Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Know What You Put In Your Body

I'm going to start with what's in MY Shakeology.... and then show you a few ingredients from other popular drinks that are designed for a "healthy" lifestyle or weight loss specifically that are NOT in my Shakeology.  Of course, the other products don't offer all of the benefits of Shakeology, but they are picked many times because of the cheaper cost.  Folks, you get what you pay for.

In addition to being all natural (including using only natural flavors), non-GMO, dairy free, soy free, and going through a 13 step process to ensure that all ingredients are ethically and responsibly sourced, Shakeology is so much more than any other shake that's on the market.

So what's in my Shakeo?
This is just a little peek. So let's dive a little deeper.
Vegan Protein Blend
Pea protein, oat protein, rice protein, chia, flax, and quinoa.  Can you (mostly) pronounce all of those (I'll help you out... "keen-wa") and have you heard of all of those ingredients? That's because they are natural sources of protein and, when combined, produce the same benefits of whey protein, without the dairy.  Each of these proteins individually would be wonderful, but combined, they pack a punch.

Agave
It's a natural sweetener, similar to honey.  But it packs a LOT of additional benefits such as being anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, antimicrobial abilities.  It's low on the Glycemic index and not processed like sugar or man-made sweeteners.

Pea fiber
Provides soluble and insoluble natural fibers that help boost gut health and reduce the occurrences of such diseases as colon disease, heart disease, and diabetes.  It's a proactive way to keep your tummy feeling good!

Chlorella (whole plant)
Chlorella helps with detoxification of your body. It contains chloryphyll, protein, iron, magnesium, and amino acids and binds with heavy metals and unwanted chemicals to flush them from your system.

Yacon
Naturally regulates blood sugar, lowers bad cholesterol, helps with weight loss, boosts immunity and digestive health, and improves the health of the liver.

Cordyceps
This fun-guy (yeah that's a fungus pun) helps regulate blood flow, cardiovascular health, and respiratory health while detoxifying the body.

Acerola cherry
Think of all the benefits of an orange, then multiply it and add some.  Vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and pantothentic acid are just some of the amped up vitamins and minerals this sweet fruit boasts. 

Pomegranate
Anti-oxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-viral, pomegranate is also a major contributor of vitamins A, C, and E.

Chicory fiber
Chicory fiber contains the prebiotic inulin, which passes through the body undigested and therefore helps with promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and helping you continue to feel satiated naturally.

Camu-Camu
The fruit so nice, they named it twice.  It's the food that contains the highest amount of vitamin C, strengthens immunity, balances mood, is high in anti-oxidants, supports eye and brain function, reduces inflammation, and is anti-viral. Seriously, tons of bang for your buck.

Astragalus
Another immunity booster! Who needs sick days?

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
Improves skin health and complexion through collagen production, strengthens hair and nails, accelerates healing, naturally increases energy, and is anti-inflammatory.

Enzyme Blend
A mixture of Amylase, Cellulase, Lactase, Glucoamylase, Alpha-Galactosidase, Invertase helps digestion of carbs and starches, control cholesterol, and reduces bowel issues (such as IBS, gas, and bloating).



Less is MORE
Of course there are other fruit, root, and fungi ingredients that boast all of the same benefits to add even more potency to what's listed above.  What's NOT included? Caffeine, chemicals, fillers, man-made sugars, synthetic... well... anything.  No artificial flavors, which are cheap and easy to obtain, but natural flavors that come from real fruits, roots, and bark (like cinnamon).



What's NOT in my Shakeology?
Soy Protein Isolate
It sounds good if you are trying to steer away from dairy, and whey protein isolate is a dairy product.  But, is soy the way to go? Soybean in whole form is not as "bad" for you as soy protein isolate. It has been linked to thyroid issues, allergies, and even brain damage.  Of course, having it every once in a while will not automatically linked to any of these side effects.  But if your shake is designed to be consumed daily, consider how much you're ingesting over the period of a year.

Fructose
The good news is, fructose as a sweetener is looking like a healthier option than sucrose, so, you're heading in the right direction. But. It's still not a great sweetening agent.  Studies are showing links to increasing the aging process and complications for diabetics.

Cellulose Powder
Again, there are worse ingredients that could be used for the same purpose, but the purpose is to absorb water and make you feel fuller without adding calories.  Which is fine, but exercise caution.  It's not something that you want to consume in large quantities on a daily basis.

Artificial Flavors
I discussed flavoring above, but artificial is, basically, the cheap way to go.  You get what you pay for. And that's okay if you don't mind nervous system damage, dizziness, headaches, allergies, seizures, just to name a few.  And I'm not just referring to a shake.  We consume so much of this daily.  That's why it's so important to follow a plan that promotes whole foods and knowing EXACTLY where your ingredients are coming from.

Potassium Chloride
Side effects include gas, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pains, vomiting... nothing sounds good about this.

Calcium Phosphate
Similar to potassium chloride side effects, but add some other side effects like constipation, increased thirst, increased urination...

Canola Oil
Another ingredient that's not bad consumed here and there, but when you are encouraged to partake in it daily, things get risky. First of all, most canola oil is genetically modified.  Consumption of canola oil can lead to problems with kidneys, liver, and heart, can lead to stroke, and increases trans fats.  Plus the side effects of that come along with GMOs like LOSS of nutrition, allergic reactions, cancer...

Medium Chain Triglycerides
Partially man-made fats. These may be added to help with some of the side effects of some of the other ingredients because they are great for treating food absorption disorders like diarrhea (which you may recognize from above).  They should be avoided during pregnancy and breast feeding, and can cause ketones build up which makes them unsafe for diabetics.

Carrageenan
These are used by doctors to CAUSE inflammation when they are testing anti-inflammatory drugs.  Inflammation is probably NOT something you're looking for when you're trying to lose weight and look your best. It can also lead to some pretty serious long term health issues like diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

Silicon Dioxide
The good news? It can help with loss of appetite. So, if you're looking to lose weight, that sounds pretty good. But if you're prone to kidney stones or don't want to be fatigued, it's best to avoid.  Definitely not something to consume daily.

DL-methionine
Decreases urinary stones. In your pets. For human use? WebMD says consult your physician.

Magnesium Oxide
Used to treat low magnesium in your blood.  A better way to help this problem? Consume something that contains magnesium. No treatment necessary.

Ferrous Fumerate
Just another ingredient that leads to upset stomach, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite... So, not FUELING your body, just tricking it into not feeling hunger and emptying it of all the other junk that you might have consumed, along with all the GOOD stuff you might have consumed.

Folic Acid
Folic acid is fine.  It's a synthetic version of a B vitamin that mimics folate, which is a natural B vitamin.  Synthetic meaning man-made.  Better ways to get the benefit is to consume something that's actually natural and contains folate to begin with.



http://www.wellnesstoday.com/nutrition/is-soy-protein-isolate-bad-for-you
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16366738
https://www.isitbadforyou.com/questions/is-cellulose-powder-bad-for-you
http://blogs.natureshappiness.com/side-effects-of-artificial-flavoring/
https://www.drugs.com/sfx/potassium-chloride-side-effects.html
https://www.drugs.com/sfx/calcium-phosphate-tribasic-side-effects.html
https://draxe.com/canola-oil-gm/
http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/carrageenan-side-effects/
http://www.chamberlins.com/ns/DisplayMonograph.asp?StoreID=2CB86C7B36BE4CFD914079104818C49B&DocID=bottomline-silica
https://www.drugs.com/sfx/ferrous-fumarate-side-effects.html
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/folate/background/hrb-20059475

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