Energy drinks took the market by storm several years ago and many people swear by them. I have found that commercially made energy drinks do indeed boost my energy level and help me to focus during high stress times, but the cost of commercially made energy drinks makes them difficult to afford. In addition to the cost of these energy drinks, a steady trickle of news reports has questioned the safety of commercially made energy drinks, many of which are thought by some medical experts to contain dangerous levels of stimulants. I have found over the past several years that I can boost my energy level by making my own energy drinks at home. If you have ice and a blender you can make very satisfying, healthy homemade energy drinks.
I have several recipes for energy drinks- one for every mood. When I pull an all-nighter to meet work deadlines or to care for a sick child, I turn to my high protein ice coffee special- the Ice Coffee Cooler for that much-needed boost. The recipe is simple: Combine one serving of your favorite protein powder with a cup of skim milk, a tray of ice, and heaping teaspoon of instant coffee. Add sugar or sweetener to taste. This recipe is especially effective if you avoid consuming caffeine on a daily basis. Save the caffeine for those special occasions when you most need the boost. That way, you won’t build up a tolerance to it, and you will find that just one serving of coffee does the trick.
On days when I am jittery or on edge, I don’t go for the Ice Coffee Cooler. Instead, I make my famous Banana-Peanut Butter Smoothie. To do this, peel a banana, wrap it in plastic or place it in a sandwich bag and freeze it. Place half of one tray of ice into the blender, then add one frozen banana. (I add the ice first, otherwise the banana will clog the blades). Add one tablespoon of peanut butter and sweeten to taste, using either artificial sweeteners or table sugar. The sugars in the banana will perk you up immediately, the protein will stabilize your blood sugar, and make you feel energetic and stable for a longer period of time. Everyone in our family loves this treat. My kids often drink these for breakfast before school, and they say that they are not at all hungry until lunchtime. I lose weight when I make these every morning, because I am full so long that I have no need to snack until lunch.
Everyone in the family loves our Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Smoothies. We place a tray of ice in the blender, along with a frozen banana for each serving. Add a tablespoon of peanut butter for each serving, a teaspoon of cocoa powder and a cup of milk for each serving. Sometimes we add a cap of vanilla to be fancy. Don’t make more than two servings in one blender. Add artificial sweetener or sugar to taste. If you want extra protein you can add some tofu or some protein powder.
Sometimes in the summer the kids and I are looking for something fresh to keep us going all day long, something that tastes like we shouldn’t be eating it. On days like that we make our Strawberry Energy Shakes. First, we wash and freeze our strawberries- or we use frozen unsweetened strawberries from the freezer section of the store. We add the ice to the blender first, to avoid clogging the blades. Then we add half a tray to one tray of ice, depending on how strong we want the flavor to be. Then we add live culture plain yogurt. Live culture plain yogurt is higher in protein per serving than milk, and has all the calcium. We add artificial sweetener to taste. This comes out as thick as a fast food shake, keeps us going for hours, is very high in vitamin c and calcium, and is surprising low in sugar.
Sometimes I’m worn out and need a quick sugar rush. Sometimes I need to cool off quickly after a workout, or I need to quickly stop the onset of a migraine headache. I have found that the sugar rush of a Plain Fruit Slush does the trick. This is a drink that contains no milk and very little ice. I freeze bananas and strawberries, and sometimes other fruits such as cherries and blueberries. Using sour cherries provides the additional bonus of being an all-natural pain reliever. Some studies have shown that sour cherries have the pain relieving benefits of aspirin, and I have found that to be true. I place them in the blender with water and blend until smooth. This comes out with the texture of a slush type drink that you can purchase at your local gas station, but is high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Kids love these, and the flavor is amazing.
When we are not in the mood for a sweet treat, I make a Virgin Bloody Mary Cooler. It is nice sometimes not to have a sugar rush, and this homemade energy boosting drink contains lots of veggies which stabilize blood sugar and keep you feeling even-keeled for a long time. This is a great drink on hot summer days when I am feeling tempted to overeat. To make this drink, I freeze vegetable juice and tomato juice in ice cube trays. This way, I do not have to add ice to the blender, which would water down the flavor too much. Then I blend the frozen juices, adding a touch of Worcestershire sauce and a dash of garlic powder and pepper. Yum! You can add some silken tofu if you want to add protein- don’t add too much, though, or it will affect the flavor. I also recommend experimenting with tofu by making smoothies in small batches just in case you don’t like the flavor. Keep in mind that this can be very high in sodium, and should be used in moderation by most people. People who have high blood pressure or who need to watch their sodium intake should avoid this drink. I have tried making this with low sodium vegetable juices, but I was not able to tolerate the taste and the whole batch went to waste.
Of course you can play with these recipes to find out what works best for you. I have also found that careful supplementation, in consultation with my physician has greatly boosted my energy level. If you find that you are turning to energy drinks frequently to boost your energy level, you may want to evaluate the quantity and quality of your sleep, your work and recreation habits, your general health and your nutrition. Bring your concerns about fatigue to your doctor, and be sure to consult with your doctor about any supplements that you would like to take.
