How I picked my "shake"
In my search for the perfect "shake," I gotta tell you, I got really good at reading labels. I ended up trying 4 different shakes over the course of 6 months before I landed on Shakeology. I resisted, big time, I thought it was expensive and wrongfully thought I could totally find something just as good, with quality ingredients, but cheaper. All I have to say is, you get what you pay for, and you pay more for quality whole food ingredients. But then again, you can pay a pretty penny for junk food too. The choice is yours, and personally I had to have a heart to heart with myself, this was an investment into my health and I'd be using it as a healthy snack or a healthy replacement for breakfast.
There are many questionable ingredients out there that are hard to eliminate or avoid, they're in EVERYTHING it seems. BUT what I did know is that there were certain ingredients I DID NOT want in a shake that I intended to drink every single day, especially if I potentially couldn't avoid them in other foods throughout the day and wanted to limit my intake of them, ya know?! So here are the ingredients I wanted to try and avoid if possible:
Soy protein isolate (soy protein isolate can cause bloat, limit the absorption of certain medications, most soy is GMO, and SPI has been linked to allergies and thyroid problems, I avoid soy overall as much as possible because of my thyroid issues and medication)
Soy lecithin, soy oil (see above)
Sucralose and Aspartame (artificial sweeteners have been linked to diabetes by altering your insulin responses, linked to causing IBS, makes you crave more sweets, and can limit the absorption of some medications)
Artificial colors (unnecessary additives that have been linked to hyperactivity in children and causing tumors)
Artificial flavors (unnecessary additive)
High fructose corn syrup (refined corn sugar has been linked to diabetes and heart disease, most corn are GMO, makes you crave more sweets, an unnecessary sugar additive)
Crystalline fructose (crystallized corn sugar, see HFCS above)
Corn oil (see above)
Canola, olive, or sunflower oil (I'd rather get my healthy fat calories from coconut oil or Peanut Butter )
Carrageenan (has been linked to GI issues such as IBS)
Sugar or fructose in the first 3-5 ingredients (I'd rather have these over HFCS and artificial sweeteners, but let's be realistic, sometimes you need to sweeten a shake to make them taste good so I'll actually drink it, but obviously don't want sugar as a main ingredient)
Here were my other requirements for a shake:
Gluten free (gluten is inflammatory and can cause GI issues like IBS)
Full nutrition with vitamins, minerals, and superfoods, not just protein (most bang for my buck)
Probiotics
Vegan (I have a sensitive belly for bloating and am lactose intolerant)
No synthetic vitamins (or limited) if I could help it but not a deal breaker
Low glycemic (diabetic friendly, because of my PCOS)
Meal replacement (breakfast on the go, so I stop skipping!)
Had to keep me full for at least 2.5-3 hours
Has to taste good!
Well here is what Shakeology had to offer:
Again, this is totally MY personal preference, but wanted you to see my thought process and some of the reasons I chose Shakeology over some of the other popular shakes on the market. You have to find what works best for you and your health needs. If you're interested in trying Shakeology, I always have samples available, contact me or click here to learn more about Shakeology and it's benefits!
Daily Sunshine for your picky eater!
I have some really fun and exciting new to share while I'm at it. We now have a shake JUST FOR KIDS! Do you have a picky eater and worried they aren't eating enough of the "good foods"? Move over Ensure and Pediasure (or what I like to call sugar milk), now we have a better option, Daily Sunshine!
Pediatrician approved
Organic
Non-GMO
Gluten free
Soy free
VEGAN (no animal products and dairy free)
No artificial sweeteners, flavors, or coloring
High protein, low sugar
120 calories
Superfoods, Veggies, Probiotics, Healthy fats
Specific vitamins for a child's daily requirement
No mix ins necessary, it's a true shake and go for kids and makes a great adult afternoon snack (no more vending machine trips)
Chocolate or strawberry banana
Again, sampler packs available, contact me or check it out here!