Review on Vega One Nutritional Shake Supplement

Alright, so this is the first review that I have done on a product through a blog, so I thought I would give it a shot. Today, I am reviewing the Vega brand All-in-one Nutritional Shake. This is what I am currently using, so it will be quite fresh.

I have been a fan of Vega products, especially the bars.

This is a whole food supplement also known as a meal replacement shake. Unlike protein powders, meal replacement shakes provide the essential vitamins and minerals in balanced proportions as well as a fine balance of quality carbohydrates, fats, and protein. They aim to provide everything that a proper meal would include.

The shake comes in four flavours: French vanilla, vanilla chai, chocolate, and berry. Chocolate has always been my favourite for every food supplement so that is what I am using.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF VEGA

Vega is a company that specializes in top grade plant-based nutrition. The co-founder, Brendan Brazier created the company out of sheer desire to find an optimal balance of nutrition that would ideally support his athletic and physical demands. As a runner, cyclist and Ironman competitor, he has been involved in the development of Vega products through experimentation to find the best quality food sources for athletic performance, recovery and overall health and longevity. He found that plant based sources resonated the best with his training regimen and that plant based nutrition could deliver the ultimate level of nutrition when practiced properly and had no compromises when you got it right.

The end result was a product that carried out an abundance of nutrients from high performance and quality food sources that make up the ingredients in the nutritional shake.

NUTRITION AND LABELLING

A very well balanced macronutrient profile which tends to be sustainable as a meal replacement and gives you energy. A respectable 16 grams of protein, 3.7g of fat and 11g of carbohydrates and 6g of fiber per 41.7g serving. Now of course the odds of you landing that exact portion size out of the hefty wide scoop is unlikely, but you still have a good idea of what you are getting and how much.

Also, at only 2 grams of sugar per serving and only 146 calories, it is very nutrient-dense and feels more like double that amount of calories. It is also very low glycemic and provides a steady release of energy that keeps you satisfied longer than most sugary snacks.

What I find intriguing about the container is the nutrition label on the lid that is widely exposed and consists of simple nutritional data comparisons. The image explains below:

 

I find that I get the most benefit (energy wise) when I have the shake on its own. The low fat content may be responsible for the instant energy access. I find that too much fat at once tends to slow you down and makes you tired. I also like to blend this shake as a smoothie. I will typically add in a banana, frozen berries and some peanut butter, dates and/or coconut oil. This is an example of what I like to do to as a post workout shake to get more sugary carbs and added fats that bump up the calories.

I do not recommend having this shake with something far less healthy. A pizza or club sandwich will just cancel out the beneficial effects that you can really feel when having the shake on its own with water or milk.

Now since the product has only plant based ingredients, using actual cows milk will be like a sin. However, If you drink cows milk, all the power to ya, but I would recommend using almond milk and maybe organic soy. Plain water is good too if you don’t mind it mixed thin.

COMPLETE PROTEIN BLEND

There is a combination of plant based protein sources that make up the protein content in the shake such as pea protein, savi seed, hemp seed, and brown rice protein. This fine combination of proteins allow for the offering of additional nutrients that are superior of their counterparts to get a vast range on nutrition from the quality protein.

A serving of this shake has 16 grams of protein. About the same as 2.7 eggs or a can of sardines.

ANTIOXIDANT BLEND

The ingredients that make up the antioxidant content are things like grapeseed extract, maqui and goji berry, mangosteen and acai berry powders. The ORAC score is rated at 1000 for a serving and contains as many antioxidants as 2.7 cups of blueberries.

OMEGA 3 BLEND

The shake also supplies a generous amount of Omega 3 fatty acids. 1.5 grams of it and just 1 gram of the Omega 6 counterpart. This is great to know since most of us far outdo a healthy balance of these Omega fatty acids when we eat many other foods, especially with refined oils that far exceed a healthy Omega 6 level.

Flaxseed and Chia seeds make up the omega 3 content. One serving provides the same amount as 2.3 servings of wild salmon.

GREENS BLEND

We all know that greens are an important addition to our diet as they provide us with alkalinity and the most bioavailable sources of nutrients. This shake provides some green shake ingredients without the dreadful greens shake taste. Chlorella, alfalfa grass, spinach leaf, broccoli floret, and kale leaf are used to represent the green party.

Overall, you get 3 servings worth of green vegetable sources in one serving!

PROBIOTICS AND DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

This is an important area to cover as it supports a healthy gut flora and digestive health. Each scoop contains a probiotic level of 1 billion CFU. For those of you who know what that means, good on ya! In another perspective though, it is the same as a cup of yogurt. Now it does depend what type of yogurt we are talking about here. I would say Greek. Vegan and plant based alternatives are used instead of dairy to keep the vegan theme alive though.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

These are some vital components to our nutrition. They are in rather balanced proportion and aim to reach a level that mother nature can’t provide on it’s own with single ingredient foods. All B vitamins as well as others from A to K are present as well as a load of different minerals. Many of which are not present in much of our produce.

Overall you get half of your daily intake of vitamins and minerals from this very nutritious shake!

Now this profile has always been a complicated topic for me and so I am not going to go into great detail on something I don’t know much about. All I know is that it is easier to be assured that you are getting the minerals through a researched product rather than relying on our degraded soil and modern-day agriculture and farming practices.

BASE INGREDIENTS

The simple ingredients (otherwise known as non- medicinal) and that are responsible for the taste and texture are Natural Dutch cocoa powder, stevia leaf extract and xanthan gum which is a natural binder and thickener. Now for other flavours, you would have something other than cocoa powder.

It also contains gelatinized maca root (aka, Peruvian ginseng) and inulin root, which supplies the fiber. And yes, this goes for the other flavours too!

TASTE

Considering all of the nutrients, it does not taste like a multivitamin, but rather, enjoyable. I would recommend getting a flavoured version as opposed to the unflavoured unless you just plan on mixing it all the time with sugary fruits and other natural sources of sweetness.

I have always liked the bars they have too. They are very delicious and quite dense, unlike some nutritional bars that are gone in 3 bites. The shakes are very similar but a little less sweet without the added natural sugary ingredients. If you are used to milk shakes and other treats from McDonalds or Dairy Queen, you may have a harder time satisfying your taste buds. However, what you normally eat will determine how you taste certain foods or drinks over time. If you eat natural and healthy foods, you will more likely be fond of the taste as opposed to someone used to processed foods and maybe also smokes cigarettes.

