Whether it’s first thing in the morning or mid-afternoon, you need a healthy, energy-filled snack to give you that boost. The key to healthy snacking is to choose foods with a combination of complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats and plenty of fibre - Our Boosters provide just that! They are filled with energy-boosting ingredients, such as dates and nuts which make them the perfect snack.

Healthy fats

As a base, our Boosters usually contain nuts and seeds, providing a good amount of healthy fats. We’ve changed up the flavour and texture in these recipes by using different varieties like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and chia seeds!

Fibre

Along with nuts and seeds, this combination together with fruit makes our Boosters high in fibre, too!

Not only will fibre keep you feeling fuller for longer, but promotes good gut health, helping to keep your digestive system functioning effectively. 

Carbohydrates

Carbs are the body’s main source of energy and play an important part in your diet. Incorporating fruit like dates into our Boosters provides an energy boost and is ideal as a pre-workout snack.

Protein

All of our Boosters recipes contain natural protein from nuts and are suitable for a vegetarian or vegan diet. Protein powder can also be added to make them a fuelling pre-workout snack.

What are macronutrients?

Macronutrients refer to carbohydrates, fats and protein — the food groups that provide the energy and nutrition for living. 

Macronutrients are the nutrients that you need in large amounts, while micronutrients are the essential vitamins and minerals that you need in much smaller amounts. 

Most foods actually contain more than one macronutrient. To be healthy, you need to eat a variety of different macronutrients to get the micronutrients that you need to stay healthy. 

Carbohydrates

Carbs are found not just in bread, pasta or rice, but also in vegetables and fruit. Carbohydrates are so important in your meals as they provide one of the main sources of fibre in food, which is essential for a healthy gut. 

When you choose the carbohydrate sources for your meal planning, look for low GI carbs like wholegrains and starchy vegetables. These types of carbohydrates contain the fibre and micronutrients that are so important, while highly processed carbs generally do not.  

How much carbohydrate do I need?

Generally speaking, around 45-65% of your total food intake should come from complex carbohydrate sources.

Sources of carbohydrate

Some sources of healthy carbs to include are: 

• Whole grains
• Beans and legumes
• Fruit
• Root vegetables
• Green leafy vegetables

Protein

Your body uses protein to build and repair the tissues of your body — including your muscle tissue! If you work out regularly, getting enough protein from food is essential for your recovery. 

It’s still important if you don’t exercise too, as protein is important for healthy bones, cartilage, skin and blood.

How much protein do I need?

Protein should make up about 15-25% of your total energy intake. Protein is a macronutrient that helps you to feel full for longer. Getting enough protein is important if you are trying to make healthy food choices or reduce nighttime snacking.

Sources of protein

Most people think of milk, eggs or meat when they think of protein. However, there is also lots of protein in grains like quinoa, Nuts and seeds, Tofu, Legumes, Eggs.

If you are struggling to meet your protein requirements, you might include a protein shake, but remember that this may not contain the micronutrients that you get from whole food sources. It’s always best to get all the protein you need from your food if you can!

Healthy fat

Eating healthy fats is another way to keep yourself feeling full for longer while getting essential micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids. These are important to keep your brain and hormonal system healthy so that you feel your best. 

How much healthy fat should I eat?

Healthy fats should make up 20-30% of your total energy intake. Make sure that these are the good fats from plant sources or animal sources like oily fish (think salmon or sardines) that contain the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. 

Sources of healthy fat

Some sources of healthy fat you can include in your meals and snacks are: 

• Avocado (I love avo on rye toast!)
• Nuts and seeds
• Peanut butter — try making a thai peanut sauce to use as a dip or dressing!

Olive oil — a staple in my diet. 

Should I count my macros?

I don’t believe that you should have to count ANYTHING that you eat. As long as you get a wide variety of foods, which include carbs, protein and fat, you should be able to eat intuitively to give your body the nutrition it needs to support your lifestyle. 

If you are trying to reach a specific fitness goal like building strength, it’s important to make sure that you get enough protein and carbohydrate to speed up your muscle repair and recovery. If you have a weight loss goal, the amount of each macronutrient that you eat is not as important as the total energy you consume each day.

Nuts can be a good source of healthy unsaturated fats (omega-3 fatty acids), protein and fibre. However, each type of nut will also have its own unique mixture of essential nutrients, such as:

• Vitamins like some of the B group vitamins, vitamins C and/or E;
• Minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, selenium;
• Antioxidants;
• Plant sterols.

Because of this, nuts can be of benefit to:

• Your heart;
• Your cholesterol levels;
• Your brain;
• Your bones and teeth.

Including nuts in your snacks or meal can be a great way to improve your general health and wellbeing.

Carbs Are NOT Evil!

Carbohydrates fall in and out of favour as dietary trends change. There is so much confusion around carbs and whether you should or shouldn’t consume them while trying to eat healthier and get fitter. People often think that you have to give up the foods you enjoy in order to be healthy. 

The truth is that carbohydrates are good for you, but they aren’t all created equal! You NEED carbohydrates in your diet! 

