Stop the war on Carbs

Stop the War on Carbs

It is time to stop the war on carbs – carbohydrates are important in every diet, if your goal is to lose weight, gain weight or even just maintain, then you need to be using carbohydrates correctly to reap the rewards.

What are Carbs?

Carbohydrates are just one of the three macronutrients found in food, the others being proteins and fats. It is very rare to see a product with just one macronutrient – most contain a combination of all three.

Carbs can be broken down into three parts

–       Sugar can be found naturally in foods such as fruit, fruit juices, milk and vegetables. Other forms of sugar will be found in food and drink such as chocolate, sweets and soft drinks.

–       Starch is made up of sugar units which have been bonded together and is found in foods that come from plants such as; bread, rice, potatoes and pasta.

–       Fibre is a compound found in the cell walls of foods that come from plants, such as; vegetables, wholegrain bread, whole wheat pasta etc.

Now you know a bit more about carbs let me tell you why we need them and why they are NOT making you fat.

Why we Need Carbs

Carbs are important for energy, without energy your body is not going anywhere!

Carbohydrates should be the main source of energy in a healthy and balanced diet. Carbs provide around 4kcal (17kJ) per gram and are broken down into glucose (sugar) before being absorbed into the blood stream (NHS, 2018). As mentioned above, energy is the main reason why we need carbs, the glucose in carbs is used by your body to fuel your day to day activities. This includes everything from picking the kids up from school, going for a run or simply just walking to the shops.

If you have not done much with your day and your overall energy output is a lot lower than usual, this is when the unused glucose you have consumed that day could be converted into glycogen (found in the liver and muscles). If this is the case, then the excess of glucose that has been stored as glycogen may be converted to fat for long term storage of energy. Try focusing on high fibre/starchy carbohydrates as these release sugar into the blood a lot slower than sugary products such as soft drinks and chocolate and keep you fuller for longer.

Why Carbs are NOT Making you Fat

Carbs have been recently linked to weight gain, it is common to hear people say, “I’m lowering my carbs this week” or “I’m not eating carbs anymore I’m getting fat”. This is a common misconception that has been misconstrued in the media and has led to thousands of people thinking that the reason they are not happy with their body image or plain simple fat, is because of carbs.
This could not be further from the truth!
If your diet consists of high fat foods or high carb foods it will have the same effect dependent upon your energy output appose to how much energy (calories) you are consuming. This is also simply put by the NHS ‘if you frequently consume more energy than your body uses you are likely to put on weight’.

A Little ‘Carby’ Advice

Aim to limit the volume of sugary foods you consume day to day, instead include healthier sources of carbs such as whole grains, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products.  You can also do this by increasing your protein intake using protein bars/snacks. These products usually have a lower carb profile than most household snacks which means you can enjoy the things you love without feeling guilty! Protein bars fill you up and allow you to enjoy some chocolate but with less than usual carbs.

So, let’s stop neglecting carbs and give them the loving they deserve, it is winter after all!

*This article has been constructed using the information gathered from the NHS article ‘Why we need to eat carbs’ *

Top Six Health and Fitness Apps Compatible with Andrioid & iPhone

Best Health & Fitness Apps for 2019

In 2019, almost everyone has an iPhone, Android or some other smartphone in their pocket – having a mini laptop on your person always makes everything in life so much more convenient, especially in fitness. That is why we are going to look at our top picks (in no particular order) for health and fitness apps, compatible with both Android & iOS.


All apps on this list are free to download but offer some sort of in-app purchase.


6. Charity Miles

Charity Miles is a brilliant app where when you exercise you earn money for a chosen charity. They have gathered a corporate sponsorship pool that donates money to the charity you have selected! The app measures distance via GPS and accelerometer so they can get an accurate description of what you’ve done. The further you run, the more the charity earns – in fact, Charity Miles say they have donated over US$2.5 million since they started in 2011. From Stand Up To Cancer to WWF to Army Veterans, there is bound to be a charity you are passionate about to get you up and active.

Android: http://bit.ly/CMilesAndroid

iPhone: http://bit.ly/CMilesiPhone

5. Couch To 5K

Couch to 5k helps people who have never run before to completing a 5k run in just 9 weeks. With its tried and tested programme, supported by Olympian Michael Johnson, comedians Sarah Millican and Sanjeev Kohli as well as many more who can help and support you during your 9-week journey. You go at your own pace and it has cool features such as a half-time bell for when it is time to turn around, it also supplies you with tips and advice as well as working with music players – automatically dipping the volume when the in-app trainer speaks to you.

Android: http://bit.ly/C25KAndroid

iPhone: http://bit.ly/C25KiPhone


4. Headspace

With a 7-person, in-house science department, Headspace sets itself apart from the other meditation apps by showing innovation and scientific research into the ancient practises. Research undertook has shown that Headspace can help your body cope with: Stress; Focus; Mood; Compassion; Aggression; Self-compassion & Work, whilst also having preliminary evidence it supports anxiety & depression. It is a must have app for those who want to focus up!

Android: http://bit.ly/HSpaceAndroid

iPhone: http://bit.ly/HSpaceiPhone

3. Sleepcycle

Find it hard to get yourself up in the morning? Sleepcycle analyses and learns your sleeping patterns so it can wake you up feeling refreshed in a morning. One of the reasons why you wake up feeling so tired all the time is because your loud alarm clock is waking you up during deep sleep, whereas Sleepcycle has a nice, soft tune that wakes you up at your lightest point of sleep during a 30 minute period.