This shake is more for the focus of health and vibrancy, not so much the pleasure of a treat, but you just may fall in love with it like I have.

WORTHWHILE THE EXPENSE

The Vega one shake is generally priced at $69.99 CAD, which may sound expensive, but you also get 21 full servings out of the 876g container, which includes all of the essential vitamins and minerals in one complete meal. Basically that is $3.30 for each serving. That sure beats a typical Subway sandwich.

You get half of your daily suggested intake of vitamins and minerals, which is comforting to know. You are also getting more than a protein shake (less protein though) and it only costs 5 dollars more than the Vega Protein shake.

To compare to your grocery bill each month, it is really a small dent expense wise, but an effective substitute to a meal. You may even save money if you decide to opt for the shake over additional food as well as time to prepare.

For this reason, I believe the Vega One shake is an excellent meal replacement option. It is simple and very traveller-friendly or for those on the go. I use it nearly every day and take it with me to work. It’s an excellent source of filling nutrition and gives me energy without the compromises of caffeine.

I would recommend getting it on sale though like I do. You can find a good deal on the Vega One shake here: http://amzn.to/1iWh7PQ. There are different flavours to choose from and you get free shipping on orders over $35 within the U.S.

Also, I would like to point out that the container is made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, which makes the product even green on the outside. This is good to know that we are reducing waste! 

So that is it for my review on the Vega One Nutritional Shake. If you are taking any other nutritional shakes of similarity, I would love to hear your feedback on them as well as what you think of the Vega One shake if you have already tried it before.

Thank you for reading!

Brendan Kearney

PS: For more information, visit www.vibranatural.com or find us on twitter at https://www.twitter.com/vibranatural1 and facebook at https://www.facebook.com/vibranaturalfit

 

 

 

 

 

Mono Eating: What is it and Should I Try it?

So I have been joining various Facebook groups that focus on topics regarding dieting and nutrition which represent different labels, styles and methods of eating. For example, I am in a few vegan and raw food groups as well as natural nutrition groups. What I have seen out of these groups are highly passionate people who live, breath, and believe in what they do. Their approaches to nutrition and dieting vary, but the passion remains similar.

If you have followed me long enough, you know that I focus on being natural as my fundamental approach. This is a very simple approach to apply when dealing with a vegan or raw food group. They all eat natural foods straight from mother nature for the most part. However, some topics get quite complex and far exceed my level of knowledge and understanding for now.

Ways of eating these days tend to be labeled and those who eat a certain way will be labeled one way or another. It’s like a genre of music. And then there are sub genres with eating just like there are with music. Without getting into detail, I want to move forward with the topic of this blog.

The topic of this blog was influenced recently by a discussion from a facebook group that intrigued me. It is known as Mono Eating. Mono eating consists basically of eating just one type of food for a day, a week or even months, but with switching to a new food to focus on each day, week, month etc.

Does this sound crazy or what? How and why would anyone go about eating one type of food for a day like apples or bananas? Wouldn’t you be lacking certain macro and micronutrients or even going overboard with some? This was my outlook on the subject at first glance, but as I let it settle in, I grew rather fond and curious of this type of eating. I wanted to know the why and how to this thing called mono eating.

About Mono Eating and my view on it

The Mono eating diet also shares a similar concept known as the 80/10/10 diet. This means 80% carbs, 10% fat and 10% protein. This is usually in the form of eating strictly fruit and/or starchy carb vegetables because they contain usually more carbs than fat or protein. The ratio can be changed however, in favor for a more balanced ratio which most believe is a better formula for weight loss and over all energy. This also makes me curious as to why and how the mono eating diet and 80/10/10 diet would benefit anyone in any way.

Fruits and vegetables are in favour of the mono eating approach. They resonate with the raw, vegan and/or vegetarian lifestyle. It is believed that mankind, in the early stages, had access to only few types of food, mainly fruits and some vegetables and even a specific food depending on where they lived in the world. If this is the case, they were certainly “mono eating” all the time. They ate whatever was available, since there was no trading or shipping. They would eat like apes with all the berries and bananas they had available and limited to in their dwelling on earth.

Now lets not forget about when mankind discovered meat and began to hunt animals. Our evolution has been shaped over and over through the millenniums, but it has only been until recently over the last few hundred years that trading and shipping was formed. This means variety in food has not been around and exposed to individuals for too long in our evolutionary development.

Are there Benefits to Mono Eating?

Fruits and Vegetables are superficial in the realm of nutrition with an abundance of vitamins and minerals, but the risk of deficiency and/or toxicity can occur when eating one fruit all day for days or weeks.

So what would be so beneficial or even the purpose of such a diet? From what I understand, here are a few of them:

Fasting and Detox

Fruits and vegetables are your number one source for detoxifying the body. They are low in fat and protein, high in fiber, low in calories and full of water. Though they are high in sugar, it’s all natural and sure replaces a caramel latte or a soda.

Fruits and vegetables, when eaten alone, can serve as a “cheat fast”. It’s less filling, but better than eating nothing.

Better Digestion

Eating just one type of food eliminates the confusion for your digestive system, because it only has to focus on one food type. Today, most people eat in the form of variety all the time. We spice, salt, oil and sugar coat just about everything. We eat different food groups all in one meal. We put granola in our yogurt, peanut butter on our bread, berries in our cereal, chicken in our salad and gravy on our potatoes.

Now just think of how many ingredients there are in all the processed food people eat, such as granola, bread and lunch meat. A ham sandwich is far more than just bread and ham. The ingredients that make up the bread and ham add up to many, many different ingredients in which are artificial garbage and the body does not know what to do with them. Our bodies were not designed to digest fake food and so much at once.

Just think, if you had a power saw that was made for cutting wood and you had to cut through wood, metal, tile and glass with just the one blade, you would damage it. You need to cut the wood first and then change the blade to cut metal, glass, or tile, etc. For the record, I pulled that analogy out of my ass, but you get the idea. Our digestive systems work similarly and use different enzymes to adjust for digestion of different food groups. Eating all kinds of food at once can be harmful over time to our digestive health.

To Gain Appreciation for One Food

The mono eating diet may be boring and bland, but I believe there is some value in it to a certain degree. Instead of eating a banana mixed in with oatmeal and chocolate with peanut butter, eat several bananas at once if one doesn’t satisfy you. This way, you will learn to enjoy it on it’s own without being blended in with a bunch of stuff.

