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Should you take BCAAs?
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you use them to purchase a product, I will get a commission at no extra cost to you. I only link to products that I personally use and/or recommend. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) is the name given to three of the nine essential amino acids. BCAAs are sold as a sports supplement to increase muscle synthesis and recovery. Today we answer the question: Should you take BCAAs? What are BCAAs? BCAAs or branched-chain amino acids are leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are essential amino acids (EAAs), meaning they cannot be made by our bodies and must be taken from the diet. Unlike other…
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Recipe: Chocolate peanut butter protein shake
This recipe is for the chocolate + PB combo lovers out there. It is great as a post-workout drink if your next meal is a few hours away or can sub for breakfast as it is high in protein and reasonably filling. This shake can be made dairy-free depending on the protein powder you use. I used natural grass-fed whey protein isolate (WPI) from 180 Nutrition. I’m also a big fan of the True Protein natural WPI. For a dairy-free/vegan version, you can use pea or rice protein (or a blend) from one of the brands mentioned before. I used peanut butter powder from True Protein. Other supplement shops also…
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Product review: F4U formulated meal replacements
Formulated For You (F4U) is an Australian health food company based on the Gold Coast. F4U formulated meal replacements are designed to help with weight loss by replacing one meal a day. F4U formulated meal replacements These meal replacements are based on grass-fed whey protein concentrate (WPC). Each serve provides 30g protein, 5g of fibre and 25 vitamins and minerals. The protein and fibre contribute to satiety and, therefore, weight loss. The product is gluten-free and low in sugar. It does not contain any artificial flavours, colours or sweeteners (it contains stevia extract). Other products F4U also offers protein powders, including organic pea, organic rice, organic hemp and grass-fed WPC.…
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Product review: True Protein bars
My favourite protein brand has launched a new product. True Protein bars are a high protein snack designed with the athlete in mind. True Protein bars These bars are made with minimally processed ingredients. The main source of protein is whey protein concentrate, good. They also contain hydrolysed collagen peptides, which may help support soft tissue, bone health and gut health. True Protein bars are gluten-free and sweetened with dates. They contain a decent amount of dietary fibre, which comes from organic tapioca isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO), almonds, dates and chia seeds. These bars come in 2 flavours: salted caramel and rich chocolate. Each bar weighs 65g (the little ones in the…
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What are macronutrients?
Macronutrients or “macros” are the components of food that contribute to energy. Energy, in the nutritional sense, is measured in kilocalories (a.k.a. Calories) or kilojoules. The main macronutrients are protein, fat and carbohydrates (a.k.a. “carbs” or “CHO” for the chemistry-minded people out there). Most foods you can think of are made of a combination or these 3 components. Protein Proteins are structures composed of amino acids. There are 7 essential amino acids for humans, meaning our bodies cannot make them. Foods high in protein include: all animal foods (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, etc.), some legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, soy), and some nuts and seeds. Protein bioavailability (i.e. how much…
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Recipe: Peanut butter protein banana bread
This peanut butter protein banana bread is great for breakfast, morning tea or afternoon tea. Because it’s high in protein, it also qualifies as a great post-workout snack. This treat is gluten-free and can be dairy-free. In addition, it does not contain added sugar. Notes on ingredients: I think this is common knowledge by now, but in case you didn’t know: super ripe bananas make the best banana bread You can use either smooth or crunchy peanut butter, as it will be ground further in the food processor anyway I used natural whey protein isolate from True Protein but you can use any type of whey or plant-based protein powder…
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To snack or not to snack?
To snack or not to snack? That is the question! Snacks, or mid meals, are not good or evil. When used correctly, they can help you meet your health and performance goals. What is a snack? As a noun, a snack is “a light meal: food eaten between regular meals”. To snack (surprise, surprise) means “to eat a snack” (1). In the nutrition world, we use the term “mid meals” to differentiate snacks from main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner). More specifically, in the Commonwealth world we talk about morning tea (the mid meal between breakfast and lunch), afternoon tea (between lunch and dinner) and supper (between dinner and bedtime). The…
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Protein quality and quantity
Protein is an essential components of our bodies. Besides being used in many tissues, it also forms signal molecules, hormones, etc. This is why protein quality and quantity are important. What is protein A protein is a collection of peptides, which are collections of amino acids. There can be non-essential (i.e. we can make them in our bodies) and essential (i.e. we need to obtain them from food). Protein is also one of the 3 macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat), i.e. the components in food that contribute to energy intake. Each gram of protein contributes ~17kJ (4kcal). Foods that are high in protein include meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Legumes,…
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Recipe: Quinoa & mixed beans vegan bowls
These quinoa & mixed beans vegan bowls are inspired by Latin American food. Like the quinoa & lentil bowls, these are packed with plant-based protein, iron and fibre. The capsicum and lime provide vitamin C, which your body needs to absorb the non-haem iron. You will also get some healthy monounsaturated fats from the olive oil. These bowls taste great warm but can also be eating straight out of the fridge if you have leftovers. If you’re a vegetarian or omnivore, feel free to add or substitute part of the protein with other foods such as boiled eggs, cheese, tuna, smoked salmon or poached chicken. One final note: I have…
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Eating for training and competition
Nobody would think about running 10km as preparation for an Olympic weightlifting meet. You should be polishing off your lifts and throwing in some max days to simulate competition day. This should translate seamlessly to nutrition. However, many athletes overlook their nutrition strategy and show up to competition with no plan. Eating for training and competition require the same amount of thought. If you are planning to participate in any kind of sporting event, from amateur to elite-level competitions, you should have a nutrition strategy in place. This includes non-competitive events such as martial arts gradings. As you will see below, your nutrition strategy is unique to you because it…