Android: http://bit.ly/SleCycleAndroid

iPhone: http://bit.ly/SCycleiPhone


2. Strava

Strava, meaning strive in Swedish, epitomises Strava’s culture, as a group of athletes have designed a clean and crisp looking app. The app itself is compatible with the GPS features of your smartphone, and its enhanced build lets you track, compare and target with extreme accuracy what you have done and what you wish to do. You are also able to have friends and followers on the app, enabling you to share your achievements with other people and have healthy competition between friends – the running social media.

Android: http://bit.ly/StraAndroid

iPhone: http://bit.ly/StraiPhone


1.   MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal tracks your diet and exercise output to determine your ideal calorie intake to help you achieve your personalised goal. Their best feature allows you to search their 300,000,000 item food database to measure your calories at extreme precision – brands have their own verified nutritional information so all you have to do is search for it using the search bar. You can also enter your weight goals with your current weight, and it will advise you on the calories you need to take in each day either to help you lose or gain weight.

Android: http://bit.ly/MyFiPaAndroid

iPhone: http://bit.ly/MyFPiPhone

How zero-calorie sauces have a big impact on your diet

In the 19th Century, James Mease created the first ever tomato-based ketchup recipe, a recipe that has been replicated all over the world by people like Henry J Heinz. Since then, condiments have been a big part of people’s meals, with great taste that compliments the original food item. However, a lot of people do not track their calorie intake for condiments, when you should…

If you’re like me and love mayonnaise, you’d be shocked to know that in Mayonnaise, there are 94 calories per 1 tbsp, with 10 g of fat. If you’re like me and you need more than one tbsp, you could be getting closer to 150-170 calories per your own serving. Think about it, if you have Mayo on your sandwiches for lunch and then as a dipping sauce for your tea, you could be adding 300-350 calories of mayonnaise to your diet per day which averages 2,100 – 2,450 calories per week.

All products that you can buy from a supermarket or convenience store in the UK have nutritional facts, so you can always count your calories, check out one of our previous articles that will show you the best fitness apps that can help you track your calories.

As previously mentioned, people don’t track things such as sweet tomato ketchup, sweet chilli sauce, mayonnaise, barbeque sauce etc. and they all add up. If you had a takeaway one night, you’d track it wouldn’t you? All the sauces you have throughout a week add up around the waistline, so why not check out our zero calorie sauces and zero calorie syrups.

The brand Skinny Food Co. pride themselves on producing zero-calorie free condiments that you can add to your meals that still taste good whilst having basically no sugar, fat or calories! We currently stock the Skinny Food Co. sugar-free, zero calorie syrups & sauces Check them out free and make sure the condiments you use are guilt-free!

So whether it’s having their zero-calorie sauce on your sandwich or their zero-calorie syrup on your breakfast, Skinny Food Co have you covered.

Whilst it may be straight forward on how to use their sauces, it turns out their syrups are extremely versatile. For starters, you can add them to your hot drink on a morning to flavour it to your heart’s desire, no paying the extra 50p for the extra shot at your local coffee shop as well as having considerably fewer calories.

1 medio shot of caramel at Costa Coffee is around 41 calories. If you were to have that extra shot, it would take you either 6 minutes of cycling, 4 minutes of running or 15 minutes of running to burn out. However, with one 25ml shot of Skinny Food Co’s Salted Caramel Skinny Syrup, it would only be 1 calorie, which you would burn just by drinking it!

All in all, the sauces you use to compliment your food and drink can have a serious build-up of calories during the week, which can add to your waistline or hinder your efforts in the gym. So why not give one of the Skinny Food Co’s sauces or syrups ago and snack #guiltyfree today!

What is the Keto Diet?

Keto Diet & Ketosis: What Is It?

The Keto Diet

The Keto Diet, also known as the Ketogenic Diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet – similar to other low carb diets and mirrors the Atkins diet.

The Keto Diet Works By…

It involves you reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. Nutritional ketosis reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called Ketosis and helps promote fat loss.

Ketosis is a normal metabolic process. When the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns stored fats instead; helping you to lose weight, this results in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body. These ketones in the blood can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels and can also supply energy for the brain. This is why this diet has been cited for having numerous health benefits including reducing body fat.

Keto Diet Benefits

Some 20 studies show that this type of diet can help support weight loss and improve your health. These health benefits sometimes include helping to reduce diabetes, cancer, treat epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease in varying forms and levels.

Ketosis Duration

It typically takes 2–4 days to enter ketosis if you eat fewer than 50 grams of carbs per day. However, some people may take longer depending on factors like physical activity level, age, metabolism, and carb, fat, and protein intake.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF I’M IN KETOSIS?

Some people have reported feeling somewhat run-down or “flu-like”  (referred to as keto flu) in the first few days of following the diet. People have reported feeling fatigue, lethargy, and some experience stomach upset, this may be due to the body having massively reduced sugar levels, which it normally seeks out to produce energy. Think of the symptoms of Keto-flu as a type of carb withdrawal.

