well for me to have a smoothie every morning for breakfast. It was quick, easy and very filling. I was able to get homeschool set up, get everyone their breakfast and enjoy mine all at the same time! Being all together, we would sit down and have lunch as a family so it made sense to eat the same thing and we could take a bit more time over our meal.
Chocolate is still my personal favourite but having tried other flavours I would be happy to switch between pistachio, macadamia and coconut as well. My kids (4, 7 and 9) also enjoyed trying the different smoothies too.
I was surprised how filling all the smoothies were. I often use a different brand of protein powder for my shakes but I would add ground flaxseeds, chia seeds as well as pumpkin seeds to get the extra nutrition that I wanted and yet I would feel hungry a short while later. With Purition, I didn’t feel hungry AND i didn’t have to add the extra seeds as they were already included - I was full till lunch!
There are lots of different flavours to choose from which is excellent and they pair nicely with other flavours you might like to get from fruits or vegetables.
The only downside for me was with the larger packets and not knowing how much 40-50g was. The packet doesn’t tell you how much the spoon can hold or how many spoonfuls would be a portion. I’m not one for weighing my food so guesswork was used. Purition could improve their labelling and give an indication of the number of spoonfuls per portion.
It also doesn’t say whether the packaging is recyclable and I doubt it is. I would prefer a recycleable pot or bag personally. The largest size you can buy appears to be 500g which would only last for 12 servings. As well as being a Nutritional Therapist I own a martial arts dojo and fitness studio so I’m very active and often require post workout snacks. A protein shake is my snack of choice and 500g wouldn’t last me very long…… i’ll just need to buy more!
However, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. I love the fact that Purition uses whole food, natural ingredients and real flavours rather than flavourings, there are no added unnecessary ingredients or chemical taste at all. I love the extra nutrition that the brand provide, I love that it is high in fibre which may help our gut health and it is great that it is gluten free, low in sugar and that a vegan range is offered too, as well as trying to source locally! Purition is definitely in my top 3 protein powders and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others.
References
References
Comerford, K. and Pasin, G., 2016. Emerging Evidence for the Importance of Dietary Protein Source on Glucoregulatory Markers and Type 2 Diabetes: Different Effects of Dairy, Meat, Fish, Egg, and Plant Protein Foods. Nutrients, 8(8), p.446.
I. Baum, J., Børsheim, E., R. Allman, B. and Walker, S., 2020. Health Benefits of Dietary Protein throughout the Life Cycle. The Health Benefits of Foods - Current Knowledge and Further Development,.
Murray, M., Pizzorno, J. and Pizzorno, L., 2008. The Encyclopaedia Of Healing Foods. London: Piatkus.
Surdykowski, A., Kenny, A., Insogna, K. and Kerstetter, J., 2010. Optimizing bone health in older adults: the importance of dietary protein. Aging Health, 6(3), pp.345-357.