So, here are the facts.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbs are one of the three macronutrients in our diet, along with protein and fat. Carbohydrates are molecules made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms in specific ratios. There are three main categories of carbs in food: 

Sugar: these are smaller carbohydrate molecules like glucose, fructose, and sucrose. 

Starch: a carbohydrate made from strings of joined glucose molecules. Starch gets broken down to glucose when you digest it to provide energy for your body’s cells. 

Fibre: a carbohydrate that can’t be digested, but is still very important for your digestive health. 

Are carbs bad for you?

Carbohydrates provide your body with energy, can help to improve focus, recovery, and aid digestion. They are so important for people who are working out regularly because they are the primary source of fuel for your body. 

Carbohydrates are also the main fuel source for your brain function, so including them in your diet is crucial. Without carbs, your body needs to work extra hard which may result in minor health issues like headaches, brain fog and generally feeling run-down.

Carbohydrates are found naturally in vegetables, fruit, and grains, along with a wide variety of other important nutrients. 

What happens to carbs in your body?

Carbohydrates have an impact on insulin levels (a hormone that helps your body convert carbs into energy). When you eat carbs, they break down into smaller molecules of glucose which enter your bloodstream. This triggers a release of insulin which allows the cells of your body to take in the glucose and use it for immediate energy. 

A good example of this is when a marathon runner eats a banana before a race; the carbohydrate in the banana is used up immediately by the body so that the runner gets the quick energy boost they need. But several kilometers into the race, the runner may have used up all of that immediate energy. So what happens then? 

This is when our body draws upon stored glucose, also known as glycogen. Glycogen is your back-up fuel. It is excess glucose from carbohydrates that get stored in the liver and muscles to be used when needed, for example, for energy in between meals or during high-intensity exercise. Your liver and muscles only have a limited amount of storage space, so any glucose that can’t fit in those sites will be converted to fat. 

To sum it up:

1. Eating carbs causes blood glucose levels to rise.  
2. Insulin levels rise which leads to higher energy levels.
3. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen or fat.

 

The Best Sources Of Protein From Food

What is protein?

Protein is a macronutrient that is essential for a number of processes within the body, including the building and repairing of muscle. 

Before I explain what some naturally good sources of protein are, it’s important to understand that different protein sources exist.

Types of protein

There are two kinds of protein: complete proteins and incomplete proteins. 

Complete proteins

Complete proteins are called ‘complete’ proteins because they contain all nine essential amino acids that your body needs to function but can’t create on its own. 

Essential amino acids in protein can only come from food (unlike non-essential amino acids, which your body can produce by itself). These acids help your body to digest food and to build, maintain and repair body tissue. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that you get it from the foods you eat!

Often when people are trying to build muscle or lose fat, they make sure they eat a lot of this type of protein because it helps to do this. Complete proteins are often found in meat and dairy products.

Incomplete proteins

Incomplete proteins are those proteins that do not contain all essential amino acids. Plant-based foods are often incomplete proteins; however, by eating the right combination of plant-based food, it can be easy to consume all the essential amino acids that your body requires.

It’s important to eat a variety of complete and incomplete proteins, which I will discuss below.

Best sources of protein

I prefer to receive my protein from food sources, rather than powders — but this is my own personal preference. If you want to include protein powder in your diet, try to do your research and learn about the different types of protein powders that exist, so you can find one that suits your needs.

Keep in mind that while processed protein sources can be an easy alternative, the best sources of protein come in the form of natural foods that provide your body with other important nutrients too.

Here are some high-protein foods that I find to be the best sources of protein:

Eggs

Eggs are one of the best sources of protein because they are so easy to incorporate into a variety of meals. They are a staple of mine either at breakfast or lunch because they help to keep me full and energised throughout the day. 

They may also help to minimise your cravings for sweets and high-fat foods and can keep fluctuating blood sugar levels at bay. 

For an easy breakfast or lunch, toast some rye bread and top with avocado, two poached eggs, a drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Greek yoghurt

Greek yoghurt is another really good source of protein that naturally contains all nine essential amino acids. It can also be great for your health because it contains probiotics. Probiotics are ‘good bacteria’ that can help to keep your digestive system healthy and balanced. 

Enjoy some Greek yoghurt with berries or banana for a great post-workout snack. You can also use Greek yoghurt to make smoothies extra filling.

Best plant-based sources of protein

Lentils

If you are looking for a good vegetarian source of protein, lentils are a great choice! One cup of cooked lentils contains about 10 grams of protein. Of course, it is important to understand that lentils are not a complete protein as they do not contain all nine essential amino acids. 

By eating other plant foods, such as whole grains, throughout the day you should be able to meet your daily protein requirements easily. Lentils taste great in salads and soups, just remember not to overcook them or they can go mushy!

Walnuts

If you are looking to add a little boost of protein to your smoothies or salads, add in a small handful of walnuts! As well as being a good source of protein, these little beauties contain essential fatty acids and a number of vitamins and minerals. They are the perfect snack post-workout, especially if you mix them with some Greek yoghurt and berries or you can eat them as a snack on their own!

You can get enough protein from food

So there you have it ladies, some amazing natural sources of protein that you can eat on a daily basis.

Remember that with a healthy and balanced diet, you should easily be able to get your daily intake of protein without having to worry about whether you are consuming enough!