REDUCING “KETO-FLU”

You can try to reduce the effects of keto flu by drinking plenty of water, getting plenty of sleep, making sure you eat the similar amounts of calories (don’t go low carb and low fat together). Try consuming natural energy drinks such as green tea, organic coffee and sports drinks with electrolytes eat foods high in healthy fats and clean carbs, such as non-starchy vegetables, extra nuts and seeds, a few low-sugar berries.

Keto-Friendly Foods

GoodHouseKeeeping have informed us of some brilliant foods of which you can use in your keto-diet, we have listed a few of theirs below alongside our own ideas.

Salmon and other fish are rich in B vitamins, potassium and selenium, and relatively low-carb!

Non-starchy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach, Brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Vegetables can be great substitutes for carbs in some instances, with cauliflower-rice used for multiple recipes, zucchini and carrot can be spiralised to use mimic spaghetti.

Cheese -there are lots of delicious types of cheese. All of them are very low in carbs and high in fat, which makes them a great choice for the keto diet. One ounce (28 grams) of cheddar cheese can provide just 1 gram of carbs and 7 grams of protein.

Berries are natural and delicious, and thankfully are low carb and high in fibre, great for a quick snack or to add to breakfast or curb cravings.

For 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of the following berries:

Blackberries: 5 grams net carbs (10 grams total carbs)

Blueberries: 12 grams net carbs (14 grams total carbs)

Raspberries: 6 grams net carbs (12 grams total carbs)

Strawberries: 6 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)

Poultry and Meat- have virtually no carbs and are rich in B vitamins, they are a great source of high-quality protein that keeps hunger at bay for longer. Try to buy grass-fed if possible. 

Beef, lamb, veal, venison, or goat are good choices. These types of meat yield zero grams of net carbs per five ounces. 

Poultry is great for your keto diet as well. You can add turkey, chicken, goose, duck, pheasant, hen, or quail to your meal. With zero grams of net carbs per five ounces, poultry is another good protein choice.

Dark Chocolate & Cocoa-Yes, that’s right, you can still have chocolate on keto! Providing its at least 70% dark. One ounce (28 grams) of unsweetened chocolate (100% cocoa) has 3 grams of net carbs. The same amount of 70–85% dark chocolate contains up to 10 grams of net carb.

Eggs-One large egg contains less than 1 gram of carbs and fewer than 6 grams of protein, they can be made a variety of ways, they are really filling and taste great.

Coconut Oil-Versatile and ever-popular, coconut oil can be used to cook with, as an ingredient and even a hair product. The main fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid, a slightly longer-chain fat. It has been suggested that coconut oil’s mix of MCTs and lauric acid may promote a sustained level of ketosis.

Plain Greek Yoghurt -5 ounces (150 grams) of plain Greek yoghurt provides 5 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein. Whilst slightly higher in carbs than other foods are still high in protein and make a great option to have at breakfast with or without berries/nuts or as a snack.

Avocados-A massive favourite for our friends over the pond in Oz and super healthy. 3.5 ounces (100 grams), or about one-half of a medium avocado, contain 9 grams of carbs. However, 7 of these are fibre, so its net carb count is only 2 grams!

Nuts and Seeds

1 ounce (28 grams) of nuts or seeds:

Almonds: 3 grams net carbs (6 grams total carbs)

Brazil nuts: 1 gram net carbs (3 grams total carbs)

Cashews: 8 grams net carbs (9 grams total carbs)

Macadamia nuts: 2 grams net carbs (4 grams total carbs)

Pecans: 1 gram net carbs (4 grams total carbs)

Pistachios: 5 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)

Walnuts: 2 grams net carbs (4 grams total carbs)

Chia seeds: 1 gram net carbs (12 grams total carbs)

Flaxseeds: 0 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)

Pumpkin seeds: 4 grams net carbs (5 grams total carbs)

Sesame seeds: 3 grams net carbs (7 grams total carbs)

Unsweetened coffee and tea -drink black to be super good, but adding heavy cream to coffee or tea is fine, just don’t opt for lattes or anything non-fat that may have carbs lurking in them.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil also is brilliant for the keto-diet. 

Keto-friendly Supplements

Quest Nutrition Bars-Box of 12 (60gram bars) £14.99-These bars have a total of 5g of net carbs and 21g of protein per bar. Quest bars are a decent tasting protein bar, the perfect keto diet supplement snack.

PrimaForce Keto Shake (620g 20-servings) £30.99-PrimaForce Keto Shake is an ideal fuel source if you are on the keto diet! Anchored with Coconut Oil and Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), which the body converts to ketones helping to keep you in ketosis, this shake is not too grainy, tastes good and also helps to boost your metabolism. A 31g serving provides 7g of protein 13g fat and 4g net carbs.

Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Keto-Asalt (252.8g) £24.79-With 16 servings in every tub, this product is stacked with a lot of BHB salts in their unique keto formula. It’s perfect for those on the keto diet and perhaps struggling a little to keep on track, with the great taste and impeccable formula – this product will definitely support you on your keto journey. 

Grenade Killa Ketones 60 caps £17.99-Killa Ketones is the perfect weight loss solution for those on keto. With the same powerful effects as the multi-award-winning Grenade Thermo Detonator® this formula deploys serious dosages of Ketones, L-Carnitine, CLA, Acai, African Mango and more.

Keto-Diet Side Effects

People with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes should not follow the keto diet without seeing a doctor first.

