I was on an online health and fitness forum the other day. Someone posted this suggestion for a holiday protein shakes: 1 serving of your favourite protein powder combined with eggnog and a dash of cinnamon instead of just using water or milk.
While I’m sure that would taste good, honestly that’s just really bad advice.
Eggnog, while a delicious treat, is loaded with calories, fat and sugar. The shake that was suggested would have roughly the following nutritional information:
Calories: 354
Protein: 35g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fat: 14g
Sugar: 21g
Fiber: 3g
I certainly get the appeal of having a holiday-inspired shake. I see the posters and ads for the holiday drinks at all the popular coffee chains. They look delicious and it’s easy to get caught up in the holiday spirit and treat yourself. But let’s hack the system and make our own shakes that keep their nutritional benefits and add some holiday flavouring.
Try one of these two recipes (blend all ingredients until smooth). The secret is adding ingredients like peppermint or rum extracts that add a ton of flavour without adding many calories.
Peppermint Bark Shake
– 1 cup 2% or unsweetened almond milk
– 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I recommend Shakeology)
– 1/2 tsp. pure peppermind extract
– 1 tsp. raw cacao nibs
– 1 cup ice
Calories: 200
Protein: 17g
Carbohydrates: 19g
Fat: 6g
Sugar: 10g
Fiber: 4g
Eggnog Shake
– 1/2 cup 2% or unsweetened almond milk
– 1/2 cup water
– 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I recommend Shakeology)
– 1 tsp. pure rum extract
– 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
– 1 cup ice
Calories: 166
Protein: 17g
Carbohydrates: 16g
Fat: 4g
Sugar: 8g
Fiber: 4g