Make your own protein shake to assist building muscle mass with some of these common household foods.
Here are some typical ingredients I have found in protein shakes, you don’t need to buy expensive ready made or powder protein shakes simply mix a few of these together and hey presto you’ve got yourself a high in protein shake suitable for any time of the day!
The great thing about these protein shakes is that you don’t even need whey protein in the mixture, all the ingredients are natural and you can easily obtain them for any grocery store or supermarket.
Top Tip
When buying food products especially fresh fruit and vegetables in my opinion it’s best to buy from farmers markets, farm shops or independent retailers, the reasons are:
1. Better quality
2. Longer shelf life
3. Reduced packaging (better for the environment)
4. Boost your local economy
The two downsides are food shopping takes longer the the cost can be slightly to extremely expensive, if you have the land grow your own it will also keep you fit.
Top Protein Shake Ingredients
Non-Fat Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is a perfect ingredient to consider in your before bed shake as it contains casein protein which is a slow digesting protein. This makes it ideal before bed as it prevents catabolism which causes muscle breakdown.
Natural Peanut Butter
Peanuts in natural peanut butter contain lots of healthy omega-3 fats which the average diet lacks, as well as lots of protein and some carbohydrates. Natural peanut butter is optimal for use later in the day, when you need less carbohydrates and more oils and proteins.
Honey
This is a great source of high GI carbohydrates, which means they digest quickly. This makes honey optimal for a post workout insulin spike to fill your muscles with energy. It’s also great for adding sweet taste to your shakes.
Low Fat Milk
Milk in a similar way to cottage cheese contains slow digesting protein which makes it ideal before bed or even any time during the day.
Eggs/Egg Whites
Eggs have the highest biological value (BV) of that of any protein food source. This simple means that gram for gram eggs are the best source of protein and are second to whey to protein. With this in mind it becomes apparent how important eggs are in any diet orientated around build muscle mass or even losing fat.
On top of that, eggs also contain healthy unsaturated fats, almost all the vitamins and minerals, and all the essential amino acids your body needs. Egg protein digests quite quickly, so it is optimal to eat eggs post workout to quickly supply your body with minerals, vitamins, and proteins.
Bananas
Bananas are considered as a high G.I Carbohydrate which contains fast digesting sugars, as well as 422.4 mg of potassium. These sugars make them most suited to a post or pre-workout shake when you need the energy the most.
Quick Oats
Oats are a great source of a Low G.I. carb and some protein with low amounts of fat. This makes them optimal to eat throughout the morning and before you hit the gym.
Splenda
A low calorie sweetener can be a great tasting addition to any protein shake.
Protein Shake Recipes
Every week I make 3 to 5 different shakes then the following week I choose another 3 to 5 different recipes to keep things interesting.
Below are three recipes I use on a regular basis.
Fruit protein shake recipe 1
1 x Peach
2 x Bananas
5 to 10 x Strawberries (depending on size)
1 x Egg
Tea spoon flaxseed oil
1 x Table spoon of honey
5 x Ice cubes
Apple juice (depending on thickness add appropriately)
I like my shakes to be thick like a milk shake but you may like it more liquid, so when you add liquid keep mixing until the thickness is to your own liking)
Fruit protein shake recipe 2
10 x Raspberries
10 x Blueberries
1 x Banana
1 x Egg
Tea spoon of flaxseed oil
Hand full of almonds
Soy milk (to taste)
5 x Ice cubes
Vegetable protein shake recipe
500 ml Greek yoghurt
500 ml Fresh orange juice (try squeezing your own)
2 x Bananas
2 x Eggs
Tea spoon of flaxseed oil
5 x Ice cubes
Making your own shake is fun and quite quick once you get into the daily routine, let me know your recipes or thoughts in the comments box below.
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