For people with diabetes, ketosis can trigger a dangerous condition called ketoacidosis. This occurs when the body stores up too many ketones—acids produced as a byproduct of burning fat—and the blood becomes too acidic, which can damage the liver, kidneys, and brain.

For some rising cholesterol levels is a concern when starting a high-fat low carb diet, there has been mixed research into the effects of different “fats” in the body when following these kinds of diets. Clean and natural high-fat foods such as oily fish are healthy fats we need in our body, and these are what’s recommended for keto, saturated fat, that is found in items such as fatty red meats are limited.

Also, you can also expect to have some bad breath when on a keto diet, so maybe a few mints may help you on that front.

However, much research into Keto is indicating that a low-carb ketogenic diet usually results in improved cholesterol profile by lowering triglycerides and increasing HDL (good cholesterol).

A study conducted by The University of Chicago found that a keto diet could lower blood pressure and induce kidney stones & constipation as well as increasing the risk of contracting heart disease.

As always when you start a new diet, you should always consider your overall health and wellbeing before starting one and consult a medical professional if you have any doubt. Especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition.

How Plant-Based Diets are Improving Vegan Protein Products

Vegan diets are a great way to help people lose weight. However, they also offer several other health benefits. A diet high in plants is also high in nutrients, antioxidants, fibre and is low in calories.

A vegan lifestyle was not something you could easily do if you led a gym-heavy lifestyle up until quite recently. Protein powders and protein bars mostly all contained whey, and the vegan-friendly products were very expensive – until now. Due to the larger audience of those against using animal products, a lot of companies now manufacture their own high plant-based protein blends.

Since there are so many health benefits of plants and now plant-based diets have become more popular, it seems that a lot more people are going vegan every day.

The Vegan Society says that “Well-planned vegan diets contain all the nutrients we need to remain strong and healthy. When people go vegan, they often eat more fruit and vegetables, and enjoy meals higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat”. Which is 100% true, however, us gym-warriors need a lot more protein than others do. Quorn products have a protein in them called ‘mycoprotein’, which contains all the essential amino acids your body needs to thrive on a gym day – although we do not always get our daily protein intake from food, hence why there is a need for cheaper high protein vegan products.

There are many benefits of turning to plant-based protein supplements.

FRIENDLY FIBRE

Vegan food and vegan protein snacks are packed with fibre. Fibre is really good for your digestive system. It helps keep everything running smoothly and also gives you the feeling of being full, which is really helpful when trying to lose weight. Fibre can also help support heart health which is a great benefit.

METABOLISM BOOST

Another really good advantage of vegan protein powder is the way it works with your metabolism. Protein itself takes longer to digest than other foods like carbs and fat. This means that your metabolism will be working harder when you have a high protein intake. With plant-based protein, it also takes a long time to digest because of all the fibre too. Therefore, your metabolism will be working extra hard to digest the protein and fibre. The more your body works on metabolising the plant-based protein you’ve just eaten, the better your body will be at burning the extra fat you’re trying to lose.

SLIMMING SATURATED FATS

Plant-based protein still contains fats, but that’s fine. You need fat in your diet to absorb certain vitamins and to perform other important functions. Certain fats, like the ones that come from coconut, can actually help with your weight. Coconut fat gets called the most weight loss friendly fat. It has been studied to help people lose weight.

EXTRA VITAMINS AND MINERALS

As we know, plant-based diets offer a lot of extra vitamins and minerals to your diet. By using a protein powder that offers more than just protein alone, you are able to intake tons of vitamins and minerals that you wouldn’t necessarily get from animal protein alone.

Calcium
Dairy foods are rich in calcium but if you are not eating these, you will need to ensure you’re obtaining calcium from elsewhere. Fortified plant-based snacks and protein powder can help you with that. By incorporating enough calcium into your diet, you will lower the risk of bone fractures.

Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin, needed for a lot of reasons. Too little can result in fatigue and anaemia. Vitamin B12 is usually acquired by eating animal products. However, if you are vegan you will have to incorporate it into your diet another way. That’s where fortified food supplements come in to play. Plant-based protein supplements will enable you to incorporate vitamin B12 into your diet easily.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids
These fats have been shown to be important for health and will usually be found in fish. However, if you are removing fish and other meats from your diet, you will have to find other ways to incorporate omega 3 into your diet. Plant-based supplements again will help you do this, as well as other fortified vegan foods.

Try some vegan products today and see the health benefits for yourself!

What is creatine and how can I use it to build muscle?

Sports supplements are becoming increasingly popular, you probably know the benefits of using the protein powder and the pre-workout to increase athletic performance, but maybe you don’t understand how supplementing creatine whilst weight training can help when you are looking to gain muscle.

A study from the ‘International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand’ found that using creatine can lead to improved strength, increase muscle mass & exercise performance.

What is it?


It’s a compound that is naturally found in your body’s muscle cells, it helps your body produce the energy it needs for lifting weights for HIIT training. The University of Florida conducted an investigation into Creatine and found that around 95% of the body’s creatine is stored in your muscles as something called Phosphocreatine, which rapidly distributes the element around your body as well as the brain to recycle Adenosine Triphosphate (which provides muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and chemical synthesis to the body). Creatine’s compound shares many similarities with amino acids, your body can produce creatine by utilising the amino acid Glycine and Arginine.