I believe we neglect the opportunity to enjoy fruit and other food on their own for the most part and it just makes us want more variety as if we don’t have enough already. So maybe we should learn to go without variety to gain appreciation for food in that mother nature provides us with in isolation.

Process of Elimination

By eating one specific thing for a day, or even a meal, this will give you a better insight into how your body reacts to certain food, since they are in isolation. From there, you can better determine what makes you thrive and what makes you weak.

Now let me reason a little with this concept here. If you eat nothing but strawberries all day, you are going to be eating a whole lot of strawberries to the point where you may run into complications. For example, one serving of strawberries contain roughly our daily intake of vitamin C, so if you want to eat a sustainable amount, you are getting a dangerously high amount of vitamin C and or other things. Plus, you may get sick of whatever you are eating for days alone.

For these matters, I can understand the necessities of indulging in a mono eating diet, but certainly not something I would recommend until I have tried it myself first. Almost all of the food from mother nature has an imbalance of nutrients and therefore, a sustainable mono eating diet may be very hard to find. In fact, it can be downright dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing.

If I were to Try Mono Eating

Now lets do  a nutritional rundown analysis. Assume I try mono eating for one whole week. I eat one specific food each day for seven days. For this approach, I have chosen 7 different foods (5 fruits and 2 vegetables) that I think would be the most feasible to try this out with.

Now to make this type of eating sustainable, I have set a rule of 2000 calories per day. This means each type of food needs to meet the 2000 calorie mark. How interesting this will be with just produce! Here are the 7 foods and their nutritional data along with my outlook.

APPLES

Nutrition Facts:  Serving size: 1 medium apple (154g), 80 calories, 25 apples to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 25 apples: 0g of fat, 0g of sodium, 4250mg of potassium, 550g of carbs, 125g of fibre, 400g of sugar, 0g of protein, 50% DV of vitamin A, 200% DV of vitamin C, 0% DV of calcium, 50% DV of iron

Apples are missing two macronutrients, fat and protein. This is an issue and unless it’s a cleanse or a “cheat fast” apples would not sustain me for the day. 25 apples give you a high amount of potassium and more than their fair share of fibre. This may be beneficial for some aggressive cleansing, but I am skeptical on the overall intake of sugar. Even though it is natural, I am guessing 400 grams is excessive. Maybe if I ate just one meal consisting of a few apples?

 AVOCADOS

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: ½ avocado (75g), 140 calories, 14 servings (8 medium avocados) to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 8 medium avocados: 182g of fat, 6020mg of potassium, 112g of carbs, 112g of fibre, 14g of sugar, 42g of protein, 28% DV of vitamin A, 140% DV of vitamin C, 14% DV of calcium, 35% DV of iron       

The ultimate fat fruit is also very low in sugar and since they are high in calories, less of them are needed. Only 8 avocados to fill you for the day and the total carb count is remarkable! Very suitable for a low carb diet, but not too extreme. You also get a good amount of vitamin C. Since they are also high in potassium, you double your intake for the day. For this matter, balancing it out with some sodium is a good idea. That’s not cheating right?

Check out the protein figure. 42 grams of protein, not bad from just fruit! Overall, this is definitely something I feel more comfortable with than apples.

 BANANAS

Nutrition facts: Serving size: 1 medium banana (118g), 105 calories, 20 servings to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 20 bananas: 0g of fat, 20mg of sodium, 8440mg of potassium, 540g of carbs, 60g of fibre, 280g of sugar, 25g of protein, 40% DV of vitamin A, 340% DV of vitamin C, 20% DV of calcium, 40% DV of iron

Bananas contain less potassium than avocados but require more to reach the 2000 calorie quota. Nearly triple the standard for daily potassium intake is reached along with a ton of carbs! Surprisingly, the sugar amount is not as high as I thought. You even get some protein out of the bananas for the day and a solid amount of fibre. Maybe more than necessary, but shouldn’t be harmful. You even get a triple dose of vitamin C for the day! Definitely an energy food with lots of electrolytes. Add some sea salt to balance out the charge!

BLUEBERRIES

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 cup (148g), 84 calories, 24 servings to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 24 servings: 0g of fat, 24mg of sodium, 504g of carbs, 96g of fibre, 360g of sugar, 24g of protein, 48% DV of vitamin A, 576% DV of vitamin C, 24% DV of calcium, 48% DV of iron

Using 1 cup as a serving, my daily caloric intake would be reached with 24 cups. That is roughly 7 pounds of blueberries for the day. For some reason, I think I would enjoy eating this many. I could eat them all day like a gorilla! Though they must be organic. Now the problem is that there are some nutrient imbalances with this amount. 0 grams of fat, very low sodium, very high carbohydrates and sugar. The fibre intake seems to be dangerously high, along with the vitamin C. Blueberries are also very rich in antioxidants though, and vitamin C acts as an antioxidant so I will consider blueberries for the mono trial.

 STRAWBERRIES

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 cup (140g), 50 calories, 40 servings to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 40 servings: 20g of fat, 0g of sodium, 400g of carbs, 120g of fibre, 280g of sugar, 40g of protein, 0% DV of vitamin A, 4000% DV of vitamin C, 80% DV of calcium, 160% DV of iron

According to a similar serving size as blueberries, strawberries have less calories. This is a surprise to me since strawberries tend to have more fat and protein. Makes me wonder where all the calories are coming from in blueberries. And to equal the amount of 2000 calories, it requires 12 pounds of strawberries! That is roughly $60 worth of strawberries since I buy them organic. A regular serving of strawberries alone reaches your daily intake of vitamin C, with 40 servings (too meet quota) you are getting 40 times your daily recommendation of vitamin C! If there is a safe limit for this vitamin, I am sure we would reach the level of toxicity on this one! You actually get a fair amount of calcium and iron though, which is hard to get from fruit.

 BROCCOLI

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 stalk (151g), 51 calories, 40 servings to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 40 broccoli stalks: 40g of fat, 2000mg of sodium, 400g of carbs, 160g of fibre, 120g of sugar, 160g of protein, 760% DV of vitamin A, 8960% DV of vitamin C, 280% DV of calcium, 240% DV of iron

A prime example of green power right here! I just had to nominate broccoli for the mono eating trial. It is high in all sorts of vitamins and minerals, very alkaline, and even tallies up some impressive macronutrient figures! But could the massive quantity cancel out the quality time with broccoli for the day?

