Ideal Smoothie tops taste and nutrition charts

by Nancy Conway

Foodies look at losing weight differently than their gym rat counterparts. Yes, we agree that the healthiest way to lose is the balance between calories taken in via nutrients (food) and calories burned via energy used (exercise). But it starts to get murky when it comes to which is more important, the diet or workout regimen.

Gym rats gravitate toward a ready-made power boosting tonic to meet nutrition requirements. Foodies think part of their workout is running around the grocery store looking for the ingredients to make their own power boosting tonic.

Gym rats rate the treadmill as a "must have" for dieting and maintaining fitness. Foodies know the number one, all-time best piece of equipment everyone needs for dieting and staying fit is the BLENDER. No ifs, ands, or buts.

All kidding aside, most people who must watch their weight are fighting a battle. We all need to get a lot more exercise than we do. The problem is, we have learned that we won't die, at least directly, from not treading, walking, running or doing regular exercise. At least I don't know anyone who admits to having heart disease because they chose the couch potato life.

But, we all must eat and food is our lives. Search for the word food in Yahoo and you get 41,400,000 results. It is big business, but it is totally essential to life. The problem is when you are required to eat everyday, the tendency to develop bad eating habits is way too easy.

Obesity is a growing problem among every part of the American population. While there are theories on why some people are obese, most obese people get that way by eating too much of the wrong foods. It doesn't happen overnight. It means years of following a path that seems normal, and too hard to change.

Most food vendors aren't helping either by providing simplified meals in kits that promise to deliver the WOW factor, but fall short of nutritional requirements, while loading up on the bad fat and calories. However, getting healthy foods that are packaged for easy fixing and packed with WOW are becoming a lot easier to get.

And that brings me back to the Gym rat vs. Foodie. I have a smoothie recipe that meets everyone's needs. It is so easy to make, just bananas, strawberries, orange juice, a surprise ingredient and of course, a blender. The surprise is FoodScience's Soy Protein Powder. The fruit and juice concoction is the right proportion to bring out the best balance of sweetness and taste. The soy Protein Powder tastes so smooth and creamy on your tongue, that you will feel satisfied and think you just ate something rich in fat.

Soy Protein Powder is a good supplement for a lot of reasons. It provides Isoflavones that have a protein sparing effect and helps develop lean body mass, making it a good supplement for dieting and maintaining weight.

Soy protein is recommended for men and women to reduce the risk of heart disease, by maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. It is a good supplement to curb menopausal hot flashes and may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Soy protein's recent popularity has prompted many studies to determine its actual effects.

While adding Soy Protein Powder to your daily regimen is a good way to get soy into your diet, it is also recommended to eat soy food products as well, such as tofu. And, as always, consult with your physician before taking any supplements if you are taking medication or have any health concerns.

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The Ideal Smoothie

• 1/2 - banana, frozen in chunks
• 1/2 cup - frozen strawberries
• 1 cup - orange juice (juice with added calcium is even better)
• 1 scoop - FoodScience of Vermont Soy Protein Powder, Creamy Vanilla

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. The powder makes this a creamy rich drink without the fat. It is packed with vitamins and nutrition. This recipe makes one big serving at 304 calories.

Substitute strawberries with peaches, blueberries or pineapple. To save time, halve a few bananas and store in a bag in the freezer. Use fresh berries, when possible. Clean and freeze for future use.

Recommended Products:

Simple Steps Soy Protein Powder in vanilla or chocolate - 16 oz. for only $11.95! -->CLICK HERE

Waring Chili Red Professional Blender $79.99