CREATINE BENEFITS


Several ways actually, it is used to boost the phosphocreatine levels in your body, which then fuels your muscles for the workout – especially during high-intensity exercises. If you have the energy and additional levels after or even if you don’t do high-intensity exercises, it will send Adenosine Thiphosphate throughout your body and help you get through the rest of a gruelling workout. There are five, simplified key benefits of supplementing creatine into your workout.

  • Improved signalling within cells: The introduction of Adenosine Thriphostate into your body helps your brain know which muscles need help repairing themselves whilst making room for muscle growth.
  • Flow water through your muscles: Building muscles is everyone’s dream, with hydrated cells, it is more likely you will be able to see more volume in those biceps.
  • Enhanced workout: Supplementing creatine enables you to lift heavier weights or even your usual weight load for longer!
  • Increased levels of anabolic hormones: Levels of hormones such as IGF-1 have been shown to appear after supplementing creatine.
  • Reducing the breakdown of proteins: It has been shown that your body’s source of protein supporting the muscles may not be reduced as rapidly when supplementing Creatine, leading to an increase in muscle mass.

I WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT NOT INCREASE MUSCLE MASS, CAN I STILL USE IT?

Creatine is great for weight loss, it goes great with weight training which is one of the most popular forms of fat loss! However, if you’re trying to slim down your muscle size, it might not be a great option.

When using weights to burn fat, your muscles will still fatigue, so supplementing creatine will still give your muscles the hydration and protein protection it needs. Whilst it is primarily used to increase muscle mass, you can use it to lose weight – with the added benefit on increased muscle health. An important thing to note is that it when supplementing creatine to lose weight, you may not see a weight reduction in the short term as your body will be building the muscles to cope with the workout you were doing and muscle weighs more than fat. Over time though, you will see your muscles fatigue less and the fat dropping.

SIDE EFFECTS

A study was carried out by researches with several decades of conducting studies on Creatine, concluding that it was one of the safest sports supplements available on the market. Another study was conducted over a 21 month period which found no adverse effects which can be found here.

CAPSULES OR POWDER, WHICH IS BETTER?

Now, that is entirely up-to-you. It all depends on which form you’d prefer. Our records show that capsules are more popular, but you can add the powder to a protein shake for convenience, all depends on your preference.

Optimum Nutrition’s Creatine comes in powdered and capsules form, as do AAEFX Sports and Reflex Nutrition, you can find a full list of all our creatines here.

Benefits of Amino Acids & BCAAs

AMINO ACIDS

Amino acids are organic compounds. They’re made up of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

Although there are nine essential amino acids, your body needs 20 different amino acids to grow and function properly.

The nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.

The nonessential amino acids can, fortunately, be made up by your body. However, the nine essential ones cannot. These will need to be obtained through your diet, or supplements.

When you eat protein, it’s broken down into amino acids. These amino acids are then used to help your body with various processes, such as building muscle and regulating immune function.

The nine essential amino acids perform a number of important and varied jobs in your body:

  • Phenylalanine: Phenylalanine exists in two forms or arrangements: L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. Your body is unable to produce enough L-phenylalanine on its own. This is why it’s considered an essential amino acid. Phenylalanine has been studied as a treatment for several medical conditions including skin disorders, depression and pain.
  • Valine (BCAA): Valine is found in many proteins. It’s mostly found in the interior of globular proteins. This helps to determine the three-dimensional structure. Valine also helps stimulate muscle growth and regeneration and is involved in energy production. 
  • Threonine: Threonine is a principal part of structural proteins, such as collagen and elastin. These are important components of the skin and connective tissues. Threonine is changed in the body to a chemical called glycine. Glycine works in the brain to reduce constant and unwanted muscle contractions.
  • Tryptophan: Tryptophan is needed for nitrogen balance. Although it does have other benefits. It is a precursor to serotonin, which is a hormone that transmits signals between nerve signals. L-tryptophan is naturally found in animal and plant proteins.
  • Methionine: Methionine plays an important role in metabolism and detoxification. Methionine also plays an important role in producing new proteins in your muscles. Especially after a heavy exercise session which caused damage to them.
  • Leucine (BCAA): Leucine is critical for protein synthesis and muscle repair. It can also prevent the breakdown of muscle proteins after trauma or serious stress.
  • Isoleucine (BCAA): Isoleucine is involved in muscle metabolism and is heavily concentrated in muscle tissue. Isoleucine has various physiological benefits. These include assisting in wound healing, detoxification of nitrogenous waste, stimulating immune function and promoting the secretion of several hormones.  
  • Lysine: Lysine is very important in protein synthesis, hormone and enzyme production. It helps the body to absorb calcium, iron and zinc. It’s also important for energy production, immune function and the production of collagen and elastin.
  • Histidine: Histidine is used to produce histamine. Histamine is a neurotransmitter which is essential to immune response, digestion, sexual function and sleep-wake cycles.

BCAAS

Of these nine, three are referred to as Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) because of their chemical structure. The three BCAAs are valine, leucine and isoleucine.

Athletes consume these BCAAs to rapidly increase amino acid levels in the bloodstream, promote protein synthesis, and prevent muscle protein breakdown.

One of the main effects of BCAAs is that it can increase muscle growth.