With one stalk as a serving size at only 51 calories, you need 40 servings and with that, comes with some serious numbers. Very high amounts of fibre and vitamin C, in fact, nearly 90 times your daily intake of vitamin C. This is rather not a surprise to me with the quantity, but what really stands out is how we end up with 40 of fat, 120g of sugar, and 160g of protein! That is astounding. That much protein along with calcium at nearly 3 times your RDA, from a more bioavailable source than dairy and meat! You also get lots of iron.

The sodium level is about perfect for the day. 1mg of sodium per calorie, but the overall sugar amount is very surprising. It adds up. High amounts of vitamin A are also important, since we lack it in much of our food. Broccoli has it all!

CARROTS

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 medium carrot (61g), 25 calories, 80 carrots to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 80 carrots: 0g of fat, 3360mg of sodium, 480g of carbs, 160g of fibre, 240g of sugar, 80g of protein, 16320% DV of vitamin A, 480% DV of vitamin C, 160% DV of calcium, 80% DV of iron

Another great snack, along with broccoli, carrots are notorious for improving eyesight right? That myth would be due to the sheer abundance of vitamin A. One medium carrot contains roughly double of your daily required intake of the vitamin. Now we need 80 carrots to meet quota with our calorie intake for the day, so how much vitamin A are we talking? About 160 times your recommended daily intake! Now if my eyesight doesn’t improve after a day of eating this many carrots, I will be greatly disappointed!

No need to add salt to the orange sticks. 80 carrots a day will do you just fine if you compare it to the typical Western diet, which I don’t recommend basing that rule off of. You also get 480 grams of starchy carbs with half of it coming from sugar. Also, you get a fair amount of protein for the day. 1 gram per carrot! Calcium and iron are also on par, but the vitamin C intake may be a little too high. Dip some carrots in a whole, plain yogurt or oil for added fat and away you go!

Conclusion

Judging by the figures that I discovered with these 7 foods, I think broccoli comes out on top. It has the most stable nutrition profile, and aside from the insanely high vitamin C content, I think it would be the most promising to undergo a whole day of just one food.

Avocados are right up there as well. They are low in sugar, carbs, and are very alkaline like broccoli. If your not afraid of all of the extra fat, this would be an excellent choice to leave you with for a day.

What I would really like to do instead of going sheer mono for one day is take these 7 foods and have one whole meal of each for the day. This way, I will avoid toxicity or deficiency of any vitamin or mineral and get an adequate amount from a variety of thriving foods. I know this is technically not mono eating, but I think it is a safe and fun thing to try. I will have to research more on vitamin and mineral deficiency and toxicity before I try an actual day of eating just one of these 7 foods.

There are also many other vitamins and minerals in these 7 foods not listed that I have to consider as well.

Your Thoughts

I would like to know your thoughts and suggestions on this topic as well as what type of food would you go with if you had to pick something specific for the day. Your input can also help me base a more informed decision on this.

Thank you for reading and share away your comments!

 

Brendan Kearney

Vibranatural

http://www.vibranatural.com

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http://www.twitter.com/vibranatural1

Whey Better than Plant Protein?

When it comes to protein supplements like powders, there is often a lot of controversy as to which protein powder is better. Without getting into the subcategories of protein powders, I am just going to talk about the two heavy hitters in the food supplement sector. They are none other than the all mighty Whey protein and the vibrant Plant based protein powders. I am going to reveal the pros and cons of each and how they measure up to your goals and desires for your health and fitness and also why preaching the better one is irrelevant.

Whey Protein Powder has been the overall top seller for the last two decades for many reasons. It has been available and marketed since the early 2000’s as the ultimate bodybuilder’s protein supplement and has been consumed by bodybuilders and athletes of different sports and fitness grinds. Whey protein has a strong reputation for it’s effectiveness in assisting muscle recovery and growth amongst fitness folks. It is a more functional protein than it’s fellow dairy comprising powders like Egg and Casein.

Whey protein, in general, also has a reputation of neglecting health properties in favour of focusing on muscle and sport. Most of the leading brands in the industry take shortcuts and add artificial ingredients for added flavour and texture as well as scientifically engineered stuff to enhance performance (so they state in big bold fancy lettering). You can’t deny that whey’s popularity over the years has stemmed from marketing hype one way or another.

Plant Protein Powder, in general, is made up of a variety of protein-rich sources like Hemp, Rice, Pea, and Sunflower to name a few. They also come in isolated forms of these protein sources, but for now, we will just focus on plant based protein powder in general.

Plant protein powder is an alternative for vegetarians and vegans whole can still get a broad amount of protein to supplement what they may lack in their diet. It is generally a cleaner protein source because there is no lactose or any potential faulty ingredients. All of the manufacturers focus solely on healthy, compromise-free nutrition.

The sport supplement industry has not marketed plant based sources of protein so much as whey, but the potential for it to thrive in the sports department is slowly rising.

I am going to break down where these two forms of protein powder stand in 5 different areas: Taste, Natural and Healthy, Quality, Fitness and Athletic Performance, and Cost.

TASTE

Now looking from a perspective of sheer athletic performance or health and longevity, taste is really not a concern as long as it has some flavour and is tolerable. However, for many who just like to add a protein shake to their diet via post training or as a meal replacement, we’ll consider it.

When it comes to taste, it does come to personal preference. There are various popular flavours to come by like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and such. some people who mix their protein with a variety of fruits and butters may just go with an unflavoured version. As long as the protein powder has flavour and is at least somewhat enjoyable to consume, then it’s good to go.

I think if you are going for tastefulness first, you will find that whey protein is a much more enjoyable route to go. However, this is usually aided by artificial sweeteners that you will want to watch out for if you value your health.

I find that plant protein powder has a bit more of a gritty taste to it even when flavoured. If you can tolerate the taste of unflavoured plant protein powder then suit yourself.

NATURAL AND HEALTHY

When it comes to your health, plant protein powders are always a safer bet. The manufacturers are more interested in making healthy sources of protein than they are marketing muscle building.

It is generally believed that to give your body the health treatment it deserves for longevity and vibrance, plant protein is the way to go. The absence of dairy and animal protein gives you the assurance that the product is clean from the inside out.

Plant based protein also contains some fibre, making it better for your digestive health and pushing out toxic waste. You should be getting all the fibre you need from your diet alone anyways, so it doesn’t really help much in that department, but is a step ahead of whey in that area.

