Meal Replacement Shakes - Are Your Protein Shakes And Snack Bars Harming You?

Savvy consumers have turned to wholesome meal replacement shakes, protein shakes and snack bars, knowing that many of the chronic degenerative diseases today are a result of the deterioration of the diet. Our modern diet, including the snacks we eat, needs to include the right types of carbohydrate, protein and fat.

In order to wisely choose what we eat, we must consider the glycemic index. The glycemic index refers to the level at which our blood sugar rises after eating certain carbohydrates. Eating low-glycemic complex carbohydrate foods help us to avoid degenerative illnesses like diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Also, phytonutrients, naturally occurring substances found in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and grains, benefit us by helping us prevent illness such as cancer and heart disease.

Protein is essential for growth and development and provides the body with energy. The body needs protein for the production of hormones, antibodies, enzymes and tissues. The body breaks protein down into amino acids, the building blocks of all proteins. The term essential amino acids means that the body cannot synthesize these proteins and must obtain them from the diet. If there is a chronic shortage of amino acids due to an unhealthy diet, the body often cannot repair or heal itself, and this leads to the onset of degenerative disease. Complete proteins is a term used to indicate that a protein contains ample amounts of all the essential amino acids.

Fat is needed for energy and growth, but our diets usually consist of too much fat. Excessive fat intake has been attributed to obesity, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, colon cancer and other disorders. Saturated fats are primarily found in animal products such as fatty meats and in whole milk, cream and cheese. Saturated fats can also be found in some vegetable products like coconut oil and vegetable oil. Experts tell us that less than 10 percent of our total daily calories should come from saturated fatty acids.

Trans fats are created when vegetable oils are hardened into solid fat, like shortening and margarine through hydrogenation. Trans fats act like saturated fats by clogging arteries and increasing the LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Your total calories from fat should not constitute more than 20 to 25 percent of your daily calories.

To decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases, make sure your diet is low in fat, rich in fruits, vegetables and soluble fiber.

And make sure your meal replacement shakes, protein shakes and nutrition bars provide low-glycemic complex carbohydrates, complete proteins, phytonutrients, beneficial fats and are portable enough to take with you while you're on the go. For these healthy, must-have macronutritionals that are richly packed with the above nutrients in addition to having zero trans fats and containing soy protein that comes from non-genetically modified sources, follow the link below. And don't forget to check out the personal blender bottle.

Consult a physician before beginning any treatments or therapies. This article is for educational purposes and should not be interpreted as providing medical advice.