The BCAA, leucine, activates a certain pathway in the body that stimulates muscle protein synthesis. Protein synthesis is the process of making muscle.

In one study, people who consumed a drink with 5.6 grams of BCAAs after their workout, had a 22% increase in muscle protein synthesis, compared to those who consumed a placebo drink.

While BCAA supplements can increase muscle protein synthesis, they can’t do this to the best of their ability without using other essential amino acids. It is a good idea to get the rest of your amino acid intake from whey protein, or other complete protein sources.

Instead of only concentrating on BCAA supplements, you should ensure you are consuming all of the essential amino acids, for the best results.

Try our Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard range to get all of your Amino Acid intakes in one place!

Does Supplementing Protein Really Help you Lose Weight?

There are a lot of rumours around the internet that supplementing or increasing protein in your diet helps you lose weight. But how true are those rumours? We are going to be looking at what is true and what is false.

The important thing to remember is what your goal is, losing weight is just not losing/burning fat. Muscle weighs more than fat so it is important to not let your muscles deteriorate, however, for this article we’re going to be solely talking about losing fat.

A Higher Protein Diet Lowers Appetite And Fills You Up


So, you’ve cut down on your calories throughout the day and you get home and suddenly get the urge to snack on something. Cravings to eat are your worst enemy when trying to lose fat. If you get home and have a couple of biscuits/yoghurts, there’s another couple of calories added to your already calorie-restricted diet.

In a study for US National Library of Medicine & National Institutes of Health, it was found that when split into two groups – the group who had a higher protein consumption reduced late-night cravings. This study increased one groups protein intake by making it 25% of all daily calories, and in the end, it reduced cravings by 60%.

Another study, this time in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics show that eating a protein-rich diet does indeed fill you up a lot more. They conducted the experiment solely on the question – what effect does protein have on fullness? “Our paper did show that indeed, higher protein intake led to greater sensations of fullness,” quotes the study’s co-author, Richard Mattes. To make sure that they were accurate, they undertook a secondary analysis they came to the same conclusion.

Protein Burns Calories By Itself


Higher protein foods tend to have higher thermic effects. A thermic effect is where the food takes a lot more energy to digest. It has been shown that protein-rich foods increase the thermic effects the most. They increase your metabolic rate from anywhere between 15% and 30% whereas, for carbs, it’s only between 5%-10% and 0%-3% for fats.

This means that you could be burning more calories for doing absolutely nothing if you add the right foods/supplements to your diet. A high-protein diet can actually help you burn an extra 80-100 calories per day for doing something such as sleeping.

How Much Protein Is High-Protein?


Per day, it is recommended that males should incorporate 56 grams into their calorie intake whilst women should consume around 46 grams. Consuming these levels are definite enough to stop yourself from developing any sort of deficiency, but they are not enough if you are looking to lose weight or even build muscle.

The studies that are mentioned above, usually go between 30% – 35% of calories should be protein. So to find out how many grams that is, you want to multiply your daily calorie intake against your desired percentage of protein per day. An example of this is if I wanted to have 35% of my calories to be protein on a 2,000kcal diet per day, I would calculate 2000*0.065 (as if you add another 0.035 it would make 0.01) and that makes it out at 130 grams of protein per day.

Whilst you do not need to stick to an exact number per day, anything between 25%-35% will be effective. It is also important to note that you should spread your intake across per day to make sure you are getting enough calories in your diet.

How To Add Extra Protein To Your Diet


Now, that’s the easy part! There are plenty of foods that are high in protein. Myfooddata.com have compiled a list of their top 10 protein-rich foods (which include plenty of lean meats), which are:

  • Chicken Breast
  • Pork Chops
  • Tuna
  • Beef
  • Tofu
  • Lentils
  • Low Fat Yogurt
  • Parmesan
  • Seeds
  • Eggs

Alternatively, you can use protein powders for the building blocks and health benefits a higher protein diet has to offer. Whilst foods are always good sources, protein powders can be anyway from 60%-85% pure protein, to give you the extra kick you need. We have everything you would want, low-fat protein, low calorie, higher calories. We’ve listed a few of our favourite protein powders down below.

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey, Mutant Whey, PhD Diet Whey & Scitec Professional Protein. If protein bars take your fancy, why not try some Grenade Carb Killa Bars, Doctors Carbrite Bars or ISS Research One Bars.

Remember

Whilst what we have covered in this article can lead to weight loss, it is important to note that no matter your diet if you are eating more than you are burning – you will not lose weight. Make sure that you are eating a healthy, balanced diet with a little extra protein, as that will be the most effective way to help you on your fat loss journey.

Plant-Based Nutrition: Diet For The Future

For many years now, warnings have been in place at the ever-decreasing state of the environment. There’s no doubt that global warming is in full effect, the science supports it. Since 1970, the planet has warmed up at an average rate of 0.17°C per decade. It may not seem like a huge amount but the effects are detrimental to the state of our planet and the organisms that live on it.

The continued rise in global temperature will be extremely difficult for wildlife to continue to survive in current similar numbers. With a 1.5°C average rise in temperature the IPCC predicts 20-30% of species are at risk of extinction and if the planet warms up by more than 2°C, most ecosystems will struggle. Species just can’t adapt to this change and will subsequently reduce in numbers.

