Benefits of proffee
Health experts have said that protein coffee is most effective for those who often tend to skip a healthy breakfast in exchange for a morning coffee and therefore regularly miss out on a large portion of their daily protein intake.
Protein, a nutrient crucial for recovery and muscle growth and maintenance, makes us feel fuller for longer thanks to its effects on our metabolism. Some believe proffee can therefore aid in weight loss as it helps to stop snacking and overeating. Protein has also been proven to decrease blood pressure and have a positive impact on bone health.
Caffeine, when taken in moderation, can be equally as advantageous to our health and is commonly consumed via coffee or energy drinks. It also contains antioxidants and increases energy levels, which in turn help to improve mental and physical performance. Being a natural stimulant, caffeine is proven to enhance your muscles’ resistance to fatigue when drunk before a workout.
How to drink proffee
Since protein coffee is a highly adaptable and customizable drink, the recipe choices with proffee are boundless. Common recipes shared online typically consist of mixing espresso, a dairy-based protein shake, caramel syrup, and ice. There are, of course, many alternatives to each of these ingredients which can be altered according to taste and diet preferences.
Although proffee is typically drunk cold as an iced coffee using premade protein shake as its dairy base and then poured over ice, it’s also possible to drink proffee hot by mixing the protein shake into hot espresso. For those who prefer to pass on dairy, dairy protein shakes can be swapped out for vegan or plant-based options. If you usually like your coffee black you can simply skip the milk base altogether and add the protein powder to the coffee directly: just make sure to stir continuously or even mix the ingredients together in a blender.
Healthier alternatives to typical proffee recipes
Most proffee recipes shared online include sugary ingredients such as flavored syrups, sweets, or plain sugar itself. To get maximum benefit from your protein coffee, however, it is best to avoid adding sugary treats to your proffee drink on a regular basis as this is likely to counteract any health advantages from the protein and caffeine. Sugar contains no nutritional value and by adding sugar you increase the number of empty calories your drink contains, which could lead to a weight gain of fat, and not muscle.
But if a plain proffee drink does not satisfy your sweet cravings, we understand. Instead, a healthy alternative to sugary additions is to choose a flavored option for your proffee protein source, such as The Plant Era’s Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Protein Powder. This way not only do you skip the disadvantages of added sugar but also reap the rewards of our plant-based protein powder formula.
Opting for a vegan protein source (such as vegan protein powder or a vegan protein shake) instead of dairy-based whey protein is advantageous since plant-based protein is much easier for us to digest. Plant-based products are also better for the environment since they require fewer resources and do not create as many carbon emissions to produce.
Our Dark Chocolate Protein Powder contains Organic Pea Protein and Organic Brown Rice Protein, two plant-based protein sources which are more nutrient dense than dairy alternatives. To bring the dark chocolate flavor we add Cacao, a superfood gem that contains plentiful amounts of antioxidant properties and, when eaten in moderation, lets us feel indulgent without being detrimental to our health.
Below we show how to make proffee using The Plant Era’s Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Protein Powder. This is a recipe that both harnesses the nutritional values of a plant-based proffee and satisfies caffeine and sugar cravings.
The Plant Era’s Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Iced Proffee
What you will need
- 1 scoop The Plant Era Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Protein Powder
- 300ml water, milk, or plant-based milk
- 2 shots espresso, chilled (add more for a stronger drink)
- Ice (try adding iced coffee cubes for a stronger drink)
- One slice dark chocolate or vegan dark chocolate
How to make
- Mix the Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Protein Powder with 300ml of water/milk/plant-based milk.
- Add as much (or as little) ice as you like to your favorite glass or mug.
- After leaving the coffee to chill to at least room temperature, pour over ice.
- Next, add in the protein powder mixture and stir, making sure to reach to the bottom of the glass.
- For a more indulgent drink, try adding shavings of either dairy or vegan dark chocolate on top.
- Enjoy!
Prefer your coffee hot?
Just add the coffee and protein source (either the powder on its own for a black coffee or made up with milk/plant-based milk) to a blender, ensuring the hot air can escape. If you do not have a blender, it is also possible to slowly mix spoonfuls of the powder to the hot coffee one at a time, whilst constantly stirring to make sure the powder does not clump.