Protein Smoothie Recipes
If you regularly engage in various types of exercise, you’re probably aware of the benefits of adding protein to your diet. In fact, protein shakes and protein smoothie recipes are especially popular among weight lifters and individuals trying to increase their muscle mass or muscle density. You will often see people at the fitness center drinking protein shakes before and after their workouts to give their muscles, and their energy levels, an extra boost.
The Benefits of Protein
Protein is the nutrient credited with being responsible for building muscle fiber. There is no other nutrient, as far as modern science is aware, that can build and repair muscles the way that protein does. This is the main reason why it’s so important to add additional protein to your diet if you want to build muscle or even if you just work out to stay fit. When you lift weights and do workouts that push your muscles beyond their regular limits, which is how muscle building is done, you actually tear some of the fiber in your muscles in the process. When the fibers repair themselves and grow back, they grow back stronger and denser than before. When that happens, you’ve built yourself some additional muscle. But without protein, that muscle repair can’t take place and your muscle fibers stay torn and broken until your body gets enough fiber to replace them. This is the primary reason why protein is essential to workout recovery. If you’re getting enough protein, you will spend less time in the recovery phase after a workout because your muscles are being repaired quickly and efficiently.
While protein can be had from many different types of food, like soy, meat and nuts, many people don’t have the time or the willingness to cook often or to continuously stick to a high-protein diet. That’s where good protein smoothie recipes become so useful. Aside from being delicious, smoothies are quick and easy to make and even easier to drink. You could bring them to the gym, in the car or even to your workplace. And best of all, they’re really healthy for you.
There are many different combinations of ingredients you could use for your protein smoothie recipe. Many people just put protein powder into a regular smoothie and are satisfied with that approach. But if you really want to do it right, you’ll need to experiment with different ingredients until you find the ones you like best. In a truly healthy protein smoothie, you don’t want to have a lot of fruits. Instead, use high-protein ingredients such as pecans, flax seed, skim ricotta cheese and low-fat yogurt. Even though you want to keep the ratio of protein to carbohydrates fairly high, you can still add in a little bit of banana, berries, kiwi or mango to add a sweet, fruity flavor to the mix. And of course, if you’re really trying to maximize your protein intake, go ahead and throw in a couple teaspoons of whey protein powder. Once you’ve figured out which ingredients you prefer in your protein smoothie recipes, you’ll be on your way to building muscle and leading an even healthier lifestyle!
How to Make Protein Smoothies
Now that you know all the reasons protein is good for you, let’s start making some delicious protein smoothies! Most protein smoothie recipes call for some protein powder, so make sure you have some around before getting started with your protein smoothie routine.
Ultimate Protein Smoothie
If you’ve got the ingredients, this is the best protein smoothie you can make with or without protein powder. The ingredients themselves have a good amount of protein already.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup sliced or chopped pecans
- ¾ cup 1% or skim chocolate milk
- 2 tbsp vanilla yogurt (non-fat or low-fat)
- ¾ cup skim ricotta cheese
- 2 tsp ground flax seed
- 2 tsp chocolate flavored protein powder
- ½ cup crushed ice
- ½ banana
Directions:
There are a lot of unusual ingredients here, but you can trust that they’ll yield a delicious outcome. Just blend them all together, gradually or all at once, depending on the size of your blender, and when you’ve got a smooth mix, give it a taste. It may not be everyone’s favorite, but the people who like it are really crazy about it.
Lemon Drop Protein Smoothie
This is another unusual, but tasty, combination. Imagine the refreshing taste of lemons in your smoothie. If that sounds good to you, give this recipe a try.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder
- 1 scoop vanilla ice cream (low fat)
- 1 tbsp almonds (sliced)
- ½ cup ice cubes
Directions:
What you’re getting here are the benefits of low-fat ricotta and fat-cutting lemon juice, combined with the protein of almonds, all blended into a nice, creamy vanilla ice cream base. With protein powder mixed in, of course. Just blend and enjoy.
Berry Protein Smoothie
Not all protein smoothie recipes have to use low-fat yogurt or ricotta cheese. This one even incorporates delicious berries for your enjoyment.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups rice milk (vanilla flavor)
- ½ packet of your favorite sweetener
- 2 cups of your favorite blend of frozen berries
- 2 scoops whey protein powder
Directions:
In this recipe, you could use any combination of frozen or fresh berries that you want. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries – it’s up to you. Whatever you like best if what’s going to make this one of the most delicious protein smoothie recipes you’ve ever had.