There will also be a greater effect on our Polar regions. The South and Polar regions of our planet are incredibly important in regulating our planet’s climate and are very vulnerable to global warming. Overall average air temperatures in the arctic region have increased by approximately 5°C over the last century and with current data trends, there will be no ice covering the arctic in the summers of future decades.

Global warming is also evident in Antarctica, with a large span of ice shrinking at a continuous rate. Antarctica plays an important role in the planet’s climate as the ice reflects the sun rays and cools the planet down, if this ice is lost the earth will conduct more of the suns rays, warming it up further.

Our oceans are also becoming more acidic as the increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere cause the oceans to be more concentrated with CO2, which is killing coral reefs, an essential part of the survival of ocean species as it provides food. Without the coral reef, ocean species will dramatically reduce in numbers.

How do we stop it?

There are many factors that contribute to the rise in global temperature, with some being easier to manage and reduce than others.

However, one of the major contributors to global warming is our diets! Animal agriculture is particularly to blame, as the process of raising livestock uses considerable amounts of our planet’s resources. The process also creates greenhouse gases from livestock, declines our forests, creates water shortages from farming and creates vast ocean dead zones from agriculture pollution.

A study has warned that huge reductions in meat and dairy consumption are needed to avoid dangerous levels of climate change and switching to a plant-based diet or vegan diet is the biggest way to help fight climate change, UN experts have said.

A plant-based diet is a diet consisting mostly or entirely of foods derived from plants, including vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and fruits, and with few or no animal products.

With the reduction or avoidance of animal products, increased consumption of plant foods may be the best way we can help the survival of our planet before its too late.

But how can I meet my nutritional needs on a Plant-Based Diet?

A well planned plant-based diet can easily provide you with all the necessary nutrients you need to meet all your requirements, whilst leaving you with the satisfaction that you are massively cutting your carbon footprint.

This is backed up by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who state that “well-planned plant-based and vegan diets are healthy, nutritional and can also provide many health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases”. They also state that the diet is suitable “for all stages of life”.

It can be harder to get the nutrition you require if you are avoiding a food group such as meat and dairy but with good preparation, it is easy to succeed. You must be aware of the nutrients your body requires and how to bring them into your diet in a sustainable way. This will ensure that you can enjoy your plant-based diet and make it a long term vision.

There are particular nutrients, vitamins and minerals on a plant-based that you must be aware of if you wish to thrive. These are protein, iron, vitamin C, calcium, zinc, vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids. 

PROTEIN

Protein may be the biggest question surrounding plant-based diets. Its the building blocks for muscle growth and repair and there’s often a stigma existing, questioning where vegans or vegetarians could be getting there protein intake from without the consumption of meat.

Fortunately, you don’t need to eat meat to get a sufficient amount of protein, vegan protein sources can give your body everything it needs. Plant-based foods can be just as protein-rich as meat!

There are many plant-based proteins that you can consume that allow you to meet or exceed your protein requirements. Protein-rich foods include:

Legumes

Common edible legumes include lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans and soybeans. These examples have very high protein contents and are excellent sources of nutrition, containing fibre, B vitamins, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese.

Nuts/Seeds 

These powerful little things contain a large volume of protein whilst also containing healthy fats needed to give your body energy and to support cell growth. Nut butter such as peanut butter is also great ways to get the same nutritional in an often tastier form! Check out this one by Whole Earth.

Tofu/Tempeh

Both these products are made from the fermentation of soybeans and are a complete protein making it a great alternative to meat. Complete proteins contain all essential amino acids needed for growth and repair that can only be found from food, making tofu and tempeh a great plant-based protein.

Vegan Protein

Plant-based protein blends are a great source of protein for those that struggle to meet their protein needs through foods alone. They often consist of various rich plant-based sources of protein in combination to create a large supply of protein in one sitting. Take a look at Applied Nutrition’s Blend, featuring a whopping 25g of protein per serving!

IRON

This essential nutrient has many key functions within the body, such as the transfer of oxygen from lungs to tissues. There are two types of iron that can be found. Heme iron is found in meat products and nonheme iron is found in plants. 

Nonheme iron isn’t absorbed as efficiently as heme iron is but, despite this, most people that follow a plant-based diet still get sufficient amounts of iron.

Good sources of iron include chickpeas, ground linseed, quinoa, chia seeds, cashew nuts, beans, tofu and fortified cereals.

As it is more difficult to absorb heme iron, there are a few ways to increase the absorption rate. This can be achieved by including high vitamin C foods in your meal or taking calcium supplements between meals.

VITAMIN C

This essential vitamin is usually well met on a plant-based diet due to the higher consumption of fruit and vegetables. As stated previously it is even more essential for non-meat-eaters for the absorption of non-heme iron in plant-based foods.

foods rich in vitamin c include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kiwi, oranges, red, green or yellow pepper, sweet potato, strawberries and tomatoes.

CALCIUM

This is another important nutrient that is often questioned when animal products are removed from the diet as it often assumed it is only available from dairy products.

Plant foods can also be rich in calcium. Examples can include, kale, almonds, broccoli and black beans. Calcium-fortified foods can also allow you to reach your daily requirements.

ZINC

This is an essential mineral which supports the immune system and wound healing. It’s hard for our bodies to store zinc so it is essential to get adequate amounts from our diets.

All edible seeds, grains, legumes and nuts are great sources of zinc but contain in varying amounts.

