Protein Shakes: The Perfect Companion to Your Yoga Workout

* Harvest Republic invited me to try out their products. 

To be honest, the first time I came across protein shakes was about 10 years ago when I studied in the US and my university friends and people I knew started to work out a lot in the gym. They drank protein shakes like I drank alcohol at the bar. I was shocked to see how quickly they would gain more and more muscles, and I was certain that something about their giant jars full of protein powder was not healthy at all.

Unfortunately, that image never left my head. Until recently, I didn't work out at the gym at all. I do yoga a lot and love to be active by hiking, snowboarding, skiing, or swimming. I still prefer yoga studios to a gym, but in the private gym where I teach yoga, I joined a few classes and it feels great to train in a group. It's just so much more fun! And it’s great to challenge myself and to see that there is much more potential when it comes to my strength. In 2018, I want to become fitter and stronger. It's something that would be beneficial in my yoga praxis as well.

That's where I came across the brand Harvest Republic. My friends invited me to try a glass of a protein shake and explained to me why it would be good for me too. All my prejudices were put to rest as they explained to me the benefits and why it's good for my body. But, they also mentioned why it's so important to only drink healthy protein shakes.

Okay, let's start from scratch. My biggest question was: Protein? Why do I need protein shakes?

Each body cell contains protein and our body needs the protein for certain important chores.

Protein help our bodies to build up cells. It repairs and protects cells at the same time. Unfortunately, our body has no protein reservoir. Therefore, we need to take in protein daily.

If you do a lot of sports, it's even more important to be mindful of your protein intake. Protein supports our muscle growth and increases muscle mass. If you're on a diet, your body has a high need for protein. 

That's where I did a little research. Back to Anatomy 101: 

Each body cell contains protein. And protein helps our body to repair and protect cells at the same time. Protein is an important block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Those proteins are needed for certain important chores. Now here comes the problem: Our body doesn't have a protein reservoir. Therefore we need to take in proteins day by day. 

Here are some veggies that contain lots of proteins:

• Soybeans
• Edamame
• Lentils 
• Broccoli
• Peas
• Asparagus
• Pumpkin Seeds 
• Mung Bean Sprouts 
• ...

Now, here comes a major difference between solid food and a protein shake. Let's consider that solid food takes time to digest and break down the protein, which is then sent to the muscle. When you take in a protein shake after a hard workout or a really powerful yoga class, it only takes about 30 minutes to reach the muscles after ingestion. 

Given that I made up my mind about protein shakes and tried one of Harvest Republic‘s with a banana flavor at the private training studio, I was very happy to try out another vegan protein shake. 

The brand Harvest Republic is located in Bremerhaven, Germany and it's a company that only uses bio raw materials. They have a very clear positioning and say no to the following: use of genetic engineering, additives, sweeteners, dyes, and preservatives. All products are strictly produced according to organic farming. 

Therefore, I was very happy to give it a try and build my own protein shake. 

Let me explain to you how this works: You can order the shakes online through their website (Unfortunately, it is only in German, but you can send them an email and order directly). 

To create your own shake, you can choose the products separately or you can pick a protein shake bundle of your choice.

Here's what you need for a protein shake by Harvest Republic: 

As always with Harvest Republic you have a few choices:

• Organic whey protein (Protein content of almost 80%. Due to the high number of immunoglobulins contained, the whey protein is good for your immune system. 100% from Germany.) 
• Organic rice protein (Vegan - over 75% protein content, by nature very little sugar, perfect for losing weight) 
• Organic almond protein (Vegan - very nutritious with a nutty aroma, also suitable for baking) 

To make your shake perfect, you need to pick the flavor. Don't get me wrong, this is no added flavor. It's the purest fruit powder you can imagine. I was surprised at how delicious it smelled when I opened my strawberry can. 

• Banana
• Strawberry
• Raspberry
• Cocoa

The fruit powder is not only great in the shakes but I also use it to add some more flavor to my breakfast bowls. It's also great for smoothies or for baking. 

If you're not going for a protein shake bundle, you can choose whether or not you want to order raw cane sugar with it. As I try to reduce my sugar intake as much as possible, I barely never use it for my shakes, but again, this really depends on your taste. 

Harvest Republic recommends using at least a little sugar in your shake after your training, saying that it's useful in combination with the protein powder. The increased insulin level is supposed to help the nutrients better absorb and process faster. 

If you want to order a bundle, you can check them out here.

To prepare the shakes, I usually prefer soy milk, rice milk, or any other kind of vegan milk. Along with my order came a shaker and it really helps me to create my shakes easily and quickly.

I hate long and complicated procedures in the kitchen and this is so easy. You can even put everything you need for your shake into the small container that is at the bottom of the shaker. This way, you can easily mix the shake right after your workout. I also enjoy drinking them after a tough yoga class. 

Now, over to you. Have you had the same opinion about protein shakes as me? Are you drinking them regularly? I must say, I love to drink mine after a workout or in the morning before I go for a hike. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. 

*The sample was kindly provided by Harvest Republic. My opinion and my experiences are, as always, my own.