Importance of protein especially if you have low moods

Importance of protein especially if you have low moods

Again – another reason why protein is so important in your diet. Coming into winter and the days are short, not many people get to see daylight as they are going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark – this it self leads to low moods. However if you are eating more protein in your daily diet, this will help the moods pick up, it’ll give your energy and balance out some blood sugar levels as well – especially if you have a meal that contains protein, carbs and omega 3s.

Most people I talk to who are feeling a bit low at the moment advise me that they either skip breakfast or have toast for breakfast or just a banana and coffee or maybe package cereal. These types of breakfasts’ are full of carbs, contain no protein – or very little and therefore have not given your brain cells any food, your blood sugar levels may have peaked, but they will soon come crashing down at morning tea (again prompting you to have a muffin with your coffee or just another piece of fruit). You need PROTEIN …

If you are an ‘on the go’ person in the mornings and ‘don’t have time’ get yourself some Whey protein – (it’s made from cows milk – therefore contains a great source of protein) and mix it with water or milk, along with some frozen or fresh fruit and some flaxseed meal or flaxseed oil. This becomes a perfect meal with all three components and it will satisfy your hunger, brain, and switch your metabolism on for the day and start burning the bad fats out of your body.

The cereal pictured above is about $6 for 400gm a packet, it will last you for eight servings, it’s full of carbs, it contains protein – but of plant based not animal based which is a better form of protein and it’s fats are high as well as the sugar. Whereas the protein powder mixed with water, fresh fruit and good fats is overall a better balanced meal plus a bag of this will cost you $30 – lasting you a MONTH.. Not that this cereal is a bad choice, but the volume of protein for your first meal of the day is low.

	Cereal only	With full milk	With skim milk	Protein powder	Protein smoothie
Protein	5.8g	14.3g	13.8g	26g	26g
Carbs	51.1g	63.1g	62.1g	0.3g	4.5g
Fats	11.1g	19.6g	11.1g	1g	7g
Sugar	14.4g	26.4g	25.4g	0.2g	3.7g

Smoothie =1 scoop protein powder, 50gm fresh fruit and 1 tsp flaxseed oil

So ignore the calories and look at the overall nutrition values, the great protein source, with the best start to the day and this hopefully picks up your moods because you have fuelled your body right. You can have ‘on the go’ and by mid morning you are not craving sweet foods with empty calories – there is nothing wrong with you have another protein smoothie for mid morning snack either – in fact I suggest it for those that don’t like to eat much before midday.

Remember – look after your body – you only get ONE!!!!!!