Why Your ‘Healthy’ Shake or Smoothie Can Cause Inflammation

One of the most popular supplements in our society today is protein powder and there are endless varieties that you can buy. They certainly make for a simple and hopefully nutrient-packed breakfast but you really do need to be aware of what is in the powder that you are using. They come from a variety of different sources and a number of unique manufacturing processes and, unfortunately, 95% of commercial protein powders have toxic ingredients that could be slowly inflaming your body and depleting your cellular nutritional stores.

Dr David Jockers runs the Exodus Health Center in Kennesaw, Georgia and is a regular contributor to my women’s hormone health site. He specialises in nutrition and his advice is always straightforward and well researched. He certainly believes that protein supplements can be a great addition to a healthy diet because of their ability to provide essential and branched-chain amino acids in a highly absorbable form. However where he has doubts is that of the many different protein sources available only a few are of high quality. Most commercial protein powders use inferior protein sources and fill their products with artificial sweeteners and preservatives that are highly toxic.

The most common protein sources used in commercial powders include soy, egg, whey and wheat gluten. I have certainly mentioned before that soy does not suit everyone and can often be quite degraded in its manufacturing process and consuming large amounts of it can be detrimental if not from a pure, organic source. Soy and gluten-containing proteins (wheat, barley, rye, oat, kamut, and spelt) are highly allergenic and promote inflammatory reactions within the body.

Dr Jockers believes that soy protein is an anti-nutrient that should be avoided for several reasons. Soy contains phytic acids that bind and pull major minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc from the body. High processed soy consumption is linked with deficiencies in these major minerals and it also contains enzyme inhibitors that turn off natural enzymes needed to perform critical cell functions. Soy foods also contain goitrogenic substances that block thyroid hormone function.

If you’re protein shake or smoothie also contain milk then please ensure that it is organic as animals raised in conventional factory farms can be pumped full of hormones and antibiotics while eating genetically modified and often pesticide-laden grains. This combination causes massive amounts of toxic bioaccumulation within the animal tissue and animal byproducts which are then passed on to you.

The best and healthiest form of protein comes from organic whey protein concentrate as this form contains beta-glucans, lactoferrins, and immunoglobulins that enhance immune function. Additionally, organic whey contains all the branch chain amino acids and optimal ratios of essential amino acids and is one of the best food sources for boosting cellular anti-oxidants such as glutathione.

I am a devotee of protein shakes as I have never yet found a breakfast that suits me and I use organic oat or rice milk blended with a banana or soft fruit and the protein powder that I use is made from hemp and available from-Higher Nature. Hemp protein is one of the very few plant based complete protein sources and is a great source of sulfur containing amino acids methionine and cysteine, which are necessary for cellular detoxification and the production of vital enzymes. Additionally, it is rich in branched chain amino acids that are needed for muscle growth and repair. You can also get brown rice protein, considered to be the most hypo-allergenic protein, and this is especially important for anyone with chronic food allergies and leaky gut syndrome.

If you are buying a protein powder then please check the ingredients carefully for additives, including sugar and artificial sweeteners.

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