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Product review: Nutriboost
Nutriboost is a high protein flavoured milk drink made with no added sugar. It is enriched with fibre and vitamin D and has a 5 health star rating. Nutriboost Nutriboost is made by infamous Coca-Cola Company. Before you stop reading, remember that they also make water, juice and other not-so-bad-for-you beverages. Nutriboost is enriched with milk proteins, polydextrose as a source of fibre, and vitamin D. It is sweetened with an artificial sweetener. The drink comes in 3 flavours: chocolate, vanilla and banana. It is available at Woolworths supermarkets, and often discounted when buying 5 or more. Ingredients Below are the ingredients lists for the current 3 flavours. Note they…
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Product review: The Complete Dairy
The Complete Dairy is an Australian brand of high protein milk. As discussed in my previous post, milk can be used as a sports supplement in part due to its protein content. The Complete Dairy high protein milk The Complete Dairy high protein milk is made using a cold filtration process which increases its protein content. At the same time, this process reduces the milk’s lactose content. As a result, this milk is suitable for people looking to increase the protein content in their diets and lactose intolerant individuals. This high protein milk comes in full fat and light varieties. Both are available in 1 litre bottles in the refrigerated…
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Milk as a sports supplement
Milk as a sports supplement? Why not! Milk is a relatively inexpensive source of many nutrients, which include protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. Milks from different ruminants (e.g. cows, goats, water buffalo) have similar nutrient profiles. However, for the sake of this article we will be talking about cow’s milk as it’s the most available and commonly consumed. Nutrients in milk Milk and other dairy foods contain calcium, protein, B vitamins (including B2 and B12), vitamins A and D, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc and iodine. The table below shows average content for some nutrients of different types of plain cow’s milk (data from 1). A glass of milk has 8…
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Should you take BCAAs?
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 amino acids, BCAAs are not metabolised in the liver (1, 2) but in skeletal muscle (2). They can be oxidised and used as energy (2, 3). BCAA supplements are commonly used in athletic populations. Most supplements…
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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…