Those who advocate plant based protein will degrade whey and point out the flaws. Since whey does contain dairy, it contains lactose, which is intolerable for many people and can be overly aggressive for the digestive system. Also, dairy is known to be more inflammatory in the body. Dairy tends to cause more allergies and break outs in the skin. Keep in mind that this is the dark side of whey protein when artificial fillers are included and the lactose levels are high.

If you care about your health, you will want to eliminate these artificial ingredients as much as possible. Look out for ingredients such as Maltodextrin, Modified Starches, Silicone Dioxide, Sucralose, Sucrose, Sodium Benzoate, and Acesulfame Potassium to name a few.

If you want to keep it natural for your health, look for ingredients such as Stevia, Xylitol, Guar Gum, Soy Lecithin, Inulin, Organic Cocoa, Organic Vanilla bean or extract. There should not be that many ingredients listed for a product that has only one macronutrient present (protein). All of the above ingredients should be all you need along with some of the whey protein and enzyme blends. You may also find Peptides and pectin (a probiotic).

It is also important that you opt for a high quality manufactured protein source. This is where whey protein has a reputation for taking shortcuts. Whey protein has seen improvements over the years however, and some companies are producing healthier products with better quality protein. This is their response to the healthier movement amongst consumers.  They are becoming more natural, organic, non GMO and lower lactose levels.

Those who love their whey protein can now have the best of both worlds: The muscle building performance and natural healthiness. With the natural health movement of whey protein manufacturing and marketing, the edge could be gained over the plant sources for those who are open to either ends of the spectrum.

QUALITY

Quality protein is essential for your health and even athletic performance. When you are searching for a whey protein powder, make sure you are getting one that contains milk from grass fed cows and that have not been treated with antibiotics or hormone injections. Also, look for a non GMO labelling for added assurance and look for a label stating “undenatured” or “cold processed” This means that the protein was processed at cold temperatures that didn’t harm the quality of the protein like the amino acids it needs for it to be complete.

New Zealand originated whey protein is the most reputable amongst various origins to produce such quality. Kaizen is an example of a Canadian brand that uses New Zealand Whey protein.

A whey protein isolate is when the amino acids are isolated, making them “free form” and therefore, absorbs quicker. This is for the purpose of getting the protein to the muscles as fast as possible to repair lost protein and minerals in the body and amino acid breakdown. However, the denaturing process is quite high because it is processed to high temperatures. For this reason, don’t bother with whey isolate because the denaturing process just reverses the enhancement that was intended. Plus, whey absorbs quick enough on it’s own, so stick with the regular.

The benefits of plant based protein in the health department are obvious. They are also more carefully handled in the manufacturing process and therefore, you can count on the nutrient quality to still be more intact. They are usually organic plant sources along with no GMO’s. Plant based protein is a one-size-fits-all when it comes to health and quality. Whey is more selective.

FITNESS PERFORMANCE

Overall, Whey protein dominates in the area of fitness and athletic performance. It appeals to body builders and strength training athletes. Often times, bodybuilders and weight trainers will be oblivious to the health properties when they are so focused and influenced on the marketing hype whey protein provides for gaining muscle.

This isn’t to say that they are mislead. Whey protein has an edge in this area mainly due to the higher amount of calories and protein per serving. Whey protein is also fast absorbing, getting the amino acids in quicker to do their magic via post workout training for recovery.

Whey protein also contains a full spectrum of amino acids that plant protein often misses. Look for a full spectrum of amino acids labeled on both whey and plant protein supplements containers.

Plant based protein sources tend to be more “hippy like” and advocate nature’s beauty. They appeal to people that are more interested in health and naturalness. however, you can never underestimate the power nature and the quality nutrition it provides us.

Aside from the marketing hype of whey protein and building muscle, plant based protein may actually have it’s place in the athletic performance area. Just look at Vega, the vegan plant based manufacturer of performance nutrition. Vega is the first plant based company to merge into the athletic performance sector with  company founder Brendan Brazier’s creation.

Brendan is a long distance trainer who competes in triathlons such as Iron Man. His mission throughout life was to experiment with what type of food works best for athletic performance. Low and behold, the verdict was plant based nutrition. Vega’s Sport Recovery protein formula is at the forefront of quality performance protein powders. It’s an all natural vegan source of multiple plant protein sources flavoured naturally. You can find the Vega Sport Recovery Protein Powder as well as their other products anywhere. Health food stores aren’t the only ones carrying their goods. Grocery and drug stores now carry Vega products. It’s a true revolution.

When it’s all about building muscle however, whey, egg and casein protein will be your best choice. If you are interested in keeping it clean and healthy, I would suggest an all whey protein powder. Optimum Nutrition provides a quality All Natural Whey Protein Powder for fitness enthusiasts. It is one of the leading brands of whey protein amongst so many in North America.

PRICE

Price is of concern when shopping on a budget. In general, plant protein powders are significantly more expensive than the typical whey protein powder. This is because plant protein companies put more time and emphasis on making their products nutritionally sound. A 1 lb. tub (which is roughly 15 servings) of a plant source of protein powder will usually cost around $30, which is as much as a 2 lb. tub of cheap whey protein. Keep in mind though that you are paying for quality and if you are serious about your health and fitness gains, a higher grade product is worthwhile the investment.

For example, a 2 lb. container of high quality all natural, undenatured whey protein will cost $45 to $60, roughly the same as a 2 lb. container of a plant based source on sale. In my opinion, when it comes to the best of both worlds (health and performance) Vega and Optimum Nutrition (Natural Edition) are the best whey and plant sources of protein for the money.

CONCLUSION

Overall, it really comes down to personal preference, your goals and values. If you want to build muscle regardless of health properties, then whey protein will do as long as it’s at least of decent quality. If you are in it for the long haul and want to be healthy, a plant based source may be a better option. If you want to build muscle while keeping it natural and healthy, nothing less than top grade all natural, undenatured whey will do the trick. If you are a vegetarian, vegan or lactose intolerant, plant based protein is your only choice. If you want to keep it plant based but want to be as close to fitness performance oriented as possible, then go for Vega Sport Recovery protein powder because Brendan Brazier knows what’s going on in it.

The overall image portrayed by each rival are distinct. Whey protein has more of a fit and sexy appeal with top fitness models posing for the company’s product. This helps generate huge sales as it appeals to the fitness masses.

Plant based protein on the other hand tends to appeal to those more serious about their health and longevity but realize that many of their consumers are training hard in their fitness grinds and are just as aggressive.

