Protein. Do you know the ins and outs of this important macronutrient? If not, I’m going to teach you the basics today…introducing Protein 101 and a Naked Nutrition Giveaway!
If you want to learn about protein, keep reading! If you already know your stuff, skip to the bottom of this post to read about Naked Nutrition and how to enter the giveaway!
Protein has some very important roles in your body. It helps with growth and maintenance of tissues and organs, it acts as a messenger throughout your body, it provides structure (bones, ligaments, skin, etc.), it helps maintain proper pH levels, it balances fluids, transports and stores nutrients, provides energy…I could go on. Basically, PROTEIN IS IMPORTANT!
There are two general types of protein…”Complete” protein, and “incomplete” protein. Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids required to form a complete protein.
Eleven of these amino acids are considered “non-essential,” because your body makes enough of these on its own. The other nine amino acids, known as “essential” amino acids, need to be obtained through the food we eat, because our body doesn’t make them on its own.
So in order for our body to fully utilize the protein we’re eating, it needs to contain all nine essential amino acids. Examples of complete protein sources include meat, dairy, eggs and fish.
Foods such as beans, grains, nuts, etc. contain protein, but not all of the essential amino acids, so they’re not considered a “complete” protein. You can pair certain foods together to get a complete protein, such as beans and rice.
So…how much protein do you need each day? That amount varies person to person. It depends on your body size, your activity levels and your current fitness goals. Here’s a helpful website that will give you an idea of how much protein you should be eating each day.
You may find it’s difficult to get enough protein in your diet, especially if you’re trying to build more muscle mass. That’s where protein powder can be very, very helpful!
You’ve probably heard horror stories about protein powders…heavy metal toxicity, gas and bloat after eating it, awful taste and texture…
Not all protein powders are made the same.
And that’s where NAKED NUTRITION comes in!
If you know me, you know I’m pretty paranoid about what I put into my body. I’m that girl who reads every label at the grocery store…my husband gives me a hard time about it. But I’ve learned too much about what these chemicals and additives can do to our long-term health, so it’s worth putting up with some teasing. 😉
There are a lot of protein powders that I would refuse to put in my body…but you guys. Naked Nutrition has surpassed all my requirements. It is the REAL DEAL.
Their “Naked Whey” comes from grass-fed cows. Literally the only ingredient is “Grass-fed whey protein.” No artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. That means no gas, no bloating, no worries about ingesting heavy metals. It is seriously amazing.
It doesn’t have a flavor, which I love, because it blends so well into whatever you’re making with it. You can mix it into a post-workout shake (I like to mix it with a frozen banana, a scoop of cacao powder, some almond milk and a Tbsp. of peanut butter…yum), you can bake it into protein pancakes or muffins…it blends well into everything.
HIGHLY recommend.
I also tried their watermelon-flavored Naked BCAAS.
BCAAS (Branched Chain Amino Acids) can be a very helpful supplement, especially for people training on a regular basis. It improves strength and muscle development, speeds recovery, and increases endurance. BCAAS naturally have a bitter taste, which most companies try to cover with loads of flavoring, sweeteners and additives.
Because Naked Nutrition keeps its ingredients very minimal, there is a slight bitter taste to these BCAAS. But, I don’t mind it, and I’ve found supplementing with BCAAS to be very helpful in my workouts! They give me more energy throughout my workout and seem to speed my recovery!
Ok. We just went over A LOT about protein. If you’re still with me, kudos to you! 😉
We’re on to the good part. The GIVEAWAY!!
***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
Naked Nutrition has been so generous to offer a Naked Whey Protein and Naked Watermelon BCAAS to one lucky winner!
To enter, there are 2 requirements:
1. Head over to the Naked Nutrition Website and check out what they’ve got going on! (Spoiler alert…AMAZEBALLS PRODUCTS).
2. Enter your email in the form below.
The winner will be randomly selected on Tuesday, September 4th, 2018, and notified by email.
Good luck!!!
***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
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