VITAMIN B12

B12 is essential for the development of red blood cells and the maintenance of nerves and brain function. This is essential for plant-based eaters to ensure they’re getting efficient amounts of as it’s not often found in plant foods, only in animal products.

Vegans must supplement B12 in the form of tablets which can be bought here. Or the consumption of B12 fortified foods, such as non-dairy milk, breakfast cereals and nutritional yeast will also be sufficient.

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS

These are considered essential, as your body cannot make them, they must be obtained from the diet. They’re most commonly found in fatty fish but it can still be obtained from plant-based foods.

It is less efficient to source your omega 3’s from plants but consuming enough plant-based sources will help you reach daily needs.

Chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, hempseeds, hempseed oil and walnuts all contain ALA that can be converted into EPA and DHA by your body.


Whether you chose to reduce your meat and dairy intake or completely stop consuming it, you’ll be on your way to reducing your carbon footprint. However, you must ensure that in doing so, you get enough of the above nutrients which will ensure you remain healthy during any stage of life.

Why don’t you try one of these recipes to get you started: Vegan ChilliVegan Spinach Ricotta LasagneCajun Style Red Beans & Rice

How High-Protein Snacks Keep You Feeling Fuller For Longer

Whilst a lot of people cringe at snacking during their diet, as long as you are eating healthy snacks, it can’t be that bad. While nothing 100% healthy, high-protein foods containing the building blocks for your body to repair and maintain are definitely healthier alternatives whilst making sure you get all of your essential amino acids.

It’s no secret that having a high-protein diet can help weight loss, weight gain and weight maintenance, but how does it do that? There have been a lot of studies over the years looking into just this, and in this blog post, we’re going to be looking into it and simplifying the science behind it.

Weight Hormones are the reasons why you get those late-night cravings, or you’ve just eaten a massive meal but don’t feel full yet, but which hormones are they and what exactly do they do?

How Does It Do It?

When you eat, the peptides (digested proteins) block things called MOR’s (Mu-Opioid Receptors). Basically, when these receptors are open, it tells the brain to eat more but when enough peptides block the receptors, it then tells the brain to stop eating which, in turn, tells the gut to release glucose – which then gives the feeling that it is no longer time to eat.

What Hormones Does It Affect?

It is largely believed that your weight is controlled by your internal hormones, research has shown that this influences your appetite and how much fat you store. So, which hormones does it affect and how do peptides come into it?

GHRELIN

Ghrelin is more commonly known as hunger when your stomach empties, it releases the hormone ghrelin which will then send a message to your hypothalamus (a small region of the brain) which says it needs to eat. Ghrelin levels are usually at their highest about an hour before eating and slowly decrease until their lowest point, which is typically sixty to ninety minutes after you’ve eaten.

However, in obese and overweight people, ghrelin levels are usually lower than people of normal, recommend weight. However, a study has shown that when someone labelled as obese eats a meal, their levels of Ghrelin only decreases slightly. This is because the person’s hypothalamus doesn’t receive a strong signal from the stomach, which still makes the person feel hungry and leads to overeating.

There are a number of steps you can take to reduce your Ghrelin levels. You should be eating plenty of protein and avoiding food and drinks high in sugar, thus reducing the Grehlin levels your body has.

NEUROPEPTIDE Y (NPY)

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a hormone produced by cells in the brain and nervous system. It stimulates your appetite, especially for the food group carbohydrates and NPY is at its highest during times of fasting or deprivation of food and can also be high during levels of stress. All of these can lead to overeating and fat gain.

Eating too little protein has been shown to increase the body’s release of the NPY hormone, which leads to increased food intake and in turn, weight gain.

WHAT FOODS ARE HIGH IN PROTEIN?

Protein consumption is easier than you think. Foods such as pumpkin seeds, meat and dairy products, peanuts and other nuts & butter are all protein-packed, but the amount of protein differs between the product. Peanut Butter is another widely used protein source and its full of healthy fats. Processed meat is also extremely high in protein, although there are disputed claims between red & processed meat links to bowel cancer.

Recently, plant-based protein foods have seen a massive surge of products. Whilst plant-based protein has always been about in forms such as nuts, seeds etc. it has only been quite recent that we have seen the wide variety of vegan supplements such as protein powder and pre-workout be made available for long term supplements. Greek Yogurt is also a food that is surprisingly high in protein, with 10g per 100ml whilst also being low in saturated fat.

Insert Protein Article Here

Sounds Good… What Do You Recommend?

We have plenty of high-protein foods here at SS Healthfoods. From protein bars to protein shakes, protein cookies to protein bread and all in between, think of us as your one-stop-protein-shop.

Check out our Grenade Carb Killa Bars, high-protein, low carbs – perfect for staving off the hunger that comes with a high-carb diet.

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey, the tastiest protein powder around. Enjoy it with some milk and it doesn’t come with the standard protein aftertaste.

Lenny and Larry’s Complete Cookie, the Chocolate Chip Complete Cookie has been a crowd-pleaser since the day we set up our shop. Satisfyingly firm and chewy, our delectable chocolate chip cookie is lovingly sprinkled with sizeable semi-sweet morsels of chocolate throughout. Keep with tradition by pairing your cookie with a tall glass of ice-cold milk. It’s also Vegan and Non-GMO.