The two top rivals in the protein supplement industry are really shaping up by addressing their weaknesses where the opposing contender excels. Whey protein manufacturers see the benefits of having a clean, healthy nutrition base, whereas plant based protein manufacturers see the benefits in having sport oriented qualities.

You can expect Whey and Plant based to continue to merge into each other’s territory to claim their spot all over the map. This is another reason to add that one is not possibly better than the other. It’s based on your personal preference, goals and values.

Now have fun protein shopping!

Brendan K

Vibranatural

 

Protein, Calcium and Alkalinity

We all know the importance of calcium and protein. Protein builds muscle and calcium builds strong bones and teeth. Protein is the one macronutrient that has not been degraded by markets and health fads like carbs and fat have. This leaves protein to be at the forefront of everyone’s concern. Calcium is a mineral that has been subject to some very key elements through studies and a scientifically proven to be one hell of an important mineral in our diet.

Now rather than getting into a great lecture about what protein and calcium do for us, I just want to unravel the myth of which you get calcium and protein from.

CALCIUM

We are brought up to believe that milk has calcium and gives you strong bones. Our parents teach us this at an early age and we grow up believing it. Most of us continue to drink more milk, in the belief that we will get bigger and have strong bones. Advertisers make it a constant reminder with ads everywhere advocating milk to feed the massive dairy industry and gain profit. They take the strong aspect in milk (calcium) and over feature it.

For this reason, we are raised to believe that we need to drink milk and even doctors and dietitians advocate the importance of milk for calcium.

THE PROBLEM WITH CALCIUM IN MILK

The calcium in milk is equal to the amount of phosphorus it also contains. Because of this ratio, the calcium is not absorbed and stored in our bones like it should be. Calcium also contributes to muscle function, so when it is not directly absorbed, our bodies will leech it from our bones. Pretty scary to think of isn’t it? Drinking cow’s milk will actually weaken your bones. It’s too acidic for humans to absorb. It’s good for baby cows but not humans.  We drink mother’s milk when we are infants, but then it’s of no use for us after a few years. So why would we need to drink cow’s milk from then on?

It all comes down to the marketing hype. We are mislead and not told the truth about how about how milk wreaks our bones rather than builds them.

HEALTHY CALCIUM FOOD SOURCES

Almond milk is made from raw almonds and uses minimal processing. It is water based and contains just as much calcium as cow milk. It contains a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 3:1, making the calcium absorbable. It also contains less sugar and tastes better even if it’s unsweetened. Other plant milk sources on the market that are also good are hemp, rice, flax and soy. (If you are going to buy soy milk, make sure it is organic though).

Almond milk also does have less calories for those of you who are calorie conscious. You can also make your own almond milk. It is quite simple and you get no added ingredients other than what you need to make it. it is a healthier option, but to keep it simple, store bought is good enough.

Other calcium sources are navy beans, whole almonds, tofu, tempeh and a variety of greens such as kale, spinach, bok choy, swiss chard and broccoli. Green vegetables are actually your best source of calcium because the alkalinity makes the calcium more absorbable. There may be less calcium but it’s the quality that counts. It’s not how much calcium you can get in a day, but it’s the foods you eat that will determine the quality of calcium absorption. This is where alkalinity comes in to play

ALKALINITY

Without getting into too much detail, there is what is known as a PH balance scale. On one end measures alkalinity and on the other, measures acidity. Foods are measured on the scale and land on varying degrees of the of either acidic or alkaline. Although your body will balance it’s PH levels on it’s own regardless of what you eat, it is important to have more alkalinity for many reasons, but it’s also for the absorption of calcium and other minerals. This is why it’s so important to eat your vegetables, especially greens because they provide the highest degree of alkalinity. Dairy and meat are quite the opposite. This is why you need to incorporate a balance of food groups or even the majority from plant based food. After all, mother nature put that stuff here on earth for a reason.

People argue that fruits are acidic (I have no idea where that came from) It is just a misconception. Most fruits are borderline alkaline/acidic and there is nothing to worry about.

Without alkaline foods in our diet, we would die of mineral deficiencies. Maybe eskimos can pull it off but only for so long. The bottom line is “eat more green vegetables and you will be fine”, and preferably raw or steamed. Don’t fry or boil if you want nutrient quality!

PROTEIN

We are brought up to believe that protein comes from animal meat, and it does. Again, this is just another marketing push for the meat industry to make their big bucks. They feature the main asset, protein, as their main selling proposition, and since we need protein to survive, we must need beef, chicken, pork, etc. People always look at vegetarians and vegans as people who lack protein in their diet. This is far from the truth and most of vegans and vegetarians will laugh at this matter because it is ridiculous. There are all sorts of protein-rich plant foods out there. One, in particular that stands out for me are hemp seeds. 

Hemp seeds, in particular, contain more protein (gram for gram) than canned tuna. Hemp seeds are also rich in minerals responsible for the absorption of calcium. Also, because it is a “live food” all of the nutrition is readily available unlike the denaturing of cooked meat (aka, a dead food)

From another perspective, lets look at animals. What are the biggest, strongest, and longest living animals on earth? How about a horse, a giraffe, rhino, gorilla or elephant? What do they eat all day? That’s right, they eat grass, berries and other plants. They are not eating other animals.

This is a difficult fact to digest when your beliefs about protein are confronted by it. Most of us will just continue getting our protein from meat because we just want to stick to what we believe to be safe. I am neither a vegan or biased towards any diet or way of eating, but I do see both sides of the coin: What we are grown up to believe, and the real deal of how things are. Nutrition is a tough subject to untangle when we have all of this noise and hype and I truly believe that is one particular subject has been filtered down with B.S. and needs to be unraveled.

Brendan K

Vibranatural

3 Healthy Delicious Night Time Snacks

We are generally told that we should not eat after 7pm or eat at least 3 or 4 hours before going to bed. This gives us a window for a big dinner and time for it to settle before nodding off.

Now if for some reason we are still hungry after dinner, we usually bite into a snack or dessert. The issue occurs when that snack turns into a full blown feast. All the sugar from treats and processed salt puts stress on our digestion especially following a heavy meal. The food will sit in our system when we go to bed and still be there when we get up. We know when this occurs when we feel like we got hit by a truck upon getting up. This is certainly a habit you want to correct quickly.

