What's in That Protein Shake? Healthy Sugars and Why You Need Them

 

 There is a gross misconception about sugars that have been vilified in the media.While it's true that what I like to call industrial sugars are damaging, the naturally occurring ones found in fruits,vegetables and grains are accompanied by a whole host of nutrients. Like anything dealing with the human body and the planet, a deeper look that goes beyond a sound bite is critical to getting the full picture. During a Let's Go Outside! fitness and fun class I co- lead this weekend, a guest had a question and wanted to know if the Dutch Chocolate Nutrimeal protein shake I was distributing "had sugar" in it. What the guest really wanted to know really was I offering something detrimental to everyone's health. The fact is your body and brain require sugars to function. The brain needs it and without it will cease to function properly. Some healthy sugars that you can use around the house are Raw Honey, Amasake, Organic Sugar grown without pesticides or chemicals, Black Strap Molasses, Stevia and Xylitol. As for unhealthy sugars four words: Stay Away from Soda! For young mother's Bernando LaPallo points out that applesauce one of the first foods you give your baby should be unsweetend to avoid setting up your child for diabetes. Add a little ground cinnamon that has a natural sweet taste to it if you like. Adding table sugar to it impedes the ability to enjoy the natural sweetness of the apple, hooks the baby on unhealthy sugars making it be hard for them to eat whole foods later on.

Clearing Up Sugar Confusion  

Oscar Puig, CN  has this to say about the topic:

"Sugars are found in whole foods in the form of simple glucose, fructose and galactose such as those found in dietary carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits and grains. These are classified has monosaccharides. They are easy to digest and fast to get to our blood stream. They are packed with nutrients and beneficial fiber because they come from whole foods. However, our food industry has created non-nourishing natural and artificial sweeteners that can be damaging to the body. The best examples of this would be processed sucrose and high fructose corn syrup (“natural” sweeteners) and sucralose and aspartame (artificial sweeteners). Although naturally-derived, sucrose and high fructose corn syrup present in most processed foods can increase the probability of impaired liver function and fat deposits (fatty liver)..." This article by Puig is very helpful and you can read More here
Getting back to the protein shake in question Dutch Chocolate Nutrimeal contains 17 grams of sugar derived from fructose or fruits. Here is the ingredient list. And one last point the way you will lose weight fastest and sanely is to watch your caloric intake. Nutrimeal is one way you can make sure you are getting all your body requires with only a 240 to 250 calories provided you use water only to make your shake. When you start adding milk and the like you double your caloric intake. Most today are consuming 3000 to 3500 calories per day when it is better to be around 2000 calories per day on average. This unfortunate trend is reflected in the skyrocketing epidemic of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even cancers North Americans are experiencing in all age brackets. Adding plenty of fiber to your daily regime will also help you feel fuller while keeping your colon clean.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 3 scoops (60 g)

Servings per Container 9

Amount Per Serving

Calories

230

Calories from Fat

70 % Daily Value*

Total Fat

7g

11%

Saturated Fat 1g

5%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol

0mg

0%

Sodium

400mg

17%

Potassium

590mg

17%

Total Carbohydrate

32g

11%

Dietary Fiber 8g

32%

Soluble Fiber 3g

Insoluble Fiber 5g

Sugars 17g

Protein

15g

30%

Vitamin A

15%

•

Vitamin C

25%

Calcium

25%

•

Iron

20%

Vitamin D

35%

•

Vitamin E

20%

Thiamin

30%

•

Riboflavin

35%

Niacin

20%

•

Vitamin B6

30%

Folate

20%

•

Vitamin B12

10%

Phosphorus

40%

•

Iodine

30%

Magnesium

25%

•

Zinc

20%

Copper

20%

•

Manganese

20%

Molybdenum

25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

Calories:

2,000

2,500

Total fat

Less than

65g

80g

Sat. fat

Less than

20g

25g

Cholesterol

Less than

300mg

300mg

Sodium

Less than

2,400mg

2,400mg

Potassium

3,500mg

3,500mg

Total Carbohydrate

300g

375g

Dietary Fiber

25g

30g

Protein

50g

65g

Calories per gram: Fat 9 • Carbohydrate 4 • Protein 4

Ingredients:

Protein Blend [Soy Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Pea Protein Isolate,

Rice Protein Concentrate], Fructose, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavors, Maltodextrin, Soy

Fiber, Oat Fiber, Gum Arabic, Cane Fiber, Oligofructose, Potassium Phosphate, Prune

Powder (Prune, Calcium Stearate), Tricalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Citrate, Sodium

Caseinate (a milk derivative), Cellulose Gum, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Inulin, Soy Lecithin,

Tocopherols (to protect flavor), Silicon Dioxide, Wheat Bran, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Zinc

Gluconate, D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Niacinamide (Niacin), Potassium

Iodide, Vitamin A Palmitate, Molybdenum Citrate, Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D), Manganese

Citrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Copper Gluconate,

Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Ferrous Fumarate, Thiamin

Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1).

Contains: soybean, milk, wheat.

Produced on equipment that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, sesame, and shellfish.