This year has seen massive destruction and human displacement from tornados, floods and wildfires just in the US alone. Japan suffered the horrific tsunami and nuclear plant meltdowns and throughout the rest of the world there have been violent weather and volcanoes earthquakes.
The economy continues to tank, people are losing their jobs, the dollar is diving but food and oil are going up and up. Whew! That is pretty bleak and it’s only June!
More and more people are taking steps to be prepared for any of these contingencies and one of the first things they begin with is to have back-up supplies of food. You can now hear the ads for companies that sell prepared freeze-dried and dehydrated food on the radio.
As I began looking at these products and sampled some of them, I noticed two things. While they tasted better than I expected, they were generally too salty for my taste. The red flag for me was the low amount of protein and the type they use, textured soy protein, (TVP). No phytoestrogens for me, thank you!
For those of us who train hard, protein quality is extremely important and TVP just is not going to cut it, even if we are talking about back-up “survival” foods. The best sources of protein come from whey, eggs, milk, meat and fish. These are high quality, high BV (biological value) protein sources and soy is not as high on the BV chart. Is it bad for you? No, but this is about getting the best ingredients and the highest quality nutrition.
My thought in looking at these back-up prepared foods has been to find high quality protein that I can have on hand if the shit hits the fan. I still plan to train hard and if things get rough and we still have to ensure optimal nutrition. We want to thrive not just survive!
The premier blog for preparedness is survivalblog.com, run by John Wesley Rawles. Rawles also places a high premium on optimal health and the athletic lifestyle. I looked to see what he had published on the topic of protein and found his recipe for a high protein, optimal nutrition shake. It is can and should be consumed every day, good times and bad and is as clean as it gets.
Here is the recipe for the Thrive Shake:
Reconstituted powdered milk. Each serving will be 10 oz.
2 tbsp sweet whey powder
1 tbsp whole egg powder
1 tbsp coconut milk powder
1 tbsp fruit or vegetable powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp honey
You can use a blender or a shaker as everything blends well and cleans up easily. There are a ton of benefits to the Thrive Shake and here are those benefits by each ingredient from Rawles’ site.
Protein: This three protein combination–milk, egg and whey– works synergistically. Together they are known as a “whey protein blend” and create a BV between 105-160. They form a “time release” or “sustained release” matrix, which is ideal, as whey proteins absorb rapidly and the other proteins absorb slower over time. Coconut: Coconuts contain healthful fats. Lauric acid composes 50% of the fat, which converts to monolaurin in the body. Monolaurin is an antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride that can destroy lipid-coated viruses such as herpes and influenza. It is also an excellent energy source. Fruit/Veggie Powder: There is a wide array of these powders available, and the nutritional benefit corresponds to the spectrum of ingredients. Cherry powder acts as an anti-inflammatory. Blueberry and Pomegranate powders are high in antioxidants. Black raspberry shows anti-carcinogenic benefit. Green vegetable powders are natural detoxifiers. Each powder will impart an added flavor and can add variety. Cocoa: Studies show that cocoa is richer in antioxidants than more publicized drinks like tea and red wine (cocoa has three times more antioxidants than tea). Cocoa powder has also been shown to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow in humans and to fight heart disease and aging. Also, extremely important in a survival situation, cocoa contains phenylethylamine, which is a mood elevator akin to amphetamine type substances. Honey: Honey is a food that never spoils! Additionally, it is a nutritive powerhouse containing vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and C, as well as the minerals magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulfur, iron and phosphate (in trace amounts copper, iodine, and zinc). It is a natural energy booster. Chia Seeds: Chia seeds contains six times more calcium than milk. They are a superior source of fiber, which can absorb over 12 times its weight in water (flax seed only absorbs 6-8 times). Chia seeds contain the powerful antioxidants chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and coumaric acid which play a major role in cancer prevention. Most important is the oil profile it adds to the shake. It is the richest vegetable source for the essential omega-3 fatty acid–three to ten times the oil concentrations of most grains.
Oh yeah, the taste? Not bad; definitely palatable. You can store these ingredients for years and save them for a “rainy day” or make the shake to start off your day.
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