A hight caloric intake with low nutrient density is one of the main causes for obesity. If you are going to be eating after 7pm, make sure the food source has an adequate supply of nutrients. This is especially important throughout the day. Your macro and micronutrient requirements should be met by dinner time so you don’t have to worry about them after dinner.

Now when it comes to late night snacks, you should reconsider the concept of eating ice cream or chocolate cake. You can have desserts or snacks at night that won’t compromise your health. First off, I will highlight the 3 macronutrients and where they stand in conjunction with a healthy night time snack.

PROTEIN

Protein is responsible for repairing and rebuilding muscle. Without it, we would not be able to grow, develop muscle or even survive. Proteins are the building blocks for our bodies. All sorts of meat, dairy, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes are great sources of protein.

Protein also regulates blood sugar levels, which gives us a balance of energy and stable mood. Our bodies utilize protein when we are sleeping so it actually makes for a great recovery aid since the repair and build up of muscle happens while at rest.

FAT

Fatty foods do not make you fat if they come from a quality natural source of food. Such fats are nuts and seeds, almond and peanut butter, fish, eggs, avocados, and also different seed oils. It is best to get nuts and seeds that are closer to their natural state. Most of them on the market are refined with vegetable or soybean oil which is cooked to high temperatures. Avoid these for the most part.

Coconut oil is the best oil for cooking as it is heart healthy and remains stable at high temperatures. Use it as a replacement for butter and margarine.

Fats are great when paired with high protein sources like whey protein. Since whey absorbs fairly quickly, it serves as a recovery aid to get it in the body quickly. To slow the absorption down for lasting effects throughout the night, adding some peanut or almond butter to a whey protein shake is a great idea. This method is mainly for following up on high intensity training and shouldn’t be something you do every night. Fasting is needed here and there.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbs are used for energy. To fuel the body. Carbs are needed throughout the day, however, you should size down on your carb consumption after dinner time. Your body absorbs carbohydrates fairly quickly and the body does not store carbohydrates in the evening following bed time like it does in the day. Now this explains the myth of eating before bed making you fat. It is the carb intake following this time where your body stores them as fat. Unless you have a high metabolism and your body processes carbs efficiently, then you should cut down your intake after dinner.

Sugar is a form of carbohydrates and comes naturally in fruit. Although the sugar is coming from a natural source, you should still taper your intake on fruits and other carbs after dinner time. Non starchy carbs such as broccoli and spinach and other greens go well with dinners and late night snacks.

So to sum it up, ditch the carbs when it comes to eating before bed. Your macros of choice are healthy fat and protein sources. I will now provide you with some after hour desserts that I currently enjoy that you can try out:

HOT PROTEIN SHAKE

I brewed this one up out of experiment as usual and it turned out to be amazing! A great way to enjoy your protein shake in the cold months. Just heat it up!

1. Take your shaker cup (with shaker ball and cap) You can find these at any fitness store.
2. Pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of almond milk (unsweetened or plain)
3. Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (organic) or almond butter
4. Add your desired amount of whey protein to the mix. I use chocolate flavour, but you can go with other flavours like vanilla that may also match well.
5. Shake vigorously and put contents into a glass.
6. Put into microwave and heat for 1min. to 1 1/2 min. (be careful, it’s hotter than you think) Now drink and enjoy!

PROTEIN PUDDING

An excellent and easy to make snack!

1. Scoop up about 125mg to 175mg of greek yogourt (plain) and put into small bowl
2. Add 1 tablespoon of organic peanut butter or almond butter. This is a great source of additional fat especially if you are using the 0% fat yogurt. Stir until consistent
3. Add 1/2 scoop of whey protein (or more depending on your preference) and stir until consistent.
4. (optional) Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of raw cacao powder for a chocolaty touch
5. Stir and serve!

AVOCADO PROTEIN SMOOTHIE

You can really go 2 ways with this one: Either make it into a smoothie or a pudding! (The picture above was the result of pudding)

1. Put 3/4 cup of almond milk (plain or unsweetened) into a blender. If you want pudding, put only half that amount or 1/4 cup of almond milk
2. Add 1/2 to 1 scoop of whey protein powder and 1 tablespoon of raw cacao
3. Add about 100g of plain greek yogourt
4. Add 1/2 of an avocado. You can also add some peanut butter if you wish
5. Add a few ice cubes, blend and enjoy!

There are many ways in which you can go about creating your own delicious snacks that are suitable for night time before bed. I would like to see what you can come up with. If you would like to share your personal recipe, please do!

See you on the next blog!

Brendan K

Vibranatural

Eating Before Bed: Is it Really Bad for You?

Now before we begin with this topic, I want to address what would be considered “before bed”. Some people think that it is the meal after dinner time which is around 6pm for most people. Now lets say you go to bed at 10:30pm. The meal between dinner time and bedtime would be considered the night time snack. So lets say 8:30, which is 2 hours before you go to bed. That is what most of us consider as eating before bed.

Now I am going to stretch it out a little further and say you eat that night time snack at 9:30, an hour before bed time. So basically any time within the 2 hour window is what we are looking at here.

ON TO THE TOPIC

Imagine that you are getting home a few hours before bed time. You come home and you plan on going to bed within the next 2 hours. You also feel quite hungry and feel the need to satisfy your hunger and feel “full”. You want to eat a fair sized meal or snack. Perhaps some leftovers in the fridge.

Now there is an issue. You have read or heard that it is bad to eat before bedtime, especially a full sized meal. You have stuck with that idea for some time and heavily believe in it. However, that leftover pasta and chicken in the fridge is calling your name.

You really want to get to bed soon, but you want to eat even more. You give in to the temptation and snack yourself full within an hour before your bed time.

Now if you are like how I used to be on this issue, you probably decide to stay up for another hour to let the food fully digest. In general, this is a smart idea if you have just ate a relatively large meal. You know that when you wake up in the morning, you have that knot or gut-rot feeling and you seem to be in a cognitive decline as well. Basically like you just got hit by a train.

GOOD NEWS

I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to happen that way and that you CAN eat before bedtime and wake up just fine. In fact, this is actually beneficial to your fitness regime, weather it is to lose weight or gain weight, or any type of physical training for that matter. If you are a sports athlete, a gymnast, runner, rower, cyclist, bodybuilder, it will benefit you to snack out before bedtime as long as you know WHAT TO EAT!

The macronutrients need to be adjusted accordingly for the sake of your body metabolizing the food for it’s benefit while discarding the compromises. In other words, certain foods should be considered and other avoided.

