This post is brought to you by GNC and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.
I almost always start my day with a smoothie… it’s a fast, convenient, and healthy way to get lots of essential nutrients into my diet, plus I feel it sets the tone for how I’ll eat the rest of the day. I’m constantly tweaking my favorite smoothie recipes, adding in seasonal fruits and vegetables and experimenting with new ingredients. I love that I can add in all the good stuff that may be lacking from my other two meals – lots of fiber, healthy fats, calcium, antioxidants, and protein. I’m vegetarian, so having a great-tasting, nutrient-dense plant-based protein option is wonderful!
Plant-based proteins can obviously be a great option if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, but are also a good way to support lean muscle and total body health and boost your protein intake. Plant-based protein sources include brown rice, pea, hemp and soy, all of which are available at GNC.
I’ve been adding GNC SuperFoods Spiru-Meal™ (pictured to the right) to my diet for the last week and really like it. It delivers an awesome blend of vitamins and minerals typically found in wholesome super foods, protein and other key nutrients necessary for maintaining optimal health and wellness. Each serving contains spirulina and bee pollen, which provide beneficial vitamins and minerals to support optimal nutrition and health. I found it to be tasty and quite satisfying! Adding a couple of scoops definitely makes my smoothies more filling.
The premium formula of GNC SuperFoods Spiru-Meal™ is also loaded with 14 grams of protein derived from non-GMO (genetically modified organism), vegetarian sources such as soy protein, brown rice protein and pea protein, as well as food-based enzymes to support digestive health.
Why these types of proteins?
Brown rice protein is a convenient source of protein for vegetarians, but because it’s not a complete or whole protein, it’s most commonly paired with pea protein to complete the essential amino acid profile. Pea proteins are commonly high in the amino acids lysine and arginine. Soy protein provides essential amino acids our bodies need for growth and repair of muscles, and contains no cholesterol and very little fat. All are good options for people who follow a vegetarian diet.
Right now one of my favorite smoothies is… a cup or so of almond milk, a frozen banana, 2 scoops of vanilla-flavored GNC SuperFoods Spiru-Meal, and a spoonful of cacao nibs for some chocolatey flavor and extra fiber. It’s a delicious combo that gives me an energy boost!
Discover the power of plant-based proteins at GNC! Right now, you even get a free shaker cup with a $50 plant-based protein purchase! Learn more at gnclivewell.com/plantprotein/.