MUSCLE RECOVERY

Probably the most appealing and effective aspect, for me at least, is the food consumed at night to be used to repair the body. Protein is essential for building and repairing muscle, so it is also essential to undergo this process while you are asleep. You go the longest time without eating when you are asleep. It only makes sense that you feed your muscles before bed time to give it something to work with.

A protein shake, like whey protein powder with peanut or almond butter is an excellent choice. The protein is what the body needs to repair itself and the fat is used to slow the digestion process so it breaks down slower. Since whey protein absorbs very quickly, it is great for a post workout meal, when your muscles need it right away.

When you are going to bed, you need to accommodate it with the fat to slow the digestion process or else your body will break it down to quickly and it won’t be effective. Other sources of protein that are effective for overnight muscle recovery are cottage cheese (high in casein), eggs, meat such as chicken, fish, and turkey. Turkey is high in L-tryptophan, and amino acid that induces melatonin, which is a sleep hormone. Now you know why turkey makes you so tired.

For the more lean meats, it is a good idea to accompany them with fats like peanut butter or almonds. Any fatty food to slow the digestion, but do not overdo the them. Too much fat before bed will make you feel crappy.

The ideal macronutrient ratio would be something like 2.5:1:0.5 for protein to fat to carbs. You want to keeps carbs to a minimum because they are not serving you any good at this point. Your body  uses carbohydrates for energy which is not what you want when it’s sleepy time.

CASEIN PROTEIN

You have probably heard a lot about Casein in the area of fitness (mainly bodybuilding). Casein is 80% milk protein, which you would get from milk, yogurt, and cheese. The supplement form of Casein that comes in a powder is ideal for a night time snack. Protein shakes in general are easy on the stomach as long as you are not sensitive to certain things. (Casein is high in lactose, so it may not be for some people). Overall though Casein is the best source of protein before bed because of it’s ultra-slow absorption rate. It generally take 6 to 7 hours for a Casein Protein Shake to fully absorb and be all used up by the muscles, giving them a sparring supply of protein and amino acids for recovery and feel better the morning after.

BOTH WORLDS BENEFIT

Eating before bed time is considered a necessity for those looking to put on muscle mass and gain size but is generally opposed of those focusing on weight loss and toning. Both departments actually benefit from this night time eating strategy for various reasons. I will explain briefly:

For those in the slim-down department, a meal high in protein with moderate fat and low to zero carbs is low glycemic and going to satisfy your hunger. Protein also keeps your metabolism reving. If carbs out number everything else in the meal, then you will just spike your insulin before bed time and cause your body to store the carbs as fat instead of energy like it would during the day. This also means that you are not starving throughout the night, which can cause your metabolism to slow down.

If you don’t eat breakfast, then it is an even bigger issue. Breakfast is labelled as the most important meal of the day for a reason. A good quality breakfast that is low glycemic will keep your blood sugar levels steady and keep you satisfied until lunch time. It is ideal that you get a good amount of protein in your breakfast. Don’t eat refined cereal!

Ok so back on topic, I will explain the benefits of those in the muscle mass department. First off, you can’t go wrong with eating a meal before bed when you count on extra calories to build muscle. Extra calories also gives you a storage of energy for the next day for your workouts. For those who are looking to gain weight, even some carbs before bed time wont hurt.

You just need to make sure that you level out the ratio of you macros. The more carbs you have, the more protein you should have as well as fat. Remember, calories are your friend at this point. Just don’t eat until you are 100% full then go to bed. That will likely give you stomach problems and other health issues if that habit continues. You still want to feel good, so don’t over eat at near bed time.

WHAT TO AVOID BEFORE BED

Under normal circumstances, you should avoid starchy carbs like potatoes and carrots and also rice. Anything sugary like fruits, but a small serving should be fine on it’s own. Any type of bread is bad especially at this time. Avoid desserts like cakes and pies or cookies (which you should avoid regularly)

All of these foods turn into sugar in the body and again, are stored as fat. They are also meant to be eaten in the daytime because the body uses them as energy. Even for you hardgainers looking to put on size, your body will just store excess carbs as fat, which is probably not the type of mass that you want. In this case, keeps your carbs moderate at best.

DON’T EAT RIGHT AT BEDTIME

Ok so how soon before bed time is it okay for you to eat? Well it really depends on the type of person you are and what your personal health and fitness interests are. It also depends on how much you eat in one shot before bed time. I would not consider anything outside of the two hour window to be “before bed”. Anything within the two hours of you going to bed, yes. Some people just don’t believe in eating.

For those who consume a low calorie diet in favor of weight loss and muscle tone, you generally want to eat at least one hour before bed time. Some people would say two hours, but that may lead you to still feel a bit hungry if you just ate a small serving of food. Go by your own judgement for this matter and how you feel. At least within the two hour margin, you want to eat something, but usually anything within an hour is pushing it.

Ok now for those looking to put on muscle mass and size, your best bet is to just eat as much as you see fit but wait at least 30 min before bedtime. If it’s a simple protein shake, then maybe 15 minutes before is okay. Unlike regular people, you need a constant refill of calories to support your physical demands, so you don’t want to be opening up a 2 hour window like the weight watchers. Ideally, 1 hour to 30 min before bed is your best bet.

Now if you are still a teen or in your early 20’s, in college, drinking all night and stuffing down a whole pizza before bed, I am not here to change that. Keep doing what you do until it hurts, and then you can do something about it.

SUMMARY

Ok so we have went over some stipulations of night time eating and the overall conclusion is that it IS okay and even beneficial for the most part. What you eat and how much is an important factor when turning to night time snacking.

I used to think eating before bed was a bad thing and technically, it is. Yes I have said that even after all I just wrote about in support of it! Yes, eating RIGHT before bed is bad! This means eating your face off and hitting the hay immediately after. This is usually how the concept of “eating before bed” is looked at”.

Eating before bed is only harmful if you have weight control issues and or frequently snack heavily to pass out at night. If you drink a lot of alcohol, you may get the munchies and eat heavily and pass out immediately after. These are all of the habits that give “eating before bed” a bad name.

Now for the typical health freak, this is common sense and we know only to eat to the extent of our health boarder.

As I wrap this one up, I would also like to share with you a couple of great videos that relate to this topic. Most of my information was collected before watching these videos, but they do support what I addressed here and I think you will enjoy them.

See you on the next one,

 

Brendan K

Vibranatural